Symptoms of Early Pregnancy
It’s day thirty five of your cycle… Maybe you have been trying for several months and this is finally it. Or maybe you weren’t trying but would be ecstatic if you really were pregnant. What should you look for? What signs would be worrisome? How do you know if you really are pregnant?
Suspicion should always be raised when a patient is “late” for her cycle. Most women have cycles that are between twenty one and thirty five days long. If cycles are regular, being five to seven days late may suggest checking a pregnancy test. As cycles may vary for numerous reasons other than pregnancy, it would never be wrong for a patient to check, “just to be safe”.
There are a number of different symptoms that may present at the beginning of pregnancy. One of the most common is breast tenderness. Women may feel that the breasts are more sensitive to exercise or their undergarments. Some women may feel that the breasts are engorged, swollen or more “full”. The feeling of breast enlargement is most pronounced within four weeks of the last menstrual period and continues for the remainder of pregnancy due to the influence of hormones related to pregnancy.
Fatigue is another symptom that women may encounter. Patients often state that their ability to tolerate exercise or work a whole day has decreased. Some feel that their “energy” level is flat or that they feel “drained”. Being sure to take a prenatal vitamin and eating regularly may aid in battling the fatigue.
Dyspnea is the sensation of feeling short of breath. Up to half of all pregnant women will experience this shortness of breath either simply at rest or exercising during pregnancy. The cause of dyspnea is unknown but is thought to be related possibly to some of the influences of certain pregnancy related hormones. Luckily, this symptom does not critically affect the baby or mother.
Nausea and vomiting of course are two symptoms that are very common. Better known as “morning sickness”, these problems may complicate up to 2 out of every three pregnancies. Typically, nausea may begin as early as the fourth or eighth week of pregnancy. Fortunately for most women, this nausea may resolve as the end of the twelfth week approaches. Along with morning sickness symptoms, patients may have changes in their sense of smell and taste. These changes in smell and taste often trigger bouts of nausea which can lead to vomiting. There are many ways in which patients may be able to cope with these troublesome symptoms. Avoiding foods and odors that trigger nausea would be a good first step. In order to break the cycle of nausea and vomiting, small frequent meals do well to suppress the initial nausea and help to settle the stomach.
Some symptoms of pregnancy may be alarming to patients when they first encounter them. Cramping in the pelvis is not unusual in the first six to eight weeks of pregnancy. The stretch and change that the womb undergoes early is perceived as cramping type pain for many women. Some women may even describe the discomfort as menstrual-like pain. More rarely, patients may have some spotting around the time they had anticipated to start their cycle. This “implantational bleeding” is thought to be spotting involved in the early establishment of a normal pregnancy. Patients must be cautious with this. Any bleeding in a woman who suspects she might be pregnant must be addressed with her physician immediately.
Of course outside of symptoms, there are some more definitive ways of establishing pregnancy. Performing a home pregnancy test is one of the easiest ways to answer the million dollar question. Many of these tests are easy to use and patient friendly. Some tests will even say “yes” or “no” to make it clear. Home pregnancy tests are very accurate for the majority of women. Tests have also improved in sensitivity, allowing for detection of pregnancy as early as the second or third week following conception. Some times, the use of blood testing can aid in diagnosis of early pregnancy. One specific hormone level, called the serum quantitative beta HCG, can give your doctor a rough idea as how far along a patient might be.
Symptoms of pregnancy can vary from woman to woman. Some patients are fortunate and have absolutely no signs that pregnancy has occurred while others seem to have every symptom known to exist. Whether you have one of the symptoms or all, it’s important always to check your home pregnancy test. If it’s positive, it’s time to call the doctor!