Pregnancy symptoms and PMS symptoms are very similar, have you noticed? And sometimes they’re so real, they really confuse women! PMS or pregnancy? How can you tell one from the other?

PMS is an event that causes quite uncomfortable symptoms for many women. It’s triggered by the hormonal roller coaster of the menstrual cycle, and can involve both physical and emotional symptoms. There’s no rule for PMS: for some women it shows up as just a mild headache, while for others it can cause severe irritability or even depression, as well as nausea and breast tenderness. These last two symptoms sound a lot like pregnancy symptoms, don’t they?

It really is possible to confuse PMS and pregnancy, because the symptoms are caused by the same hormone, progesterone!1 And the symptoms can start right after ovulation, when progesterone levels rise significantly in the body. This can cause a rise in body temperature, irritability, and even nausea! Then the woman wonders: I have cramps but my period isn’t coming, what’s happening? That’s why it’s important to recognize the signals your body gives. Check out the most common PMS symptoms below that can be confused with ovulation:

PMS and Ovulation Symptoms

The point is, for many women trying to conceive, these symptoms become tormenting. How do you know if it’s a sign of ovulation, your period, or pregnancy?

IMPORTANT: Before you start celebrating a pregnancy, make sure your symptoms are not from your period that’s about to arrive. Only celebrate after you’ve taken a pregnancy test and had a positive result!

Differences Between PMS and Pregnancy?

Point 1 – Cramps: These can be very common in PMS and some days before menstruation, women already feel abdominal pain. However, in case of pregnancy, the cramps persist even during delayed menstruation. That’s why it’s easy to determine the difference between menstrual cramps and pregnancy cramps.

Point 2 – Nausea: Nausea tends to subside as soon as the period begins, that is, when bleeding starts. And although not very common in PMS, it can happen and get worse if pregnancy occurs.

Point 3 – Progesterone: Just like estrogen, this hormone can cause discomfort in the breasts, especially the nipples. With the arrival of your period, symptoms lessen, but they can intensify during pregnancy, just like nausea.

Point 4 – Sleepiness: This can be one of the main signs of pregnancy!2 While it’s also a symptom of PMS, pregnant women are the biggest victims of sleepiness! This symptom can persist up until the 12th week of pregnancy while with PMS it may last only up to 2 or 3 days before menstruation starts.

Point 5 – Appetite: This symptom can vary as each body reacts differently. Some women may completely lose their appetite while others have increased appetite with PMS. But one thing is certain for all: in pregnancy, appetite tends to increase, even if nausea remains.

Point 6 – Emotions: These can really confuse women who are looking for answers between PMS or pregnancy. During PMS, a woman may feel irritable and angry, while in pregnancy she is often much more sensitive and tearful.

Point 7 – Abdominal pain: Abdominal pain can occur in both cases, since menstrual cramps are very similar to the cramps caused by the corpus luteum. However, the corpus luteum causes cramps on only one side, right at the ovary level, while in PMS, cramps are more generalized and affect the lower abdomen.3

The truth is, to distinguish PMS symptoms from pregnancy symptoms, you need to know your body very well. In cases of an unusual cycle, wait for your period to be late and then take a reliable test. Normally, with 5 days late in regular cycles or 20 days after the fertile window for irregular cycles, it is already possible to detect HCG in a woman’s blood or urine.

PMS or pregnancy? Pay attention to the signs your body gives you!

Readers’ Questions:

When does PMS occur?

PMS symptoms can vary from woman to woman, as well as when they appear. Usually, the uncomfortable PMS symptoms happen between 5 to 11 days before menstruation starts and are most clearly signaled by mood swings, irritability, cravings for sweets, abdominal bloating, breast tenderness, and migraine attacks.

Can pregnant women have PMS?

PMS (premenstrual tension) does not occur in pregnant women, but some pregnancy symptoms are quite similar to PMS, such as crying for no reason, intense mood swings, breast tenderness, and even cravings for certain foods. These symptoms happen due to the major hormonal changes women experience both during PMS and throughout pregnancy.

Can women on birth control have PMS?

The use of birth control pills to manage PMS symptoms is more and more common. Many cases have shown significant improvements in discomfort after starting synthetic hormones. With this approach, many women have reported relief from irritability, bloating, and even headaches, but there have also been cases of symptoms worsening with contraceptive use, so any treatment should be under your gynecologist’s guidance.

Is there medicine for PMS?

In addition to birth control pills, there are natural calming herbs, herbal medicines, compounding formulas, and even subcutaneous implants. Some doctors may recommend controlled calming medications that should only be taken as prescribed and under professional guidance. No treatment should begin without your case being evaluated by a specialist.

Can PMS cause depression?

Actually, what might happen is the opposite! Many times, women suffer from depression but haven’t yet been diagnosed. The highs and lows of PMS can feel extremely low. So some women end up attributing extended difficult periods to PMS, when in reality PMS may just be drawing attention to an underlying depression.

See also: When Does Ovulation Occur – Having Sex Exactly on Your Fertile Day