Early Pregnancy Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of pregnancy are different among women. Once a woman gets pregnant, some changes within the body take place.

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These changes include mood swings, fear, anxiety and excitement. Some women can experience these symptoms after few weeks whereas the rest might experience these symptoms within a week of conception.

Usually the pregnancy lasts for nine months and it is divided into three trimesters.

These signs and symptoms of pregnancy vary in terms of intensity, frequency and duration. There are a wide variety of emotional and physical changes during pregnancy. The common signs and symptoms of pregnancy are discussed below.

One of the early signs of pregnancy is missing a menstrual period. The other signs of pregnancy cannot be experienced until a monthly cycle is missed. It is the most obvious sign of pregnancy. It is also important to know the whether this sign is because of stress, illness or any other factor.

Many women can feel that they are pregnant and their intuition is right. It is often called the unscientific sign. Some women feel tired, moody or lightheaded. Some might have heartburn, constipation or frequent urination. A pregnant woman tends to get swollen and sore breasts. Once a woman gets pregnant, the body begins to prepare the breasts for producing milk and feeding and this leads to breast tenderness and swelling.

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During early pregnancy stage, some women might feel fatigue. They might go to bed soon and find it difficult to get out of the bed in the morning. Some find it difficult to exercise or to do any other simple work. Some women need to lie down during noon. Some women tend to lie down frequently during anytime. All these symptoms occur due to the changes within the body and the increasing levels of hormones. Fatigue can be extreme in some women during the early stage. A pregnant woman can feel very tired due to the increased levels of the hormone progesterone and it is also because of the stress the body undergoes during pregnancy.

Another early symptom is frequent urination. During pregnancy, the extra body fluids are processed by the kidney and bladder. This causes an increase in the urination level and this symptom remains constant for nine months.

Symptoms like nausea, queasiness and vomiting are very common among pregnant women. These symptoms occur within a week of pregnancy. Many women experience these symptoms in the morning while having a cup of coffee or tea or even while eating something on an empty stomach. This is often termed as morning sickness. Some women can experience these symptoms in the afternoon or evening. Some women can notice these symptoms all day. Having a smaller and more frequent meals often control this symptom and this sign appears after one month of pregnancy. This symptom comes down to a certain level after reaching the second trimester. The body gets adjusted to these changes after a period of time. Swelling of hands, feet and ankles are quite common during the second trimester. Morning sickness is common among seventy percent of the women.

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Some women have a craving for unusual combination of foods even during midnight. Another symptom is aversion to certain foods. Usually women have a craving for salty foods, sweets or fats. This problem may be for a short time in some women. For others it would remain for a long time. Some women cannot even have their favorite dishes.  Another related symptom is the increased sensitivity to aromas.  Even the smell of food or perfume can lead to nausea. The smell of fresh grass, perfume, cigarettes, foods, household cleaners and smoke can lead to severe nausea.

Dizziness and fainting are the other important signs in pregnancy. Climbing the staircase, standing in a queue for a long time, standing up after lying down for a while can make a pregnant woman lightheaded. Due to the drop in blood pressure, a pregnant woman can feel dizzy. A pregnant woman might get fainted if she works without eating. This happens when the blood sugar goes down because that is the main source of food for the baby. Apples, bananas, grapes, yogurt, carrot, cheese, milk, raisins and celery are useful sources of food for a pregnant woman. It is always important to carry food while going out.

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Heartburn and constipation may occur alternatively or together during the early pregnancy stage. Due to the increased level of hormones, the process of digestion and bowel function become slow. This will allow the body to absorb more vitamins, minerals and nutrients. The stomach becomes empty little by little and this leads to the release of more acid in order to help in digestion. As a result of this process, a pregnant woman can feel the heartburn. Soda crackers and sparkling water can be useful to control this symptom. Fruits like papaya and pineapple contain digestive enzymes and they can help with digestion.

Some emotional changes like mood swings and irritability are possible during this phase.  It is normal to have mixed feelings like excitement, depression and laughter. This symptom may get reduced in the second trimester. It is important to get enough sleep and have the right food. Exercise and short walks are also necessary.

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Another sign is the back pain that is due to weight gain and lack of normal sleep during night. This sign may also occur due to hormonal changes and body changes. More than half of all the pregnant women experience this symptom. The common pregnancy symptoms during the third trimester can be the movement of fetus, navel push out, painless contractions and shortness of breath. There might be an increased basal body temperature in some women.

Weight gain is another unavoidable sign, which is a part of being pregnant. Fish oil capsules and vitamins should be taken properly. Another less known pregnancy symptom is the slight bleeding known as implantation bleeding, which takes place after 3 to 6 days of fertilization. A pregnancy test should be taken after noticing any of these early symptoms.

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4. Complications During Pregnancy
5. Relief from Pregnancy Pain