Have you been sexually active and noticed unusual things happening with your body?
“During early pregnancy, symptoms you experience are your body’s way of alerting you to the drama that is happening inside. From the very moment of conception (when egg and sperm join), your body undergoes an avalanche of change in a very short time.”[1] Early on pregnancy symptoms can be subtle, but even before you miss a period you may experience some of the following:
Classic Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms:
- Missed Period: Your period is officially late if it has been beyond 30 days since your last period. However, if you have an irregularly existing menstrual cycle, you may want to wait for more pregnancy symptoms to arise.
- Fatigue: During the early stages of pregnancy, high levels of the hormone progesterone is released into the body causing you to feel worn out and sleepy.
- Moodiness: “The flood of hormones in your body in early pregnancy can make you unusually emotional and weepy. Mood swings also are common.”[2]
- Swollen, tender breasts: You may feel some discomfort with you breasts like sensitive nipples and darkness. However, this is not uncommon when the body has began to make preparations to produce milk.
- Frequent urination: Pregnancy can cause an increased amount of blood to be produced in the body also modifying the kidneys, producing extra fluids in the bladder, that must be released.
- Nausea with or without vomiting: Though morning sickness is an unpleasant event, it is also a symptom of pregnancy that many women share. According to a survey conducted by the American Pregnancy Association, “25% [of the women surveyed] indicated that nausea was the first sign of pregnancy.”[3]
- Food aversions and cravings: After becoming pregnant you may become sensitive to certain odors or aromas. Your desire for certain foods may also increase or decrease. Hormonal changes are the main cause of these developments during pregnancy.
While the above pregnancy symptoms can fall on the usual spectrum of being with child, some symptoms can be very unusual, like the following:
Weird Early Pregnancy Symptoms:
- Taste of metal: During pregnancy, some women undergo a condition called dysgeusia, which causes changes in taste. These changes can result in your mouth or certain food tasting salty, burnt, or like metal.
- Dry skin: It is a common occurrence for pregnant women to experience dry skin. Because of the change in hormones, the skin loses both elasticity and some of its moisture with the growth of your belly.
- Insomnia (trouble falling or staying asleep): During pregnancy, the quality of sleep you acquire will lessen. Though being pregnant can cause you to feel tired all day, it too can cause you to have insomnia at night.
Remember that the above symptoms are not solely used for determining pregnancy. A reliable pregnancy test is the only way to find out if you are truly pregnant.
Think you’re pregnant? Contact us for assistance, support, and free pregnancy testing.
References:
1. “Signs of Pregnancy: Could I Be Pregnant?” Lamaze International, https://www.lamaze.org/signs-and-symptoms-of-pregnancy. Accessed February 20, 2020.
2. “Symptoms of Pregnancy: What Happens First.” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/symptoms-of-pregnancy/art-20043853. Accessed February 20, 2020.
3. “Pregnancy Symptoms – Early Signs of Pregnancy.” American Pregnancy Association, https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/early-pregnancy-symptoms/. Accessed February 21, 2020.