Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

Yes it is true that many very early signs of pregnancy may be felt even before a woman actually misses her period.

When trying to get pregnant, a woman may well be looking for some of the very early signs of pregnancy directly after having had intercourse.

Now while many early signs of pregnancy do predate that all important missed period, they may still not manifest themselves immediately after having had intercourse. This is because the conception may not take place until a few days after intercourse.

The sperm may well live for several days (between three and five days according to different estimates) in the vagina before actually fertilizing the female egg upon ovulation.

So conception may actually happen later than the intercourse and the very early signs of pregnancy will manifest themselves about 10 days after conception.

As soon as conception occurs there is a tumult of hormonal changes that start to take place inside the female body and these hormonal changes show up as some of the early signs of pregnancy. The ones that may predate the missed period (what is known as amenorrhea) may be these:

Breast changes: Some women find a new tenderness and sensitivity in the nipples soon after conception and for many this is one of the very early signs of pregnancy.

Others find the nipples become rather sore, so that clothing seems to chafe and irritate. The nipples change color; the aureoles are darker. There may also be a new fullness to the breasts; they may appear larger at this time.

Nausea and morning sickness: Many women find that nausea and/or morning sickness or even sickness at other times of the day is among the very early signs of pregnancy; in some cases the first intimation that a pregnancy has in fact occurred.

A woman may find that certain smells induce nausea suddenly; whereas they had no ill effects earlier. Certain foods that she has liked in the past are suddenly anathema to her; and conversely those which she could not countenance earlier suddenly seem appetizing.

Tiredness / dizziness / faintness: As the hormone levels in the body undergo sudden and dramatic changes, it affects the body’s blood circulation.

Low blood sugar levels could mean that one feels tired and has feelings of dizziness and faintness sometimes.

Mood swings: Anyone who has suffered the symptoms of PMS is aware that mood swings are closely related to hormonal fluctuation. And there is not bigger hormonal upheaval than pregnancy.

So it is small wonder that pregnant women may feel suddenly euphoric and then downright dismal the next.

Bloated feeling / Constipation / Frequent Urination: Again it is the hormonal changes in the body that cause water retention, and a feeling of being bloated.

Hormonal changes also cause the digestive system of the body to slow down somewhat, causing constipation and even heartburn and acidity later.

The increased hormonal activity in the uterus puts pressure on the adjoining bladder, thereby making a woman feel as though she has to go to the bathroom more often.