Whether you're hoping for a baby or not, there is always the question as to whether or not a woman may be pregnant. Aside from paid (and sometimes expensive) tests, there are a few symptoms women will exhibit while being pregnant. These early signs can help spot pregnancy, but it is often a poor idea to rely on early symptoms as a reliable source of information.



With that being said, these symptoms are still fairly efficient in dictating pregnancy.

Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

First, there is the lack of menstruation. This is the most common tell-tale sign of pregnancy. The only problem with this early symptom is that it can be up to a month's wait before results are seen. Not only this, but some women can still go through menstruation while being pregnant, although the resulting period will be lighter than usual.

Although a lack of menstruation can mean pregnancy, it can also mean stress, tension, or other non-pregnancy related issues. Therefore, a late period doesn't always mean pregnancy.

Another symptom to lookout for is nausea or headaches. These signs come as a result of increased hormonal levels that are present during pregnancy. But there are false-positives to be had in this test, too. Stress, food poisoning, dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, and many other random acts can cause these symptoms.

Some of the more interesting side effects include cravings for certain foods. The food cravings can last throughout the entire pregnancy, yet some women don't experience it necessarily. Of course it's hard to tell whether or not a food craving is a result from pregnancy or just a normal craving.

Another interesting side effect is frequent urination. In this case, a pregnant woman will be making a few extra trips to the bathroom. This symptom comes rather late, and it is usually known if a woman is pregnant or not before this symptom appears. Nevertheless, this symptom can be a simple increase in liquid intake or other trivial factors.

The Most Reliable Symptoms

While none of the symptoms are 100% reliable, per se, they are indeed a few that are usually associated with pregnancy more so than the others.

The most obvious is the lack of menstruation. In the majority of cases, a pregnant woman will miss her period and this is a dead giveaway to pregnancy. But as stated, this doesn't always happen. In that case, be sure to check for breast tenderness- this is also a common symptom among early pregnancies.

Lastly, headaches and morning nausea are quite frequent in early symptoms. The increase in hormones and other changes within the body will almost always cause a little nausea or fatigue. If you find these symptoms paired with the symptoms mentioned above, there are good odds that you are pregnant.

Final Thoughts On Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

Only a doctor or test can give an accurate result in the pregnancy question. But in most cases, it's easy enough to look at the symptoms (if time isn't a factor, of course). Following the fore mentioned tips on the most reliable symptoms of pregnancy is the best bet if time is not indeed a factor.

Under no circumstances should these symptoms replace urgent situations (such as an unplanned pregnancy scare), in which a pregnancy testing device or doctor should be taken advantage of. Unplanned pregnancies that require abortions will have to be treated with urgency.