Pregnancy Symptoms: Are You Pregnant?

Some women do experience the symptoms of pregnancy very early on - some may even start to notice changes in their body as early as the first few days after conception. For others, however, it may take weeks before any symptom becomes apparent.

Most pregnancy symptoms start to surface around the time of implantation (when the fertilized egg attaches itself to the endometrial lining in the womb). Implantation typically occurs anywhere from 8 to 10 days after ovulation.

Some of the more typical symptoms of pregnancy include:

Missed Period
Not starting a period or menstruation is the most common sign of pregnancy. However, other factors can influence your period, so just because your period is late does not necessarily mean that you are pregnant.
Breasts and Nipples
Breasts and especially the nipples may feel very sensitive. Some may find that their breasts swell or become larger in size. The pain typically lessens as your body gets more used to the hormone changes. In a large number of cases the veins in the breasts will also become more visible. Nipples can also darken in color. These symptoms are typically due to the presence of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) hormone, which is produced after implantation.
Have to Urinate More Often
Having to go to the bathroom more often is a common early symptom of pregnancy. Often pregnant women wake up during the night with the urge to urinate. In the early stages of pregnancy this is caused by the presence of the HCG hormone.
Change in Appetite
Pregnant women can experience increased appetite and cravings for nutritious foods. The change in appetite can last all throughout the pregnancy.
Fatigue
Extreme tiredness is a early symptom of pregnancy. This is typically the result of increased levels of progesterone in the system. Some women describe the sensation as fatigue that you experience when you are sick with the flu, but without the other flu symptoms. The body temperature of a woman also increases during pregnancy and can affect her energy level.
Morning Sickness
Actually, it's not just morning, so it should really be called morning, noon or night sickness. This is nausea that is sometime accompanied by vomiting. About half of women with morning sickness experience vomiting.
Dizziness
As the uterus develops it can press against major arteries and cause dizziness.
Increase in Saliva
The increase in saliva that some pregnant women experience typically dissipates by the end of the first trimester.
Change in Body Temperature
A woman’s body temperature increases during the first three months of pregnancy. This is partially due to an increase in progesterone in the system.
Weird Taste in the Mouth
Some women describe having a weird metallic taste in the mouth.
Smell
Some women experience an increase in their sense of smell when they are pregnant. Moreover, certain smells that didn’t mind before may now become offensive.
Heartburn
Pregnant women often develop heartburn. The causes of increased heartburn are two fold. The uterus is swelling and growing and pushing up and the increase in the HCG hormone slows digestion. Slower digestion normally means an increase in the stomachs acid production to help compensate.
Cramping
Some pregnant women describe having minor cramping similar but less severe than menstrual cramping early in the pregnancy.
Implantation Bleeding
Some women notice a small amount of bleeding around the time their period is due to start. Implantation bleeding is believed to be caused but the fertilized egg burying itself in the lining of the uterus. The bleeding is very light and usually shows up as red spotting or reddish brown stains. It typically only lasts a day or two. It is important to note that a woman should contact her doctor if she notices bleeding and pain as the could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy.
Mood Swings
The large increase in hormones can cause pregnant women to experience sudden and dramatic mood swings.
Constipation
Pregnancy hormones slow down your digestion to help increase your body’s intake of nutrients and vitamins from the food you are eating. Constipation is something that typically lasts all throughout pregnancy.
Vaginal discharge
Many women notice an increase in vaginal discharge during pregnancy. Normal increased vaginal discharge during pregnancy is called leucorrhea and is a white, thin, milky discharge that has a mild smell.
Changes in skin
The change in hormones can cause pregnant women to experience an increase in the number of pimples. Some women also claim that pregnancy makes their skin dryer and the get chapped lips more frequently.

Having some of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you are pregnant. A home pregnancy test or a physician conducted blood test can help confirm pregnancy. It is important to test for pregnancy early on so that adequate prenatal care can be sought.