Don't you wish to listen these words in your life? Unfortunately,
no doctor in the world can tell if you are pregnant by merely
checking your pulse. But you might be able to recognise one of
these five early signs of pregnancy.
A missed
period
This might be one of the first signs of pregnancy you
actually notice. If you have regular cycles you may be
able to detect that you are pregnant when you miss your
period. This is one of the most reliable signs of being
pregnant.
Scientific basis: A period
occurs when the body stops producing progesterone (a hormone
that plays a special role in the female menstrual cycle
and in pregnancy) temporarily. This causes the uterus
to shed its lining. When you become pregnant your body
starts producing a lot of progesterone to sustain the
baby. There is no progesterone withdrawal and no period.
Abdominal bloating and
breast tenderness
If your periods are not very regular it might be a little
tough to notice a missed period. Abdominal bloating
is another sign to look out for. If you have been trying
to get pregnant and your jeans suddenly feel snug check
if you are exhibiting other signs of pregnancy.
Further, you might notice that your breasts have suddenly
turned sore and sensitive.
Scientific basis: Both
abdominal bloating and breast tenderness result from
the high levels of hormones your body starts producing
when you become pregnant.
Fatigue
and sleepiness
You just woke up and had a cup of coffee. But you can't
wait to go back to bed again. You feel tired all the time.
Well, most pregnant women experience a high degree of
fatigue and sleepiness in their first trimester.
Scientific basis: No one
knows for sure why this happens. But experts believe that
the high levels of progesterone in your body might be
responsible for this feeling of exhaustion.
Nausea and vomiting For some women nausea is one of the
first symptoms of pregnancy. They start feeling unusually
queasy and certain odours become very repulsive. Though
the nausea and vomiting you experience in the first
trimester of pregnancy is called morning sickness, it
could occur at any time of the day. It is often triggered
by meals. But if you do not have any nausea during the
first trimester, do not panic. You might be one of the
lucky few who escapes this ordeal entirely.
Scientific basis: Again,
blame it on your hormones. Experts believe that high
levels of human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone vital
for the sustenance of pregnancy, causes morning sickness.
Bleeding
Some women experience a small amount of vaginal bleeding
when they become pregnant. When the fetus implants itself
on the wall of the uterus this can happen. The bleeding
is extremely light and might last a couple of days. In
any case, if you spot vaginal bleeding, contact your obstetrician
to rule out other causes.
The five signs detailed above are physical signs or symptoms.
It is important to remember that some women might not experience
many of the early symptoms of pregnancy, except for the missed
period. You need not wait to experience all these symptoms before
you take a pregnancy test. If you have been trying to conceive
and you feel a couple of the above symptoms you could try taking
a pregnancy test.
Over eagerness to get pregnant might make you take the tests too
often leading to frequent disappointments if they turn out negative.
It is natural to be curious but try and wait for a few signs before
you turn to the test.
The pregnancy test
A home pregnancy test is one of the easier ways to test if you
are pregnant. These kits are available over the counter at most
medical stores. The directions are clear and easy to follow. The
test takes two minutes and is pretty reliable too. All it requires
is a drop of urine. If your test is positive it might be a good
idea to repeat the test with your nearest lab and then schedule
an appointment with your obstetrician.
If it is negative, remember that the test is not highly sensitive
and might become positive only a week after the missed period.
So if you have not had a missed period perform the test after
you do.
