The first symptoms of pregnancy – when and how to recognize them?

Proven content

Are you wondering if you might be pregnant? One proven method that confirms pregnancy is through a pregnancy test. However, in the first weeks of pregnancy, you may notice individual symptoms. What are the first symptoms of pregnancy? When can they appear?

1. The first signs of pregnancy may appear a few days after conception. The most common are: spotting, uterine contractions, complaints similar to those seen before and during menstruation
2. The most obvious symptom of pregnancy is amenorrhea
3. To confirm pregnancy, you will need to do a pregnancy test and also see your gynecologist
4. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

The first symptoms of pregnancy – do all women have them?

Every woman is different. Just like her pregnancy experiences. Not every woman has the same pregnancy symptoms, and not every subsequent pregnancy looks the same. The early pregnancy symptoms often mimic those that can occur just before and during your period, so you may not be aware that you are pregnant.

Below is a description of some of the most common first symptoms of pregnancy. You should know that these symptoms can be caused by factors other than pregnancy. The fact that you notice some of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you are pregnant. The only way to be sure is to do a pregnancy test.

The editorial board recommends: Pregnancy test – after how many days can it be done?

The first signs of pregnancy – spotting and cramps

After fertilization, the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine wall. This can cause some of the earliest signs of pregnancy – spotting and sometimes even slight uterine contractions. This staining is known as implantation bleeding. It occurs 6 to 12 days after conception. The uterine contractions that may appear are similar to period pains.

In addition to bleeding, a woman may notice white, milky vaginal discharge. It is associated with the thickening of the vaginal walls. The increased growth of the cells that line the vagina causes this discharge to form.

This discharge can accompany a woman throughout pregnancy and is usually harmless and does not require treatment. However, if it is accompanied by an unpleasant smell, itching and burning sensation, inform your treating physician as this may be a sign of a bacterial or yeast infection.

Also check: Vaginitis – everything you need to know about it

The first signs of pregnancy – no period

The most obvious first symptom of pregnancy and the one that prompts most women to take a pregnancy test is no menstruation. However, it should be remembered that the lack of period or its delay is not always caused by pregnancy.

In addition, some women may experience bleeding during pregnancy. If you already know for sure that you are pregnant and you have bleeding, contact your doctor as soon as possible as this may pose a risk to a developing fetus.

Read: What could be the reasons for missing a period?

The first signs of pregnancy – sensitive breasts

Sensitive, swollen breasts are another of the first telltale signs of pregnancy. Hormonal changes early in pregnancy can make your breasts sensitive and even painful. In addition, you may feel your breasts feel fuller and swollen. The area around the nipples, called the areola, may also darken. The discomfort is likely to lessen after a few weeks as your body adjusts to the hormonal changes.

See: Nipple ultrasound – when to do the examination?

The first symptoms of pregnancy – nausea and fatigue

Morning sickness is one of the most famous symptoms of pregnancy. However, not every woman feels them. The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown, but pregnancy hormones are likely to contribute. Nausea during pregnancy can occur at any time of the day, but most often in the morning.

Moreover, in the early stages of pregnancy, the pregnant woman may be rejected from certain foods, even her favorite foods. It is also associated with hormonal changes. The effect can be so strong that even the thought of what was once a favorite food can make a pregnant woman feel more sick. It is possible that nausea, changes in appetite, and an aversion to food could continue throughout your pregnancy. However, usually these symptoms improve in many women around weeks 13 or 14 of pregnancy.

In some women, the first symptom of pregnancy, in addition to nausea, may be vomiting. They can appear in the morning immediately after getting out of bed or during the day after eating.

Fatigue is normal in pregnancy and women experience it in the first weeks of pregnancy, even in the first week after conception. Mainly responsible for this condition is the high level of progesterone, but also lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure and increased blood production.

If your fatigue is related to your pregnancy, it is important to get plenty of rest. Eating foods high in protein and iron can balance this.

Also read: Low blood pressure in pregnancy – what are its causes?

First symptoms of pregnancy – other symptoms

Pregnancy causes changes in your hormone balance, which in turn can cause other symptoms, which include:

1. frequent urination – for many women this begins around the sixth or eighth week after conception. While it can be caused by a urinary tract infection, diabetes, or the use of diuretics, if you’re pregnant, it’s most likely caused by hormone levels.
2.  constipation – during pregnancy, higher levels of the hormone progesterone can cause constipation. Progesterone causes food to pass through the intestines more slowly,
3. mood swings – are common, especially in the first trimester. They are also associated with changes in hormones,
4. dizziness and fainting – this may be associated with vasodilation, a drop in blood pressure and a drop in blood sugar.

A pregnant woman may have all of these symptoms, and maybe just one or two. If any of these symptoms become bothersome, talk to your doctor about them to make a plan to correct them.

Read: Fetal development stages – first, second and third trimesters

The first symptoms of pregnancy – clinical symptoms

Clinical symptoms of pregnancy are abdominal enlargement (around the 20th week of pregnancy, the bottom of the uterus reaches the level of the navel) and changes in the cervix and the uterus itself found in a gynecological examination. The cervix turns blue, the uterus changes its consistency, size and position in relation to the cervix. This symptom can be confirmed by a doctor during a two-handed examination of the compiled. You can also confirm pregnancy by testing the level of hormones – the most popular parameter is the level of beta HCG in the blood serum.

Some symptoms of pregnancy are hearing the fetal heartbeat and ultrasound confirmation of the presence of the fetus in the uterine cavity (or outside of it – in the case of an ectopic pregnancy).

At the beginning of pregnancy, i.e. a few days after the expected menstruation, the only possible and reliable way to confirm pregnancy is to test the beta HCG level in the blood serum. Outside of pregnancy, this hormone is not produced by the woman’s body. You do not need to fasting to determine the beta HCG level, and the result is reliable as early as a few days after conception.

The first signs of pregnancy – fetal heart rate

The fetal heart rate is detected on ultrasound as early as the 6th week of pregnancy, counting from the first day of the last menstruation. You can listen to the pulse by using the Doppler technique during an ultrasound scan. However, in early pregnancy, this test is not performed due to the possible adverse effects on the developing fetus.

The fetal heart rate can be easily heard around the 12th – 13th week of pregnancy, both in ultrasound – using the Doppler technique and with the fetal heart rate detector. However, this device must be of adequate quality. Between 16 and 19 weeks of pregnancy, it is sometimes possible to listen to the fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope.

However, it should be remembered that the structures of the fetus – including its heart – are still small at that time, and therefore in today’s era of advanced technology and the widespread availability of ultrasound machines, they seem to be the most appropriate for confirming the presence of the fetal heart rate.

The first signs of pregnancy – fetal movements

A woman’s perception of them varies individually. These differences mainly concern the element and multiparous women. The elements feel the fetal movements later, i.e. around the 20th week of pregnancy. Earlier, they may perceive it as a feeling of overflow in the intestines, flatulence, etc. On the other hand, multiparous women can sense the first movements of the fetus already around the 18th week of pregnancy, which is related to greater experience in identifying them, as well as to the laxity of the abdominal muscles.

If a woman has sexual intercourse, she should see a gynecologist after she has stopped menstruating to confirm whether the missed period is due to pregnancy or something else entirely. Early confirmation of pregnancy is one of the essential conditions for its proper conduct.