Signs of Pregnancy After Ovulation

Pregnancy begins with conception, which occurs when an egg gets fertilized by sperm during ovulation. Because of this, all pregnancies occur after ovulation. According to the National Women's Health Information Center, some of the signs of pregnancy begin within a week of conception.

Menstruation Changes

A woman who is pregnant won't have her period; however, she may experience light bleeding or spotting as a result of the egg implanting into the uterus. This bleeding is called implantation bleeding. Implantation bleeding usually occurs 6 to 12 days after conception, which means it may be mistaken for a light period. A pregnancy test taken approximately a week after a missed period can be used to confirm pregnancy.

Morning Sickness

As a woman's hormones change, she may experience morning sickness. This pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting can occur at any time of day or night and it may occur throughout the pregnancy. However, morning sickness is most common during the first three months of pregnancy. Morning sickness is sometimes accompanied by food cravings and aversions.

Breast Changes

A week to two weeks following ovulation in which conception has occurred a woman may experience tender breasts. She may notice that her breasts are swollen or very sore. These changes are often likened to the breast changes a woman experiences during her normal menstrual cycle; however, the changes don't subside as they do during the normal cycle.

Urination

Frequent urination is an early sign of pregnancy. For some women, this is accompanied by constipation. The frequent urination usually subsides during the second trimester of the pregnancy, but the constipation may remain throughout the pregnancy.

Soreness

Many women experience headaches, backaches and hip pain during pregnancy. The backaches and headaches may start early in the pregnancy and last throughout the pregnancy, while the hip pain is usually present toward the end of the pregnancy.

Fatigue

Because of the amount of energy a woman's body expends during pregnancy, fatigue is common, sometimes as early as the first week after conception. Some women experience insomnia, which aggravates the fatigue. Taking naps and resting throughout the day are ways to combat this fatigue.