One of the most emotional times in a woman's life is when she learns that she is pregnant. The realization that a life is growing inside her womb may initially make her feel confused, but eventually she will rejoice in knowing that she will be bringing a new life into the world. But it may be very different for a teenage girl who is not ready for the consequences of premarital sex. Fear and anxiety are normal reactions to have if you are a young, unmarried teenager who suddenly becomes a soon-to-be mother. She will not know what to do. Unwanted pregnancy can be a frightening and threatening situation for women who are not prepared for it. In contrast, those who are really planning to have a baby find motherhood as the ulitmate fulfillment and real essence of being a woman.



Once a woman has conceived, it will take about one week for the fertilized egg to be implanted in the uterus. From then on, it will now be possible for a woman to experience one or more signs of pregnancy. For the newly weds, or those who are really planning to have kids and welcome the joys of being parents, pregnancy is good news. But along with it comes several pregnancy symptoms that will probably make a woman feel sick for at least the first trimester. During this period, hormonal changes begin to occur, and a woman's body starts to react to these new hormone levels.

The following are 10 common signs of early pregnancy:

1. Frequent Urination - one of the most common and very early signs of pregnancy is having to urinate more frequently. Changes in the hormone levels produced by implantation of the embryo, especially the hormone "human chorionic gonadotropin" (hCG), is the cause of more frequent urination which can be experienced even before a missed period, usually from about 7-12 days after the temperature rise at ovulation.

2. Light Spotting ? is a condition that occurs when implantation happened before the menstrual period should begin. Pregnancy bleeding from implantation is not heavy and appears pinkish or brownish in color. Normal menstruation should start with a light flow, become heavy, then taper off again towards the end.

3. Elevated Body Temperature ? during ovulation, it's just normal to have an increase in body temperature. When the basal body temperature stays elevated after ovulation is completed and remains elevated through when the period begins can be one of the very early signs of pregnancy.

4. Missing a Menstrual Period ? it is possible that a missed period may be due to other reasons such as illness, stress, hormone imbalance and reactions to foods or medications. But if the menstrual cycle normally occurs on a regular basis, missing a period can be a sign.

5. Fatigue ? though tiredness can be difficult to distinguish from other forms of exhaustion, it is usually related to the change in hormones in the body, which usually disappears as the body adjusts to the new hormone levels.

6. Cramps - during early pregnancy, moving around, exercise and orgasm can trigger uterine cramping or contractions in the uterus.

7. Nausea ? is known as morning sickness during pregnancy. It's a sensation of vomiting, though sometimes actual vomiting may not occur. It can happen throughout the day, and it can last throughout your pregnancy.

8. Tender Nipples and Breasts ? this is one of the very early signs of pregnancy but such feeling of tenderness go away as the body gets used to the new hormone levels.

9. Darker Areolas ? as early as one week after conception, the area around the nipples begins to change in color. It becomes darker and the bumps on the areolas may appear more prominent.

10. Constipation ? expect a change in bowel movement during early pregnancy. The intestines may relax and function less due to changing hormones, leading to constipation.

Beginning around the 6th week of pregnancy, more than half of pregnant women may experience nausea or morning sickness which can occur at any time duirng the day or night and may stop around the 12th week of pregnancy. Morning sickness will not harm the baby or the pregnant mother. However, if you experience too much vomiting and cannot keep your food down, you may have hyperemesis gravidarum. which can be harmful to both the mother and baby if severe and left untreated. Hyperemesis gravidarum can cause possible lack of nutrients and electrolyte imbalance.

As soon as any of these very early signs of pregnancy are experienced, confirm the pregnancy with the use of pregnancy test kits such as a blood pregnancy test. It can be accurate as early as 8 to 10 days after conception while a urine pregnancy test can be accurate as early as 10 to 14 days following conception. Most pregnancy tests are not 100% accurate so be sure to do test again after a week. Always consult health care provider when these symptoms appear and discuss possible options for treatment.