Table of Contents
Have you ever wished knowing if you were pregnant or not was as easy as the “he loves me, he loves me not” game played with picking a flower’s petals? Let us do the job for you!
Early Pregnancy Symptoms: First Signs of Pregnancy
Right from the time you (potentially) conceive a baby, up until the time your pregnancy really begins to show up on a pregnancy test stick, it is about a two weeks period, often called the “two-week wait.” For expecting mothers, this 2-week duration can be the most daunting, most nail-biting, and most curious situation of all time.
In this blog ahead, we will tell you about a few most commonly felt symptoms around the initial first days of pregnancy. It might take some time for these symptoms to appear in some women, it might not even appear in others, but in most, these are the most typical early signs of pregnancy.
How Early Can Early Pregnancy Symptoms Appear?
You might have been led to believe that your pregnancy symptoms would appear the first morning after potential conceiving. You would wake up feeling drowsy and perhaps, with some element of morning sickness. But, surprise surprise! That is not how it works. Some women don’t feel any symptoms even though their term while some might take a couple of weeks to even feel a little different.
Hence, here, breaking down what happens week on week through the process of pregnancy-
● Week 1 – No Symptoms
When Aunt Flo hits the town
Medically speaking, a pregnancy count starts even before the woman actually gets pregnant. The month you get your last period before conception is the point from where pregnancy is counted. (Don’t be overwhelmed, this will make more sense ahead!)
● Week 2 – Nothing yet
The Conception
This is the week when the sperm meets the egg to set the ground for the journey to unfold.
● Week 3 – Nothing still
The journey begins
We mean, the journey of the blastocyst – the medical term for the fertilized egg. The egg travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus for implantation.
● Week 4 – Some early pregnancy symptoms may or may not appear
Implantation
At this stage, the embryo finally attaches itself to the lining of the uterus. Some women may feel cramps or go through some minor bleeding while others may still not feel a thing.
● Week 5 – It’s official!
Say what!?
Week 5 is when the expecting mamma finally misses her period and pees on a stick to
Test pregnancy. Since your body has already created enough hCG hormone (the pregnancy hormone), the test will detect pregnancy and you will see two bright pink lines on the kit! As for the symptoms this week, since the hCG has risen, women are typically reported to experience nausea and fatigue.
● Week 6- Week 8
It is all signs and symptoms now!
Since around the 6th-8th week, the hCG is doubling every 72 hours in the body,
Most women feel changes and a difference from within. It is normally around this time to experience PMS-like symptoms including sore breasts, fatigue, and morning sickness.
Also, fun fact: Your baby is beginning to grow the spinal cord at this time and their heart would start to beat very soon!
● Week 8- Week 11
It’s a symptom party now!
Between weeks 8-11, the hCG is at its very best and this is when the severe, typical pregnancy symptoms (in detail soon, promise) tend to overstay their invite, transitioning you into mid-pregnancy from early pregnancy. This transition will also be the point, in most women, when the worst of early pregnancy symptoms are soon to be over!
But again, while this timeline of events is a typical flow, there could be women who might not experience similar symptoms but would be very much pregnant. Always visit your doctor to ensure pregnancy and to seek professional guidance on what you should do/ what could you expect during your early days of pregnancy.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms
As promised, here are the most commonly felt early signs of pregnancy amongst women. If you feel any of these symptoms, congratulations could be in order!
1. Nausea
Nausea is faced by more than 50% of women as per the American Pregnancy Association. This infamous morning sickness, in some women, could be just some minor tummy discomfort, while for some, could be sessions of elaborate vomiting.
2. Fatigue
Be not mistaken, this fatigue feels like someone pinned you down on the ground and you cannot get yourself up despite all efforts. Since the blood flow has increased internally and the body is learning to cope with the risen hCG, this extended tiredness is felt by most women.
3. Changes in the breast
Sore, swollen breasts with darker nipples are common signs of early pregnancy. This change occurs since the progesterone and estrogen are in full-blow production, combined with the increased hCG and the blood flow.
4. Cramps
These cramps take place around the implantation time as the uterus is stretching. The cramps might also be accompanied by some minor spotting or stains.
5. Spotting
Early pregnancy spotting happens at the stage of implantation as discussed in the last point. Implantation happens about 6-12 days after conception. Hence, to make things clearer and to help you not confuse this spotting with periods, here is what you should look out for. A) implantation bleeding will be very minor, it won’t fill up your tampon or a pad. B) The color of the blood will be brownish or pinkish as against bright or dark red period blood. C) This will take place sooner than your otherwise expected period date.
6. The infamous mood swings
At one moment, you might feel like you are ready to take on the world, and the next, you might just want to cuddle up in a blanket; at one moment you might want to smother your better half with kisses while just the other, you might see no good in him. Uncontrollable emotions and irrational anger are very common early signs of pregnancy- you are not alone!
7. Aches of sorts
The increased blood volume can cause several headaches; the conception might demand extra duty from your abdomen causing backaches. While these symptoms are common, it is advised to consult your doctor before popping any pill at your own discretion.
8. Uncontrollable cravings
Just like mood swings, there’s no end to this!
9. Frequent washroom trips
Since, as a pregnant woman, your kidneys are working more than usual, you could find yourself peeing more than usual.
10. Food aversions
The flip side of food cravings, food aversions are also felt by many women in the form of an uncontrollable aversion towards certain food smells and sights. You might have sworn as a teenager that nothing can take pizza away from you, but, well, this pregnancy aversion possibly could!
11. Bloating
Since digestion is slow because of the increased progesterone, your digestion can slow down causing bloating and even constipation. However, keeping yourself hydrated and eating fiber-rich food can be of great help, at least through constipation.
In Conclusion
But all said and done, we have said it already, we will say it again. All women are different and hence, while most women are likely to experience all of these, many will not experience any. Always consult a gynecologist to be double sure about your pregnancy-related concerns.
FAQs:Early Pregnancy Symptoms: What Are The First Signs of Pregnancy?
1. Are early signs of pregnancy the same as PMS?
2. What are the early signs of pregnancy with twins?
3. What is hyperemesis gravidarum?
Reviewed By -
Esha Chainani - Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Dr. Esha Chainani is an Obstetrician, Gynaecologist, and laparoscopic surgeon who aims to break the stigma around women’s health by advocating an inclusive and open practice of obstetrics and gynecology and an author of several internationally published research papers and health articles in the media like the Swaddle.
She also founded Premaa, a non-profit to reduce maternal morbidity and eventual maternal mortality by providing lower-income pregnant women living in urban areas with cell phone access through an app that can feature an entire section about contraception as well for a whole gamut of reproductive health.
A panel for multiple health sessions including with the UN, USAID, BMC, gender at work, and multiple non-profit organisations, and is on the advisory panel of the South Indian medical students association.
