What are these first pregnancy signs and symptoms to look out for?

(1) Some women may experience tenderness of the breasts, develop a sudden craving for certain foods, run to the bathroom more frequently, or even develop feelings of nausea. Yes, these signs can be associated with pregnancy, but there is also the possibility of the fact that other factors are involved. They are not absolutely reliable symptoms where a positive pregnancy is concerned. Other signs could be feelings of extreme tiredness or unexplainable mood swings.

(2) A more trustworthy source of information is a missed menstrual period. This is also referred to as amenorrhea. If the periods have always been regular, the absence of one should raise suspicions.

(3) Keeping track of one's menstrual cycle can prove to be an excellent way to discover first pregnancy signs and symptoms. The first day and the last day of each period should be marked on a calendar every month. Like mentioned earlier, a woman who has been having regular periods all through her life, will immediately notice a skipped period. This is a good method for those women who are trying to conceive and also for those who have been keeping regular appointments with a fertility doctor.

(4) The above-mentioned method does not hold true for those women who have been having a rather irregular menstrual cycle from the beginning. So in addition to the absence of ovulation, they should also look out for first pregnancy signs and symptoms such as frequent headaches, mood swings, bloating, nausea or tender breasts.

(5) Again, the absence of a menstrual cycle could be due to reasons such as prolonged illness, hormones undergoing imbalances, stress, lowering of body weight, or discontinuation of birth control. A home pregnancy kit will therefore provide a correct answer. Of course, this test can be taken only in the absence of a menstrual cycle. Too early testing is going to provide false results. Once the first pregnancy signs and symptoms have been concerned, an appointment with the doctor has to be fixed up.

(6) Another of the first pregnancy signs and symptoms is spotting. It should not be confused with a regular period as it is of a shorter duration and bleeding is lighter. This occurs when a fertilized egg gets attached to the uterus. Known as implantation bleeding, it takes place ten to fourteen days after fertilization. The occurrence is just once, or there is continuation of the symptoms for a few days.