When trying to conceive, it is common to think every little symptom is a sign of pregnancy. While you may, in fact, be pregnant, many of the same symptoms can also be experienced before the menstrual cycle begins. Research has found that the most common early pregnancy symptom is a missed period. There are also symptoms such as nausea, fatigue and breast changes that are commonly experienced early in pregnancy. The best way to determine if you are pregnant is to visit your doctor or to take an at-home pregnancy test.
When Do You Experience the First Signs of Pregnancy?
Every woman’s body is different. This is important to remember when trying to decipher when you may begin to experience early signs of pregnancy. It’s important to keep in mind that pregnancy symptoms don’t usually begin until after the embryo forms and develops, which happens around 1 to 3 weeks after your missed period.
Studies have found that a majority of women begin to experience early pregnancy symptoms between the fifth and sixth week. Some women may not experience symptoms until later in the pregnancy, such as the eighth week. During this time, moms-to-be may feel fatigued, experience frequent urination, notice changes in the shapes of their breast and have nausea or vomiting.
Common First Signs of Pregnancy
Missed periods are one of the most common indicators of pregnancy. However, other early pregnancy signs include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Increased sense of smell
- Nipple and/or breast tenderness
- Trouble sleeping
- Spotting
- Frequent urination
While these are known to be early signs of pregnancy, each of these can be caused for other reasons that are not pregnancy related. For instance, you may experience nausea or vomiting from a virus or you may be urinating frequently due to being overly hydrated.
If you think you are pregnant, the best thing to do for an accurate result is to make an appointment with your doctor. You can also use an at-home pregnancy test, but if you are not “pregnant enough” you may receive a false negative. Seeing a doctor will help to best determine if you are in fact pregnant and where you are at in your pregnancy. For those who are not pregnant but have missed their period, it can help to determine why this may have occurred and get to the core of any underlying issues.
The path to pregnancy is an exciting journey! At OneSource Healthcare, we understand how vital it is to be seen by an urgent care physician when you aren’t well. That is why we offer low-cost, affordable urgent care for those occasional urgent care medical needs that simply cannot wait. Visit us online at www.onesource-healthcare.com or give us a call today at 229-439- 1950 or 229-246-6417.