Signs That You May Be Pregnant

For some women, the first sign that they could be pregnant comes from a change they experience, rather than from seeing the positive line on a pregnancy test. So what signs could you look out for that could indicate that you may be pregnant?

Breast Tenderness and Tingling

In the same way that you may experience breast tenderness before or during a period, it’s also a common symptom of early pregnancy. Your breasts may feel tender and extra sensitive, you feel a tingling sensation around your nipples and you may also notice that your breasts seem larger and swollen.

Breast tenderness is particularly common in the first trimester of pregnancy. A tingling sensation in your nipples can start as early as a week after conception. This caused by a surge of hormones and an increase of blood supply to your breasts. Both the tingling and breast tenderness should ease off as your body gets used to the hormones and your pregnancy progresses.

Needing to Urinate More Often

If you’re suddenly noticing that you’re needing to urinate more often than usual, then this can be an early sign of pregnancy. It can start from about six weeks and is due to several factors. One of the issues at play is pregnancy hormones, but it’s also caused by having a greater volume of blood in your system and the fact that your kidneys have to work harder than normal during pregnancy.

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Spotting or Cramping

It’s not uncommon for women to experience a small amount of light spotting – the appearance of pink or brown stains – and this may be accompanied by some cramping too. Sometimes it can occur at around the time when your period would normally be expected, which can make you think everything is fine and normal, if you don’t yet realise you’re pregnant.

Another cause of spotting is the egg implanting itself in your uterus – known as implantation. This is very early on in pregnancy and it’s often only later that you look back and realise this was actually implantation.

Nausea

Nausea or morning sickness is one of the more unpleasant signs of pregnancy. It can start as early as four to six weeks of pregnancy and happens at any point during the day, not just in the mornings.

If you’ve noticed that you’ve suddenly started feeling nauseous or have been sick on one or more occasion, then it could be a sign of pregnancy.

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Tiredness

If you’re suddenly feeling very tired and exhausted, then this could also be a sign of pregnancy. Of course, feeling tired may be a symptom of lots of other conditions too – or simply a signal that your body needs more sleep – but if there’s a chance you could be pregnant and you’re suddenly experiencing a lot of tiredness, it may be time to do a pregnancy test.

Darker Nipples

In addition to the other breast changes already discussed, another signal of pregnancy is the areolas – the skin around your nipples – getting darker. The small bumps around the skin of your nipples may also become more visible. Both of these changes can start to happen from about eight weeks of pregnancy.

These are just some of the common signs of pregnancy that occur as your body changes and adjusts to the pregnancy hormones. If you suspect you could be pregnant, then take a pregnancy test or see your doctor.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Due Date Calculator lets you calculate your estimated due date and get week-by-week pregnancy guidance. Try it now →