The thought of being pregnant may give you a feeling of elation or it may fill you with dread. Either way, if you truly are pregnant, most women want to know that information as soon as possible. Because if you are pregnant, it means that for better or worse, your life is about to change. So what are the early symptoms of a pregnancy? How can a woman tell early on if she's pregnant?

Pregnancy symptoms differ from woman to woman. Some women experience symptoms of pregnancy within as little time as a week of conception. Others experience no pregnancy symptoms at all until they begin to show the "baby bump." Still others may experience different pregnancy symptoms when pregnant with different children.

If you experience some of the very early pregnancy symptoms listed below and believe that you may be pregnant, you should do a home pregnancy test. If you are still in doubt, arrange with your doctor or pregnancy help clinic to have a pregnancy test. The reason why this is important is that if you are pregnant and have bad lifestyle habits like smoking, drinking, or even taking prescription drugs - you could be inadvertently harming the developing fetus in your body.

Here are 5 common symptoms that might indicate pregnancy:

1. You just missed your normal menstrual period.

This is number one on the list of indicators that are a warning sign that you may be pregnant. It's true that just because you missed a period does not necessarily mean that you're pregnant. There are many other reasons that could cause you to miss a period, such as - fasting, extreme amounts of exercising, prescribed or non-prescribed medications, eating disorders, chronic illnesses, and many more. Nevertheless, if your menstrual period is normally pretty consistent and like clockwork, and it doesn't appear on schedule - this is a red flag and you should consider taking a pregnancy test.

2. Your breasts have become amazingly sensitive.

Tender or swollen breasts sometimes occur just before a period. But these all also signs that conception has taken place and that you could be pregnant. If your breast are swollen beyond normal this is a sign that the body is preparing itself to produce milk. Many women report that they discovered they were pregnant when their breasts became so sensitive that even the slightest brush against them hurts. Others described it as a tingling sensation

3. Heightened sensitivity to smells.

When a woman is in the early stages of pregnancy, she may notice that she is becoming hypersensitive to smells of all types - but especially foods. aromas - foods and others. In fact, you may become so hypersensitive to the smell of certain foods that they cause an involuntary gag reflex or bring about a feeling of nausea. You may also find yourself having an aversion to what were formerly your favorite foods, because of the smell.

4. Excessive bloating.

Bloating can be an indication that you're pregnant. The problem is hormones. When conception occurs, the hormone progesterone floods your system. As the increased progesterone envelopes your body it slows down your digestive processes and leads to gas and bloating.

5. Dizziness.

Are you all of a sudden having periods of dizziness? Once conception takes place, the developing embryo will need food. This food will be drawn from your body. Specifically, it will use the blood sugar from your body as fuel to grow. If you aren't eating enough, this can lead to your feeling faint because of low blood sugar.

Any or all of these symptoms does not mean that you are pregnant. Each of them could be caused by other factors as well. But they are all symptoms that are common in women that have become newly pregnant.