Changes in your body during the course of pregnancy occur over time. Until late pregnancy, when you take a pregnancy test, you will probably be unsure if you are actually pregnant or not. Some women will experience many signals of pregnancy early on, while other women may not feel anything at all.

By understanding what some of the first signs of pregnancy may be, you can keep track of what is happening in your body and make the right decisions at the right time.

Missed Period

The earliest indication of being pregnant is often when your menstrual cycle has become irregular. If you are normally very regular with your menstrual cycles and suddenly have a missed period, it may mean that you may be pregnant. Other factors that could affect a woman's menstrual cycles include stress, travelling, illness and changing hormones. For these reasons many women may assume they are pregnant by simply missing their period; however, the absence of a period isn't a definitive indicator that they are indeed pregnant, but it can still be a strong first indicator of potential conception.

Feeling Very Tired

In the early stages of pregnancy, a lot of women tend to experience excessive fatigue. You might be feeling tired/low on energy even though you've rested during the day and have very little energy at large (sleepy) at times during the day. This is typical due to the fact that your body is putting forth a great deal of effort to support your developing baby.

Hormonal levels increase dramatically in the body at a rapid pace, and this can cause fatigue. If you suddenly become more fatigued than you would expect for no reason, this could indicate that you are pregnant.

Nausea and Vomiting

One other common indicator of pregnancy is morning sickness. Even though it’s called "morning" sickness, it can occur at all times throughout your day. Many women feel some level of nausea, while others experience frequent vomiting. Morning sickness usually starts a few weeks after conception. You may begin to develop an aversion to certain smells or foods, even if you’ve never had a negative reaction to those things before, early on in your pregnancy.

Breast Changes

Swollen, tender or sensitive breasts are typically one of the first signs of pregnancy. Nipples may also darken, and veins on breasts will usually be more pronounced. This occurs because the body is preparing to breastfeed. Some women confuse these symptoms with those of premenstrual syndrome, but with pregnancy, they will last longer than PMS.

Frequent Urination

Going to the bathroom more frequently than normal could indicate that you are experiencing an early indication of your period. Increased blood flow to your kidneys due to hormonal changes can cause increased urine production. You may see this change early in your pregnancy. In addition, as your pregnancy progresses, your enlarging uterus will place additional pressure on your bladder.

Mild Cramping and Spotting

In the very early stages of pregnancy, some women will experience light bleeding or spotting and/or mild menstrual-like cramping. This can occur during the process of implantation; the fertilised egg attaches to the lining of the uterus. The bleeding or spotting is typically much lighter in colour and less in amount than a normal menstrual period and often is of short duration. As implantation may happen around the same time that a woman expects to have her menstrual period, she may interpret the bleeding or spotting as a very light menstrual period.

Mood Swings

The hormones that are produced during pregnancy can have a significant impact on your mood and emotional state. One moment you may feel happy, and the next you could feel very emotional. You may find that small things cause you to feel more upset than normal. This is common to experience during pregnancy and is the result of the hormone changes that your body is going through.

Conclusion

Each woman’s body responds to pregnancy in its own unique way. Some women may notice several early warning signs of pregnancy; others might experience just one or two. The only way to determine if you are indeed pregnant is to take an at-home pregnancy test and follow this up with an appointment with your physician. Being in tune with your body and aware of the signs or symptoms associated with early pregnancy will help you to look after your health from the beginning of your pregnancy.