Earliest Signs Of Pregnancy
Getting to Know the Earliest Signs of Pregnancy
Any woman who is actively trying to conceive will be anxiously watching for the very earliest signs of pregnancy. Not only is she excited about the prospect of becoming a parent, but she will also want to receive the finest of care at the earliest possible moment to ensure that her baby will be healthy and happy.
The first “trimester”, or term of three months, is a critical time in a pregnancy. Major organs such as the heart, brain, spinal cord and others are forming, along with a primitive neurological and circulatory system. Eating healthy foods that will help nourish both the developing fetus and the mother can become the mother’s focus, and if she has been drinking even the occasional alcoholic beverage, she can discontinue consumption before any potential harm can be done to the baby. The mom can also take steps to avoid secondhand tobacco smoke, or to quit smoking herself at the earliest signs of pregnancy. For women who do not wish to have a baby, an early confirmation of the pregnancy can allow a safe termination.
While many women have the ability to experience pregnancy, the actual symptoms of pregnancy can be drastically different from woman to woman. A more accurate statement would be that, for one woman who experiences multiple pregnancies, the pregnancy signs can be totally different from one pregnancy to the next. There are guidelines, however, to help the prospective mother to be more conscious and aware of the changes that will occur at the precise moment that conception takes place even if she is not able to detect them.
Feeling of pregnancy
There are women who almost immediately just feel different when they become pregnant. Without being able to put their finger on what it is exactly that feels different, they simply know that they are pregnant. Dreams can become very vivid early on in pregnancy; with some women dreaming of their pregnancy before it has been confirmed.
Spotting
When the already developing egg reaches the uterus, it attaches itself to the lining of the womb. Some women experience a slight bleeding when this happens. Most do not recognize the spotting as a sign of pregnancy but rather take it as the beginning of a menstrual cycle.
Frequent urination
More trips to the bathroom early on in the pregnancy are normal, and can be blamed on a couple of different causes. The uterus is now beginning to expand, which places a burden on the bladder and creates the need to urinate. Also, body fluids that are normally produced are being kicked up a notch due to the pregnancy, and will fill the bladder at a more frequent rate.
Elevated body temperature
A slight temperature rise is very commonly recognized as one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. When your basal temperature is higher than normal and remains that way for a week or two, there is a good chance you are pregnant.
Missed periods
Anyone who is asked to name one of the signs of pregnancy will inevitably answer “missing a period”. It is probably the most familiar of the signs, but may not be one of the first.
Fatigue:
At the precise moment that conception occurs, hormonal changes begin to take place in a woman’s body. These shifts in hormone levels cause feelings of tiredness which will dissipate as the body becomes accustomed to the change.
Cramps:
Cramping around the time of a normal menstrual period can occur in some women.
Nausea
Nausea, or morning sickness as it is more commonly referred, occurs in about half of pregnant women. It can occur at any time of the day, but often is felt upon waking in the morning due to low blood sugar after the evening’s “fast”.
Tenderness of breast
Tenderness of the breasts and nipples is another of the earliest signs of pregnancy that provide a signal to the mom to be of her new condition. This is also attributed to changes in the hormonal balance of a woman’s body. (continued...)