How to Spot Early Pregnancy Signs

When you are trying to conceive, the wait for a positive pregnancy test can feel interminable. If you pay attention to your body, however, you may notice signs of early pregnancy before you see two pink lines. Anything from a sudden aversion to coffee to breast tenderness may tell you that you are carrying a new life. As you go through this process, take any concerns you have about fertility or preparing for pregnancy to your obstetrician.

Instructions

    • 1

      Track your menstrual cycles. A missed period is one of the early signs of pregnancy, but you may mistake implantation bleeding for a period if you aren't paying close attention to your cycles. Implantation bleeding occurs six to 12 days after conception when the embryo implants in the uterine wall. You may notice spotting and cramping -- similar to the start menstruation. Mark your cycles on the calendar and take a pregnancy test if you notice any irregularity.

    • 2

      Take note of food cravings and aversions. Women often develop a strong attachment to certain foods that lasts through the duration of the pregnancy. You may also notice that a food or drink you used to enjoy now makes you queasy.

    • 3

      Check your breasts. The National Breast Cancer Foundation recommends that women do a self-exam once a month to screen for cancer. The exam may help you notice changes associated with pregnancy, too. Breast tenderness, enlargement of the breasts and darkening of the areolas -- the skin around the nipple -- are all common symptoms of pregnancy, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Notify your doctor immediately if you notice any lumps in your breasts.

    • 4

      Don't confuse illness with early symptoms of pregnancy. Although headaches, nausea, backache and fatigue can all be the result of a virus, they are also common, early signs of pregnancy. If your overall malaise doesn't pass in two weeks, take a pregnancy test and schedule an appointment to see the doctor.

    • 5

      Count your trips to the bathroom. Although frequent urination is a common complaint of the third trimester, you'll probably find yourself urinating more often around six to eight weeks gestation from your changing hormone levels, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

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