Pregnancy symptoms: Top 11 early signs of pregnancy
Wondering if you might be pregnant? Before a missed period or a positive test, your body may start giving you subtle hints. From changes in appetite to fatigue and mood swings, early pregnancy symptoms can appear just weeks after conception. In this article, we’ll explore the top 11 early signs of pregnancy to help you understand what to look for, even before taking a pregnancy test.
- Food aversions
- Mood swings
- Abdominal bloating
- Frequent urination
- Fatigue
- Sore breasts
- Light bleeding or spotting
- Nausea
- A missed period
- High basal body temperature
- Positive home pregnancy test
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Pregnancy Symptoms: Top 11 Early Signs of Pregnancy
1. Food Aversions
Early in pregnancy, you might suddenly dislike certain foods — even ones you previously loved. This is caused by hormonal changes, particularly rising levels of estrogen and progesterone, which affect your sense of taste and smell. Strong smells or certain textures can make you feel nauseous or uncomfortable.
2. Mood Swings
Pregnancy hormones can cause emotional highs and lows, similar to what some experience before a menstrual period. You might feel unusually weepy, irritable, or anxious without a clear reason. These mood shifts are especially common during the first trimester.
3. Abdominal Bloating
Bloating is often one of the earliest pregnancy symptoms, and it feels similar to the bloating some women experience before a period. Increased progesterone causes your digestive system to slow down, which can lead to gas, puffiness, and a tight feeling in the abdomen.
4. Frequent Urination
As early as two weeks after conception, hormonal changes increase blood flow to the kidneys, making you feel the urge to urinate more often. Later, as the uterus expands, it also puts pressure on the bladder, intensifying this symptom.
5. Fatigue
Feeling unusually tired or even exhausted is a very common early pregnancy sign. This is largely due to the rise in progesterone, which can cause sleepiness. Increased energy demands on your body and changes in blood sugar and blood pressure levels also contribute.
6. Sore or Tender Breasts
Your breasts may feel fuller, heavier, or more sensitive to touch. This symptom is caused by rising hormone levels that prepare your body for breastfeeding. You might also notice darkening of the areolas or more visible veins on the breasts.
7. Light Bleeding or Spotting (Implantation Bleeding)
Some women experience light bleeding or spotting around the time of implantation, which happens 6–12 days after fertilization. It’s usually lighter than a menstrual period and doesn’t last long. It can be mistaken for a very early period.
8. Nausea (Morning Sickness)
Nausea can start as early as two weeks after conception and is often one of the first clear signs of pregnancy. Though it’s called “morning sickness,” it can happen at any time of the day or night. This symptom is due to increased hCG hormone levels and heightened sense of smell.
9. A Missed Period
The most well-known and obvious early sign of pregnancy is a missed period. If your cycle is regular and your period doesn’t arrive on time, it’s a strong indication you might be pregnant — especially if combined with other symptoms on this list.
10. High Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
If you’ve been tracking your basal body temperature for fertility purposes, you may notice it stays elevated beyond the usual post-ovulation phase. A high BBT for more than 14 days after ovulation is a potential sign of early pregnancy.
11. Positive Home Pregnancy Test
A positive result on a home pregnancy test is one of the most definitive early signs. These tests detect the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced after implantation. For the most accurate results, it’s best to test a few days after your missed period.
GROWTH OF THE FOETUS
One month pregnant; Your baby is an embryo consisting of two layers of cells from which all her organs and body parts will develop.
Two months pregnant; Your baby is now about the size of a kidney bean and is constantly moving. He has distinct, slightly webbed fingers
Three months pregnant; By now your baby is around 7 to 8 centimeters (3 inches) long and weighs about the same as a pea pod. Her tiny, unique fingerprints are now in place.
Four months pregnant; Your baby is now about 13cm (5.5in) long and weighs 140g (5oz). His skeleton is starting to harden from rubbery cartilage to bone.
Five months pregnant; Eyebrows and eyelids are now in place. Your baby would now be more than 27cm (10.5in) long if you stretched out her legs.
Six months pregnant; Your baby weighs about a 660g (1.5lb). His wrinkled skin is starting to smooth out as he puts on baby fat.
Seven months pregnant; By now, your baby is more than 40cm (15in) long. She can open and close her eyes and probably see what’s around her.
Eight months pregnant; Your baby now weighs about 2.2kg (4.7lb). His layers of fat are filling him out, making him rounder, and his lungs are well developed.
Nine months pregnant; Your baby is almost due. At birth, the average baby is more than 51cm (20.5in) long from head to toe and weighs approximately 3.4kg (7.5lb), but babies vary widely in size at this stage.
GENERAL EVALUATION
- State five signs of pregnancy
- Explain the growth of the foetus.
- Explain what happens when the pregnancy is five months old
- State five early signs of pregnancy.
- Explain what happened at 8th month old pregnancy.
- State five signs of pregnancy
- Explain the growth of the foetus.
- Explain what happens when the pregnancy is five months old
THEORY
- State five early signs of pregnancy.
- Explain what happened at 8th month old pregnancy.
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