Menstrual Cycle Changes

Perhaps the most common early pregnancy symptom is the alteration in some way to a woman's menstrual cycle. This can manifest in many ways: the pregnant woman may find that she has missed her period altogether. This can be a false sign for a non-pregnant woman, but it is definitely a strong symptom of early pregnancy for a lot of women who keep track of such things.

Instead of the complete absence of one's period, a pregnant woman might learn as such when the flow level of her period suddenly changes. She may find that her period's flow is much heavier than usual. Or, in other cases, she might find that her flow has seriously lessened. Either way, she may take this type of change to be a symptom of early pregnancy.

Body Changes

Through the pregnancy, a woman will likely find some weight gain associated. But, in the beginning, weight gain that just suddenly occurs without any change to diet or exercise habit can be a reliable early pregnancy symptom. Breast tenderness is also a fairly accurate sign of pregnancy and is something many women take a cue from and buy a home pregnancy test.

Additionally, a pregnant woman may take as an early pregnancy symptom the strange bouts of nausea she finds herself afflicted with. Commonly called morning sickness, this seemingly incontrollable state of sickness can be very intrusive but, at least, is a strong early pregnancy symptom on which many women rely.

Eating Habits

Many pregnant women note that their eating habits, on reflection, had changed due to their food desires and aversions that accompanied their early pregnancy. Some women may crave the stereotypical pregnant woman's meal - pickles and ice cream. Other women may desire more meat or maybe more fruit or perhaps a donut - or twelve!

Still others cite as an early pregnancy symptom their need to avoid certain foods or food types. A pregnant woman may find that she completely cannot stand the idea of looking at a particular type of food. Another may find that she thought she could eat a type of food, but later realized that it only seemed to cause a wave of nausea later on.