10 Pregnancy Signs

Here are the top 10 pregnancy signs laid out for you as a simple checklist. Here we focus on the earliest possible signs, some of which are quite intuitive.

Not every woman has access to a pregnancy test kit at the moment when she first suspects she might be pregnant and also, some of the signs that may indicate pregnancy can occur before a pregnancy test can be reliable. Do remember, though, that the ultimate test of whether you are (or are not) pregnant has to be a pregnancy test conducted at the right time.

10 Pregnancy Signs
1) Tender or swollen breasts and/or nipples.
Top of the list of the ten signs of pregnancy is a slight tingling or sensitive sensation in the breasts.
2) Light bleeding or spotting.
Easily missed but it can indicate pregnancy as early as 10-14 days after conception, as it is caused by the egg implanting itself into the the lining of the uterus following fertilisation.
3) Slight cramping pain.
This is like period pain but at the wrong time.
4) A missed or late period.
Often but by no means always a sign of pregnancy. Although you can use a pregnancy testing kit a few days after a missed period, it can give false results at this time..a false negative being more common than a false positive. It's best to wait 2 weeks after a missed period before relying on a test result.
5) Unusual tiredness.
This is one of the subtler signs. One its own it may mean nothing but when added to one or two of the other 10 pregnancy signs, it may be significant.
6) Emotion Swings.
These can take you by surprise and can be a sign of changing hormone levels in your body. Again, not necessarily significant on their own but when added to other signs...
7) Needing the bathroom!
Although for most women this is a later symptom, for some a change in your normal 'peeing habit' can indicate the early changes pregnancy brings to your body.
8) Morning Sickness or nausea.
Most women don't experience this until 4+ weeks into a pregnancy but a few can start to feel nauseous within the first couple of weeks.
9) Darkening of the aureolas
Changes to the aureola(the skin around your nipples) can be a sign of pregnancy, although it can also be a result of a hormonal imbalance or a leftover from a previous pregnancy.
10) Food cravings and/or a strange taste in your mouth!
Amazingly enough, many women who have had several pregnancies come to recognise a particular food craving or an odd metallic taste as the first signs they are pregnant.

The top 10 pregnancy signs above are extremely useful to know but the most certain sign of pregnancy is a positive pregnancy test. If your periods are normally pretty regular, then a urine test even a couple of days after when you expected your period may show up as a positive. To be quite certain that a result is negative, however, especially if your cycle isn't very regular, you would need to wait until a couple of weeks after your period would normally have been due.

If you suspect you may be pregnant and you don't feel well, don't hesitate to contact your medical practitioner. Don't worry about your privacy being breached either, as in the vast majority of countries patient confidentiality is paramount these days.

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