Pregnancy is a time of change for a woman's body. Some of the signs of pregnancy may appear within the first two weeks following conception. Paying close attention to your body is the most effective way to notice the earliest signs of pregnancy.
Elevated Temperature
A slight rise in temperature occurs during ovulation. If the temperature doesn't return to normal following ovulation, pregnancy should be suspected. Generally, this temperature rise is one-tenth of a degree, so taking a daily temperature reading at the same time is necessary to notice this sign of pregnancy.
Fatigue
Unusual fatigue may start within the first week following conception. There are other conditions, such as illness or stress that may cause the fatigue. However, if the fatigue occurs in conjunction with other symptoms of pregnancy, a pregnancy test should be taken.
Aches
Swollen and achy breasts are possible as early as a week following conception. A darkening of the areola is possible. You may also have lower back aches and headaches. The backaches are caused by the body changing to accommodate the pregnancy. Headaches are caused by the increase in hormones.
Spotting
Somewhere between six to 12 days following conception, you may notice light spotting. This is called implantation bleeding. It occurs when the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus. Light cramping, which should be much less intense than menstrual cramping, may accompany the spotting. Because implantation bleeding occurs around the same time as menstruation is expected, some women mistake this spotting as a light period.
Pregnancy
A blood test done to check hCG---human chorionic gonadotropin---levels in the body can be done as early as seven days after suspected conception; however, this early in the pregnancy, false negative results are still possible. This test must be done by a doctor. A home pregnancy test or urine pregnancy test can be taken as early as the first day of a missed period.
