However, if you are really impatient to get results, you may be surprised to know that your body can be an excellent indicator, if you monitor yourself carefully!

Some women experience pregnancy symptoms within just a few days of conception; others experience nothing at all until a few weeks into the pregnancy.

If you do suspect that you may be pregnant, and are suffering from some or all of the symptoms outlined below, see your GP as soon as possible.

So what are the early signs of pregnancy?

• Nausea/ Vomiting
  Otherwise known as 'Morning Sickness', this can occur very early on in pregnancy, even before you realise that you are pregnant.

• Enhanced Sense of Smell and Taste
  Lots of women become more sensitive to everyday smells and common foodstuffs, such as tea, coffee and toast, can trigger nausea.

• Frequent Urination
  This can happen as early as 1 week into the pregnancy. You may find you are running to the toilet a lot more often than normal and maybe even during the night.

• Breast Tenderness
  It is very common for women to report that their breasts and nipples enlarge and become extremely tender very early on in pregnancy.

• Tiredness
  You may feel absolutely exhausted very early on in pregnancy and throughout the first trimester.
• Missed Period
  For most women this can be the first indication that they are pregnant, but for the first few weeks of pregnancy you may experience cramping and have a feeling your period will arrive at any moment.

  Obviously, any cramping and bleeding, even if it is light, should be reported to your doctor.

• Light Bleeding/ Spotting
  About 8-10 days after ovulation some women experience some light bleeding which coincides with the time a period was due.

• Dizziness/ Fainting
  Because pregnancy affects the sense of taste and smell, lots of pregnant women unintentionally avoid food and skip meals. This causes low blood sugar levels which can lead to dizzy spells and fainting.

• Constipation
  In order to absorb all the nutrients that your developing baby requires, pregnancy hormones slow down your metabolism and this can lead to constipation.

• Irritability
  With lots of pregnancy hormones raging through your body, as well as coping with sickness and tiredness, is it any wonder pregnant women get easily irritated during early pregnancy?

• Heartburn/ Indigestion
  Although heartburn and indigestion are usually associated with the later stages of pregnancy, they can also occur early on for some women.

• Changes in Complexion
  You might notice your skin breaks out in spots as a result of all the pregnancy hormones coursing through your body but this often settles down by the second trimester!

• Increased Cervical Mucous
  Many pregnant women notice that they pass more cervical mucous than normal and that it is thick and white.

• Weight Loss
  Perhaps surprisingly you may lose weight during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, considering that most women try to eat more healthily, cut out alcohol and eat less due to a decreased appetite, it is completely normal!

Enjoy your precious nine months!

This is an edited version of Early Pregnancy Symptoms by Sinead Hoben. To read the full article, visit