What Are the Signs & Symptoms of a Six Week Pregnancy?

Long before pregnancy is obvious to the outside world, hormonal changes can cause a woman to experience a myriad of symptoms. Doctors calculate a pregnancy from the beginning of a woman's last menstrual period; conception typically occurs approximately two weeks later during ovulation. Therefore, at six weeks of pregnancy it has actually been only four weeks since conception took place. Although a baby may be less than 1/4-inch long at this point, rapidly increasing hormone levels are causing big changes in his mother's body.

  1. Breast Changes

    • Changing hormone levels can cause breast changes early in pregnancy. A newly pregnant woman may notice that her areolas appear darker, according to the American Pregnancy Association. The breasts may also become sore and tender, and they may feel heavy and swollen.

    Emotional Changes and Fatigue

    • Increased hormone levels can cause a woman to feel moody and emotional during the first weeks of pregnancy. High levels of progesterone, a hormone that increases in early pregnancy, can cause fatigue and sleepiness. Other pregnancy changes, such as decreased blood sugar and blood pressure and increased blood production, may contribute to fatigue, according to the Mayo Clinic.

    Nausea and Cravings

    • Morning sickness is one of the most well-known pregnancy symptoms. However, nausea and vomiting can occur at any time of day. Certain foods and smells may trigger nausea or vomiting. At six weeks of pregnancy, a woman may also begin to have strong preferences or cravings for certain foods.

    Headaches and Dizziness

    • Mild headaches may occur as blood circulation increases, according to the Mayo Clinic. Decreased blood pressure or blood sugar may also cause a woman to feel faint or dizzy in the first weeks of pregnancy.

    Changes in Bladder and Bowel Habits

    • Between six and eight weeks of pregnancy, urination may become more frequent. Constipation may also become a problem as changing hormone levels slow down the digestive system.

    Spotting or Cramping

    • Some women experience implantation bleeding a week or two after conception. This light bleeding sometimes occurs after the egg attaches to the uterus and it may be accompanied by abdominal cramps. At six weeks of pregnancy, a woman may have noticed this spotting at some point in the last two or three weeks.

    Increased Basal Body Temperature

    • If a woman has regularly charted her basal body temperature, which is her oral temperature immediately upon waking, while trying to conceive, she may notice that her temperature has remained higher than normal in the weeks since ovulation occurred.

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