First symptoms of pregnancy

Each woman is different, so that in some cases the first symptoms of pregnancy occur even before the delay of menstruation, while in other cases they take much longer to appear. However, they generally go unnoticed until about a month after conception.

Do you have questions about whether you are pregnant? In this article we will see the main clues and signs that will help you recognize if you are pregnant or not. Get out of doubt!

Which are the first pregnancy symptoms?

1) Absence of menstruation

The first clear symptom of pregnancy is the absence of menstruation. When the egg is fertilized, it implants in the endometrium . Thus, as there is fertilization, the endometrium does not fall apart, so there is no bleeding.

2) Pink vaginal discharge

Although it does not occur in all women, in certain cases when the egg is fertilized by the sperm, a pink discharge occurs . It is very mild and is usually only seen when the woman cleanses herself after she has urinated. It is a normal vaginal discharge with slight traces of blood due to the penetration of the sperm into the ovum and its subsequent displacement towards the uterus.

3) Nausea and vomiting

In the vast majority of cases, morning sickness does not begin until a month after conception , although in some women it occurs earlier. It is one of the most common symptoms of the gestational period.

Relieve nausea

This is also another point that varies a lot from one woman to another, but you should bear in mind that very copious or spicy foods could worsen your feeling of nausea. It is better that you opt for lighter dishes and bananas will be great allies.

Reduce your portions and eat more often to keep your stomach in check. You may have to carry nuts or a piece of fruit in your bag. Drink a lot of water. The ginger will help relieve that feeling and breaks and naps.

4) Alteration of smell and taste

It is very common that during the first phase of pregnancy women feel a special aversion to strong odors . Even smells that until then were pleasant to them can be annoying, such as that of a perfume.

Certain smells such as cleaning products or tobacco can be very unpleasant, to the point of causing nausea and even vomiting.

Like smell, the sense of taste also undergoes variations. Many women point out that during the first months of pregnancy the taste of food is much more intense.

5) abdominal cramps

One of the first pregnancy symptoms many women feel is abdominal cramps . And it is that when the ovum is fertilized the blood flow in the pelvic area increases. In the vast majority of occasions they are confused with the colic typical of premenstrual syndrome.

Generally, when it comes to pregnancy, the belly also swells due to increased blood flow and adaptation to the growth of the uterus.

6) Tiredness

The fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy, but in virtually all cases associated with other causes. It appears in the second week and increases as the gestational period progresses. From the second trimester, women feel exhausted from tasks that they previously carried out without any problem, and they can even sleep more than ten hours at night.

7) Heartburn

The digestive system also undergoes changes with pregnancy, so that in some cases it reacts abnormally. Some women experience heartburn throughout their pregnancy, right up to the time of birth.

8) Sensitive breasts

Many women, when asked about their first pregnancy symptom, answer that their breasts were noticeably more sensitive and swollen than normal. It is one of the first physical changes that occurs with pregnancy, and in some cases the sensitivity can be such that discomfort is felt with the simple rubbing of the bra.

As the pregnancy progresses, the size of the breasts increases progressively to be able to respond to the needs of the baby after birth. Also, the areola darkens.

9) Irritability

Beyond the physical changes, pregnancy also produces a series of changes at a psychological level . During the first month of pregnancy, women feel very irritable and feel mood swings for no apparent reason.

This occurs due to the hormonal variations typical of pregnancy, which cause the imbalance in the levels of neurotransmitters.

10) Dizziness

The dizziness are also a very common symptom of pregnancy during the first trimester. Hormones cause changes in blood flow, causing the blood pressure to drop.

11) Gas and constipation

The progesterone causes the slowdown of intestinal transit, resulting in the constipation , a problem very common among pregnant women. In addition, due to changes in the intestinal rhythm, gases arise, which are especially noticeable in the second and third trimesters.

12) Headache

Another of the first symptoms of pregnancy is headache . The headache is generally concentrated on both sides and in the nape. In some women it increases in intensity as pregnancy progresses.

5 little known symptoms of pregnancy

There are a number of pregnancy symptoms that do not occur too often, but are still worth knowing.

1. Tingling in the extremities: this is called cholestasis of pregnancy and is characterized by intense itching that occurs especially at night. Experts believe it is due to both genetic and hormonal factors.
2. Acne: the hormonal changes of pregnancy sometimes cause women to suffer from acne. It does not necessarily have to occur on the face, but can occur in other areas such as the back.
3. Snoring: snoring is one of the most unknown pregnancy symptoms, although the truth is that 30% of pregnant women snore during pregnancy.
4. Nosebleeds: Some women experience nosebleeds relatively frequently during pregnancy. The cause is that blood clotting is disturbed and the blood vessels in the nose do not drain properly.
5. Increased myopia : and, finally, to point out that women who are myopic may be a little more so during pregnancy. It is a consequence of hormonal changes.

Can you have a period while pregnant?

There are a large number of stories from women who claim to have had their periods after becoming pregnant. From puberty, ovulation occurs approximately every 28 days. After 14 days from ovulation , if the egg is not fertilized by sperm, it is expelled. This is what is called menstruation and results in vaginal bleeding that lasts between three and five days.

However, the process is interrupted when a woman becomes pregnant. The egg fertilized by the sperm arrives and implants itself in the uterus, where it grows and develops. Thus, when it is time for the menstrual cycle, nothing is expelled and, therefore, there is no bleeding.

Still, in some cases some women say they have had the rule while still pregnant. Well, in the vast majority of cases the bleeding is not that of menstruation, but what is known as implantation bleeding. It occurs when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus. When it comes into contact with the walls of the same it can produce a slight bleeding.

Women who have an irregular cycle and who have become pregnant around the beginning of their next period may have their period even after the gestation period has begun.

Symptoms of pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome

Sometimes it is very difficult to differentiate if the body is experiencing the symptoms of menstruation or they are characteristic of a pregnancy.

One of the most common signs of PMS is a change in mood ; the woman feels nervous, irritable and in a bad mood. In addition, she has fluid retention and throbbing pain in the area of ​​the ovaries. Headache is another common sign.

Regarding pregnancy, although there are certain symptoms that may be similar, such as a change in mood or headache, there are others that are specific to pregnancy: fatigue, abdominal cramps, taste and smell changes, nausea and vomiting .

Symptoms that are most confused

There are a number of signs that are often confused.

1. Chest pain: one of the first symptoms of pregnancy is the special tenderness in the chest. A condition that also occurs in the days before the start of the menstrual cycle.
2. Slight bleeding: in premenstrual syndrome there is no bleeding of any kind. While it is true that there may be slight bleeding at the beginning of the cycle, but it is already menstruation. The bleeding typical of the period is much more abundant, while the pink vaginal discharge of pregnancy is very light.
3. Nausea: this is one of the most common signs of pregnancy. Nausea usually begins three weeks after conception.
4. Cramps: in PMS, some women experience muscle cramps in the hours before the cycle begins. These cramps diminish once the period begins. However, in the case of pregnancy, they progress with the passing of the days and are concentrated in the lower part of the stomach and back.

When to do the pregnancy test?

One of the most frequent doubts has to do with the best time to do the pregnancy test . Well, the home tests that you buy at the pharmacy are very reliable, as long as they are done after the menstrual delay.

Although the vast majority of models indicate that the pregnancy test can be performed the day after the delay, it is best to wait between three and five more days, when the levels of the beta-hCG hormone have already increased and are easier to detect .

To do the test it is recommended to use the first urine of the day since it is the moment when the beta HCG hormone is most concentrated. Urinate into a clean container and immediately place the test tape in contact with the urine. It is held for a few seconds, removed and placed on a flat surface. These types of tests generally take between one and five minutes to give the result.

What do you have to say goodbye to

It is time to take certain food precautions and leave behind foods, infusions and tasks that will not benefit you at all:

• Seafood, meats (rare or raw) or raw fish, get them out of your life immediately.
• Zero alcohol.
• Moderate your caffeine and salt intake.
• Soft drinks, the less the better.
• As for the infusions, no pennyroyal, chamomile, darjeeling or earl gray teas , valerian, sage, nettle or St. John’s wort.
• The vegetables, always well washed.
• It is recommended that you start wearing latex gloves to perform tasks such as cooking (if you handle raw meat or fish).
• Try to add green leafy vegetables to your daily diet (rich in folic acid) and fruits.

The first week of pregnancy

It is possible that this is the rarest of all because you will feel discomfort as when you have the period, but without the period. As the embryo still does not have a heartbeat, you cannot check if everything is going well and that will help you feel in the position of “I don’t know if I believe it.”

They will be days of bursting with happiness or succumbing, immediately after, to the thousand and one fears that will cross your mind. You may want to repeat the pregnancy test and don’t really know what to do or where to go.

Despite looking for a baby, the principles are always very intense and we each live them differently. Luckily there is a lot of information that will make you feel more comforted. Put bad thoughts out of your head and try to connect with your baby, assure him that everything will be fine and visualize yourself pregnant and happy. Make sure that this connection is supported above all by positive and happy thoughts and do not hesitate to talk to him.

Look for relaxing activities for the next several months, such as prenatal yoga or tai chi, and make time each day for leisurely walks. Consult with the specialist any doubts you have regarding physical activity or its intensity level, but you may have to wait several weeks as a precaution.

Our recommendation is that you try to be as calm as possible, that you begin to adopt healthy habits, especially in your diet, such as the ones we have indicated, and that you make an appointment at your health center with your midwife to start the processes and the analytics that will later be used to track your status.

The first month of pregnancy

In this first month you may have already gone through all or almost all of the pregnancy symptoms that we have mentioned, although in the case of nausea they sometimes appear after this period.

The cramps could be reduced now and it will be time for you to see your midwife to inform you of how the process will unfold over the next few weeks. Passbook will give your pregnant to record the details of analytical, height, weight and all progress, as well as arrange your first appointment with toc ólogo, about the sixth or seventh week. It will be then when you can listen to your baby’s heartbeat and confirm that everything is still fine.

These days the fetus’s nervous system will begin to form , although its shape will still be a bit strange and the extremities will still not be able to be distinguished. You will have a stomach and soon all the main organs and their size will range between 2 and 5 millimeters in length.

It may happen that during the first weeks the embryo does not separate correctly or does not implant well; that is why this period is when natural abortions can occur.

Finally, you will see that the first month flies by, thus shortening the waiting time and in less than you think you will finally be able to meet him. Be patient with the first signs of pregnancy .