With many early pregnancy symptoms varying from woman to woman, it can be difficult for a women to know what to look for to determine if she is pregnant. Although the best way to determine pregnancy conclusively is through a quantitative blood pregnancy test performed at a doctor's office, there are other things that can indicate that a woman is likely pregnant.
Late Period
The American Pregnancy Association states that a late or missed period is one of the most common pregnancy signs. A late period does not necessarily confirm that a woman is pregnant, especially if she has had irregular cycles in the past or has been sick or stressed. However, the absence of an expected period does warrant follow-up through a pregnancy test or visit to a doctor and may indicate possible pregnancy.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms
Breast changes, fatigue, morning sickness, bloating, headaches, frequent urination, dizziness, mood swings, lower backache, food cravings, food aversions and constipation are common early pregnancy symptoms. Although the presence of only one or two of these symptoms may not mean much, experiencing several of these symptoms for an extended period may be a good indicator that a woman is pregnant.
Raised Basal Body Temperature
The temperature of a woman when she first wakes up in the morning is her basal body temperature. Charting these temperatures on a daily basis can provide useful information about a woman's current state of fertility, and also can provide information that can indicate pregnancy. A basal body temperature raises a few tenths of a degree at the time of ovulation and then drops right before menstruation occurs. Therefore, a basal body temperature that stays elevated for more than two weeks after ovulation indicates that a woman may be pregnant, explains the Mayo Clinic.
Home Pregnancy Tests
One of the most conclusive ways of determining if a woman is pregnant is through a pregnancy test. Home pregnancy tests are not only convenient, but accurate as well. Many of these tests claim to be 99 percent accurate once a period is missed, according to the National Women's Health Information Center, although this accuracy can vary based upon the individual situation. However, false positives and false negatives do occur with these tests. Women taking home pregnancy tests may want to repeat the test a week later or see a doctor for a more conclusive blood pregnancy test if they believe the results from the home pregnancy test were inaccurate.
One of the most conclusive ways of determining if a woman is pregnant is through a blood pregnancy test. These tests are done in a doctor's office, and can be either quantitative or qualitative. Although both of these blood tests check for the pregnancy hormone hCG in the bloodstream, quantitative blood tests test for the exact amount of hCG present while qualitative tests only determine whether or not hCG is present, explains the National Women's Health Information Center.
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