The first signs of pregnancy vary from woman to woman and even from pregnancy to pregnancy. If you are particularly in tune with her body’s rhythms, you may begin to suspect that she is pregnant soon after conception.

You are pregnant?

Most women will not experience any early signs of pregnancy until the fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall, on average six to twelve days after ovulation. Other women may not notice signs of pregnancy until their menstrual cycle is delayed or missed, one of the most pronounced and significant symptoms of pregnancy.

Whether you’re trying to get pregnant or not, it’s important to understand the indicators of pregnancy because each symptom can be related to something other than the pregnancy.

Below is a list of some of the most common early signs of pregnancy, some of which may occur before a home pregnancy test can be used, letting you know that you may be on your way to becoming a mother. You may experience all, some, or none of these signs that you might be pregnant:

food cravings

Admittedly, it’s a cliché, but food cravings can sometimes be early signs of pregnancy. Don’t rely on a craving for pickles and ice cream as a sure sign of pregnancy; it could be all in your head or even a sign that your body is deficient in certain nutrients; however, if the cravings are accompanied by some of the other symptoms on this list, it could mean you could be eating for two.

What else could it mean: poor diet, nutritional deficiency, stress, depression, or impending menstruation.

Darkening of your areolas

If the skin around the nipples darkens, you may be pregnant, although this can also indicate a hormonal imbalance unrelated to the pregnancy or be a carryover effect from a previous pregnancy.

What else it could mean: Hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or may be a carryover effect of a previous pregnancy.

Light bleeding or cramping

Implantation bleeding can be one of the first signs of pregnancy when, between six and twelve days after conception, the embryo burrows into the uterine wall. As a result of this, some women will experience implantation spotting, a slight pink or brown spotting, as well as some cramping.

You can mistake implantation bleeding for a very light period, since spotting can occur around the time you expect your period.

What else could it mean: actual menstruation, disturbed menstruation, birth control pill changes, infection or abrasion from intercourse.

frequent urination

Once the embryo implants and begins to produce the pregnancy-sustaining hormone secreted by the embryo soon after conception (usually around six to eight weeks after conception), you may run to the bathroom more often.

What else it could mean: urinary tract infection, diabetes, increased fluid intake, or excess diuretics.

Tired

Do you feel sleepy? No, make that absolutely erased. The high levels of the hormone progesterone experienced during pregnancy can make you feel like you’ve run a marathon when all you’ve done is work a normal day. This hallmark of early pregnancy can appear as early as the first week after conception (before you can take a positive pregnancy test), but don’t necessarily assume you’re pregnant just because you’re feeling exhausted.

What else it could mean: Stress, burnout, depression, the common cold or flu, or other illnesses can also leave you feeling drained.

Tender and swollen breasts

If you’re pregnant, your breasts are likely to become fuller and increasingly tender to the touch, similar to how they feel before your period, but more pronounced. These changes can start as soon as one to two weeks after conception.

What else it could mean: Hormonal imbalance, birth control pills, and impending menstruation (PMS) can also cause your breasts to swell and become more tender.

Nausea

As soon as a couple of days after conception, you may start to feel nauseated and unwell; it will often appear between two and eight weeks after conception. Despite the common name for this well-known sign of pregnancy (morning sickness), it doesn’t just happen during the morning hours—pregnancy-related nausea can strike any time of the day or night.

If you’re lucky, morning sickness won’t hit you until a few weeks after conception, and some women are lucky enough to escape it entirely.

What else it could mean: Food poisoning, stress, or other stomach disorders can also make you feel dizzy.

Back pain and headaches

Back pain and headaches can appear as early signs of pregnancy as a result of the sudden increase in hormones.

What else could it mean: impending menstruation, stress, back problems and physical or mental tension, dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, eyestrain.

A missed or different period

When you get pregnant, you should miss your next period, and a missed period is often one of the first signs of pregnancy experienced by women. Many women experience bleeding during pregnancy, but usually the bleeding will be shorter or lighter than a normal period. If she’s been sexually active, she’s late and often experiences mechanical visits from Aunt Flo, it’s worth trying a pregnancy test.

What else it could mean: Excessive weight gain/loss, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, tension, stress, stopping the birth control pill or breastfeeding.

A positive pregnancy test

A positive pregnancy test is the most definitive sign that you’re on the family path. Home pregnancy tests (urine) are available at most pharmacies; There are early home pregnancy tests, such as the EPT Digital Early Pregnancy Tests, which can give results as early as five days before your missed period, as well as traditional home pregnancy tests that recommend waiting to test until least until the first date of the missed period. to ensure adequate amounts of the pregnancy hormone.