It doesn’t matter if a woman wants to get pregnant again or is already happy with the children she has and does not want to get pregnant anymore, if she has an active sex life this question will always come up, even if she is taking precautions. As soon as a different symptom appears, an unexpected nausea, a strange craving, that unexpected question pops up: Am I pregnant?
PMS symptoms, just like those of a common, everyday illness, can end up confusing a woman and make her believe she is pregnant. The mind can also give a little push to start feeling other symptoms, even when she is not really pregnant. In some cases, a woman may start feeling symptoms even before her period is late and ends up getting desperate or celebrating too soon.
On the other hand, some women don’t feel anything different at all, and only start asking themselves “am I pregnant?” when their period is late and the alarm bells ring. In many cases, symptoms only appear once the fertilized egg has already implanted in the uterus, and that’s when the body itself starts giving signs like a missed period—it’s rare for signals to appear before this.
How Can I Tell If I Am Pregnant?
First of all, you can’t be sure that you are really pregnant just because of symptoms; they serve as an alert to see a doctor. The first real sign of pregnancy is a missed period, but confirmation requires a blood beta hCG test or a pharmacy test followed by an appointment with a gynecologist. Besides a missed period it is common for women to feel great sensitivity in their breasts, along with swelling. Darkening of the nipples is also evidence of pregnancy and usually occurs in the second week of pregnancy. Excess sleepy and constant headaches also appear due to a rise in hormone levels and can occur as early as the first week after conception.
The well-known nausea and dizziness can also happen as a sign that something different is going on, especially morning sickness and nausea. Nausea is very individual; some women may go through their whole pregnancy without ever feeling sick, while others can struggle with this discomfort for the first three months or throughout all nine months of pregnancy.
Aversion to foods and smells is also very common. Foods that used to be regular parts of your diet can become unbearable and trigger nausea. Strong perfumes, lotions, and cleaning products can irritate the pregnant woman’s now highly sensitive sense of smell. If you feel an uncontrollable craving for something strange or even for a certain food at an odd time, be suspicious, especially in the first trimester. These are just some signs that may alert you that you could be pregnant, but as we already said, you can’t confirm it just by them. See a doctor, describe your symptoms, take a blood test, confirm that you really are pregnant, and start your prenatal care. And get ready to experience the greatest adventure of your life: creating new life!
See also: Unraveling Pregnancy Symptoms in the First Week
Photo: Andreh Santos
