The very first signs of pregnancy: reviews of women and doctors

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Some early signs of pregnancy may appear even before the missed period, because the body begins to rebuild after the fertilization of the egg. But these symptoms can only be considered in combination. In fact, an objective sign of an interesting situation on such dates is precisely the delay in menstruation.

When the first signs appear

Judging by the reviews, the first signs of pregnancy after conception immediately (literally within a few days, if not hours) appear in almost every second woman planning a child. Doctors, on the other hand, say that immediately after unprotected intercourse, as a result of which fertilization occurred, any signs of an interesting position cannot immediately be felt.

The fact is that fertilization itself can occur only a few hours after sex, and the hormones that provoke the future mother's mood variability, changes in taste sensations and other subjectivesymptoms begin to develop and do some time after the implantation of the fetal egg into the uterine cavity. This process takes three to ten days.

But still, the first signs of pregnancy before the delay (reviews confirm this) are felt by many women. Interestingly, most of these are those who planned pregnancy, got acquainted with information on this topic, or have already visited a fertility doctor. In this case, the woman waits for two strips on the test every cycle, so that she can subconsciously look for symptoms in herself. The placebo effect works.

In fact, some characteristic symptoms do appear quite early, that is, only one to two weeks after fertilization. If you are attentive to your own he alth and general condition, you can notice the first signs of pregnancy before the delay in menstruation. Expectant moms most often mention breast tenderness, lower abdominal cramps, and light spotting that could be mistaken for a scanty period.

No period

An objective sign that a woman is expecting a baby is the absence of menstruation. Every month, the body prepares for a possible conception, and if this does not happen, the uterus cleanses itself. The mucous membrane, which was formed to successfully secure the fetal egg, is rejected and comes out along with the blood. This cannot happen during pregnancy. Abundant spotting indicates spontaneous abortion. This happens very early.so the woman may end up not knowing she was pregnant.

According to numerous reviews, the first sign of pregnancy for women who have not yet planned the birth of a child is precisely the delay in menstruation. Doctors also pay attention to this sign, who, as a rule, associate nausea, fatigue and mood swings before the delay with other processes in the body, but certainly not with pregnancy.

True, there are two points to pay attention to. The delay is not so easy to determine with an irregular cycle, so a woman for quite a long time may not guess that she is expecting a baby. In this case, other signs are already beginning to appear that make you buy a test at a pharmacy.

In addition, a certain number of women (about 20%) during pregnancy "continue to menstruate." In fact, of course, this is not menstrual bleeding, but implantation, which is a variant of the norm. Implantation bleeding is less abundant, lasts up to two days, occurs approximately at the time of critical days or earlier, it is accompanied by pulling pains in the abdomen. This condition can easily be mistaken for a meager period.

It is important that spotting during pregnancy (other than implantation bleeding) is not normal. With such a symptom, it is advisable to visit a gynecologist so that the doctor confirms with the help of ultrasound that there are no threats of interruption.

Increase in basal body temperature

The first sign of pregnancy in reviews (beforemonthly, which this time will not come on time) is called an increase in basal temperature. This is also an objective sign that qualified doctors tend to trust. But in order to accurately determine the increase in basal temperature, you should keep charts for at least two to three months before conception.

Basal temperature is measured daily immediately after waking up in the vagina or rectum. The data is plotted on a graph for ease of interpretation. In the first phase of the cycle, that is, while the follicle is maturing, the temperature will be slightly below 37 degrees. Normally, the thermometer records indicators of 36.4-36.8 degrees Celsius. Before ovulation (about three days), the temperature drops sharply, and then rises by 0.4-0.6 degrees. The border between a decrease and an increase in temperature allows you to accurately determine the onset of ovulation.

In the second phase of the cycle, the temperature is kept at around 37 degrees and above, and one to three days before menstruation drops sharply (if conception has not occurred). If fertilization has occurred, then the graph will look a little different. In this case, three to ten days after fertilization, the temperature will drop sharply, and then it will stay above 37 degrees and not go down.

Dip on the chart is called implantation. This is the attachment of the fetal egg in the uterine cavity. A similar change on the basal temperature chart is a sign of the first week of pregnancy. Reviews (both doctors and women planning to conceive a child) confirm that the systematic measurement of basal temperatureallows you to determine an interesting position before the delay.

Cramps in the lower abdomen

What other signs of pregnancy can be noted in the first weeks? Reviews are full of a variety of symptoms, but most of them are subjective or non-specific sensations that appear not only in the state of pregnancy. So, pulling pains in the lower abdomen before menstruation are noted by about 40% of women. The same symptom may indicate that conception has taken place.

In their reviews of the first signs of pregnancy before delay, women talk about cramps in the lower abdomen a few days after fertilization (it is believed that this is how the process of attaching the fetal egg in the uterine cavity is felt) and a few days before the expected menstruation. Some feel tingling and a feeling of fullness. These are subjective signs of pregnancy. Cramping may be common premenstrual pain. To clarify the situation, you should do a pregnancy test after a delay. Some modern tests allow you to determine an interesting position even before the expected periods, but they can be wrong.

Slight spotting

Sometimes the very first sign of pregnancy (according to reviews) is implantation bleeding. Someone does not pay attention to this symptom, taking spotting for menstruation, and then it turns out that the woman is expecting a baby. In fact, it is very simple to distinguish between normal periods and implantation bleeding. Whenthe onset of pregnancy, the discharge is pinkish in color, very scarce and lasts no more than two or three days, may be accompanied by slight pain in the lower abdomen.

Most often, implantation occurs without severe damage to the walls of the uterus, which can cause bleeding. Usually a woman, in general, does not notice this process. According to gynecologists, any discharge mixed with blood (except for normal periods) is potentially dangerous, so this is a reason for an emergency visit to the doctor. There may be an ectopic pregnancy or some other problem.

During an ectopic pregnancy, the discharge is dark red or brown in color, because during the passage through the fallopian tube the blood has time to darken, are accompanied by sharp pains and can be plentiful. This is an occasion to urgently seek medical help, because a pathological pregnancy is dangerous for the life and he alth of a woman. In addition, atypical discharge may appear at the risk of spontaneous abortion. If the problem is detected in time and appropriate measures are taken, the fetus can be saved.

Breast enlargement and sensitivity

Nipple sensitivity and slight enlargement (swelling) of the mammary glands is one of the first signs of pregnancy. The reviews are different: some women felt that the bra was too small even before the delay, while for others, the breasts swelled only at the end of the first trimester. Already in the early stages, the mammary glands begin to prepare for lactation under the influence of estrogen and progesterone. Breastit also changes before menstruation, but nipple sensitivity usually indicates pregnancy.

Mood swings and fatigue

Mood, concentration level and performance largely depend on the hormonal background, and changes in the female body during pregnancy begin almost immediately. A woman can become whiny, irritable, or overly sentimental. Already in the first weeks, there is a feeling of fatigue and drowsiness that most expectant mothers pursue throughout the first trimester. The body spends a lot of energy on maintaining pregnancy, so it is quite normal to want to take a nap during the day.

Nausea and excessive salivation

For a woman, the manifestation of toxicosis is natural for up to 12 weeks. During this period, a significant restructuring of the body takes place. Initially, the fetus is a foreign agent for the female body, so the immune system is rebuilt, blocking certain elements so that the body does not reject the embryo. This is one of the first signs of pregnancy. But reviews confirm that toxicosis in most cases appears after a delay in menstruation. There is medical evidence that the cause of this condition is an increase in the hormone chronic gonadotropin (HCG, which is also called the "pregnancy hormone").

Lower blood pressure

Decrease in blood pressure can be considered as a sign of pregnancy only in conjunction with other symptoms. Indicators may decrease under the influence of progesterone, the levelwhich increases during pregnancy. Because of this, a woman may be disturbed by weakness, dizziness, poor he alth, shortness of breath, darkening of the eyes. A decrease in blood pressure in early pregnancy is often the cause of fainting.

GI upset and frequent urination

Toxicosis and delayed menstruation are far from the only first (early) signs of pregnancy. Reviews of doctors confirm that pregnancy provokes a restructuring of all organs and systems. Diarrhea is not an independent disease, but a signal of changes occurring in the body. Therefore, with an upset stomach, it makes sense to listen to your condition. This may be an early sign of pregnancy. The same can be said about the frequent urge to urinate. Increased blood flow to the pelvis can cause this symptom.

Temperature rise

In conjunction with other signs, a slight increase in temperature for several days may indicate pregnancy. A slight malaise can be noticed when the egg attaches to the uterus. After that, progesterone is actively produced, which is responsible for thermoregulation. During pregnancy, immunity naturally decreases (so that the body does not reject the fetus), so that signs of a cold may appear. Because of this, the temperature rises.

Sensitivity to smells and food

What else can you list the first signs of pregnancy in the early stages? Reviews often mention a change in taste preferences andsensitivity to odors. Some women cannot stand the smell of tobacco smoke or coffee, although they could not imagine starting the day without this drink, while others suddenly begin to experience an irresistible craving for certain foods. This is also evidence of the active work of hormones.

Other (individual) signs

Early signs of pregnancy are highly individual. You may experience a runny nose and cold, an allergic reaction, a metallic taste in your mouth, or bleeding gums. The body is rebuilding, so that such changes are completely normal. Doctors consider only a delay in menstruation to be an objective sign. You can confirm an interesting situation with the help of a home pregnancy test, a blood test for hCG and ultrasound.