What symptoms women have during pregnancy vary widely, along with when they first experience those symptoms. One mother-to-be might have nausea throughout her first trimester, while another might be without nausea but have mild cramping and sore breasts. Some pregnancy symptoms appear even before a missed period; other women won't start seeing symptoms until after they get that positive pregnancy test.
Timing
The earliest a woman will begin to feel pregnancy symptoms would be about seven to 10 days after she ovulated. If her egg was fertilized during ovulation, the fertilized egg would implant around this time. Until implantation, the body does not know it is pregnant and, therefore, there would be no symptoms. Experiencing an onslaught of symptoms around the time of implantation is unlikely, but as a woman approaches her missed period, she could begin to feel some early pregnancy symptoms.
Period or Pregnant
The tricky part of deciphering pregnancy symptoms is that many of these early symptoms mimic premenstrual symptoms. Mild cramping and tender breasts are common for many women as their period approaches, and these changes in your body can also be a sign of pregnancy. There is no way to tell if your tender breasts mean your period is approaching or you're pregnant -- you just have to wait it out until it is time to test.
Common Symptoms
Another common early pregnancy symptom is nausea and vomiting, which generally does not occur during the premenstrual phase. Women can begin feeling waves of nausea after the egg implants, thanks to the surge of pregnancy hormones. So, while a nauseous phase in the weeks between ovulation and your period could signal pregnancy, it also could mean you're getting sick or ate something bad.
Other Possible Symptoms
Women can experience other pregnancy symptoms very early, before or around the time their period is due. They might have a heightened sense of smell. They might have food aversions or cravings -- that greasy slice of pizza you crave could make you nauseous even before you know you are pregnant.
The Bottom Line
Some women will experience pregnancy symptoms before they miss their period. However, many women will not, so there is no way to accurately determine if you are pregnant based on pre-period symptoms alone. A positive home test is the only way to confirm your pregnancy.
