Calculate Using Your Last Menstrual Period
The formula for calculating how far along you are is simply the number of days since the first day of your last menstrual period divided by seven:
Days since start of LMP ÷ 7 = # of weeks pregnant
Wondering how to calculate your number of months pregnant?
Days since start of LMP ÷ 30 = # of months pregnant
Varicose Veins And Leg Oedema
Varicose veins of the legs are very common in pregnancy due to a combination of factors, including increased volume of circulating blood during pregnancy, and pressure of the pregnant uterus on the larger veins. This increased pressure on the veins can also result in swelling of the legs that can cause pain, feelings of heaviness, cramps and other unusual sensations.
If you have varicose veins, it is recommended that you:
- Wear support stockings.
- Avoid standing for long periods.
- Exercise gently and regularly .
- Lie down to rest with feet elevated, when you can.
- Try massaging your legs.
When Does Implantation Happen
After fertilization, the new zygote travels down the fallopian tube and goes through tremendous changes. It develops into a morula and then a blastocyst. Once it reaches the blastocyst stage, its ready to implant in the uterine lining and continue growing into an embryo.
Implantation is essential to achieve pregnancy. Without it, the blastocyst will break down and be expelled with the rest of the uterine lining during your period.
As for timing, implantation usually happens between days 6 and 10 days after fertilization. Symptoms you may experience are mild and include things like cramping and light spotting. Some women may notice no symptoms at all, however.
Once the implanted embryo starts producing hormones , pregnancy symptoms may begin.
The earliest symptoms include:
If you experience these symptoms or otherwise think you might be pregnant, its a good idea to take a home pregnancy test.
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What Are The Most Common Early Signs Of Pregnancy
- Missed period. If youre in your childbearing years and a week or more has passed without the start of an expected menstrual cycle, you might be pregnant. However, this symptom can be misleading if you have an irregular menstrual cycle.
- Tender, swollen breasts. Early in pregnancy hormonal changes might make your breasts sensitive and sore. The discomfort will likely decrease after a few weeks as your body adjusts to hormonal changes.
- Nausea with or without vomiting. Morning sickness, which can strike at any time of the day or night, often begins one month after you become pregnant. However, some women feel nausea earlier and some never experience it. While the cause of nausea during pregnancy isnt clear, pregnancy hormones likely play a role.
- Increased urination. You might find yourself urinating more often than usual. The amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy, causing your kidneys to process extra fluid that ends up in your bladder.
- Fatigue. Fatigue also ranks high among early symptoms of pregnancy. During early pregnancy, levels of the hormone progesterone soar which might make you feel sleepy.
Basal Body Temperature Charting
Basal body temperature can predict and suggest ovulation. This only works if you have been taking your temperature in the days prior to ovulation. Temperature elevation begins one or two days after ovulation and persists for several days.
Temperature elevation identifies prior ovulation it does not diagnose pregnancy.
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Changes In Urination And Bowel Movements
Beginning about six weeks into the first trimester and throughout her pregnancy, a woman may need to pee more frequently.
Frequent bathroom visits happen in early pregnancy because the kidneys are working harder to filter the extra fluids in the body, such as an increased volume of blood. As the months pass and the fetus grows and develops in a woman’s uterus, it can put pressure on her bladder, causing a need to urinate more often than usual, according to the .
Constipation may be caused by extra progesterone, which can slow down the digestive system so that more nutrients can reach the fetus. Pregnancy hormones can also relax muscles that push waste products through the intestines. Being physically active, drinking lots of liquids and increasing dietary fiber can all help ease constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Morning Sickness Nausea And Vomiting During Early Pregnancy
Nausea and morning sickness usually develop around weeks 4 to 6 and peak around week 9.
Although its called morning sickness, it can occur anytime during the day or night. Its unclear exactly what causes nausea and morning sickness, but hormones may play a role.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, many women experience mild to severe morning sickness. It may become more intense toward the end of the first trimester, but often becomes less severe as you enter the second trimester.
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Early Pregnancy Symptoms Vs Pms: Whats The Difference
Most early pregnancy symptoms before your period are strikingly similar to the side effects of PMS. However, youll only notice changes in your areolas if youre pregnant. A consistently elevated BBT and creamy vaginal discharge post-ovulation are also both relatively reliable signs of conception, but theyre certainly not foolproof.
Otherwise, the only way to know if other early pregnancy symptoms are due to a baby or PMS is to hold out until you can take a pregnancy test.
When Will You Experience Pregnancy Symptoms
One factor to consider is the fact that many of the earliest signs of pregnancy are the same symptoms you might have right before your period.
With that in mind, you probably won’t experience significant symptoms before your missed period. Most classic pregnancy symptoms dont start until one or two weeks after conception at the very earliest. Many women dont notice anything until one or two weeks after their missed period .
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When Do Pregnancy Symptoms Start
how soon do you get symptoms of pregnancy?
It takes about 2 to 3 weeks after sex for pregnancy to happen. Some people notice pregnancy symptoms as early as a week after pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg attaches to the wall of your uterus. Other people dont notice symptoms until a few months into their pregnancy. Usually the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period.
Common symptoms of pregnancy include nausea or vomiting, and feeling tired. Other signs are sore or swollen breasts, headaches, and peeing more often than usual.
Taking a pregnancy test is the only way to know for sure if youre pregnant. You can take a home pregnancy test , visit your nurse or doctor, or contact your local Planned Parenthood health center for testing.
Tags:pregnancy, symptoms of pregnancy
Planned Parenthood delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of people worldwide. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. is a registered 501 nonprofit under EIN 13-1644147. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable under the law.
How To Deal With It:
Youll probably want to invest in some different kinds of bras, which could be larger, made out of cotton, and underwire-free. Wearing a bra to bed might help ease the pain as well. Though your larger twins might look enticing to your partner, make sure you let them know that they are welcome to look, but touching should be kept to a minimum.
If you’re pregnant, your body is working hard to make another human, so you’re feeling tired for many reasons!
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Food Cravings And Aversions
PMS: When you have PMS, youll likely notice that your eating habits change. You may crave chocolate, carbohydrates, sugars, sweets, or salty foods. Or you may have a ravenous appetite. These cravings dont happen to the same extent when youre pregnant.
Pregnancy: You may have highly specific cravings, and you may be totally uninterested in other foods. You may also have an aversion to certain smells and tastes, even ones you once liked. These effects can last throughout pregnancy.
You could also have pica, in which you compulsively eat items that have no nutritional value, such as ice, dirt, dried paint flakes, or pieces of metal. If you have cravings for nonfood items, talk to your doctor right away.
Pregnancy Testing For An Early And Accurate Result
A pregnancy test measures levels of human chorionic gonadotropin in your blood or urine. hCG starts to be produced after implantation in the walls of the uterus.
Implantation can occur as early as 7 days after conception.
The placenta begins to develop and produces increasing amounts of hCG.
There are no dierences between ethnicities with regard to urinary hCG increase. However, levels of serum hCG in early pregnancy following assisted reproductive technology have been seen to be slightly lower in women with a higher pre-pregnancy body mass index.
If you need early detection of pregnancy, a blood pregnancy test done at the doctors oice can detect low levels of hCG and measure the actual quantity of hCG in the body.
A blood pregnancy test can be accurate six to eight days after ovulation. A urine test is usually accurate about 14-21 days after ovulation.
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What Happens During Week 1
These are the first 2 weeks of your menstrual cycle. You have your period. About 2 weeks later, the egg thats most mature is released from your ovary this is called ovulation. Ovulation may happen earlier or later, depending on the length of your menstrual cycle. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days.
After its released, your egg travels down your fallopian tube toward your uterus. If the egg meets up with a sperm, they combine. This is called fertilization. Fertilization is most likely to occur when you have unprotected vaginal sex during the 6 days leading up to and including the day of ovulation.
How To Determine Your Due Date
When you find out youâre pregnant, youâre probably wondering when youâll meet your new baby! For an estimate, try our Due Date Calculator, where you can simply enter the first day of your last menstrual period or the date of conception.
Healthcare providers use the LMP method to determine your estimated due date. Due dates are typically calculated as 280 days starting from the first day of your last menstrual period. Remember, when generating a due date this way, you arenât technically pregnant during the first couple of weeks of pregnancy.And, again, this is why you probably wonât feel those highly anticipated very early signs of pregnancy in weeks 1, 2, or 3. But once you start to notice themâand take a pregnancy test or confirm youâre pregnant with your healthcare providerâyou can calculate your due date!
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How Accurate Is The Pregnancy Test
It is important to know that whilst a positive result is likely to be accurate, a negative result may be misleading. Some women have a negative result and test again a week later to find that it is positive.
This is due to the levels of pregnancy hormone gradually building up to a level at which they can be detected. If you test yourself very early on and you have a negative result, you should carry out another test in 2-3 days time if you have still not had a period.
If you continue to get negative results and still no period, you should consult your doctor.
Metallic Taste In Mouth
The experience of constantly having a metallic taste in your mouth is a pregnancy sign that I am familiar with. It’s difficult to describe, but your mouth feels like you have been sucking on a coin.
It’s a pregnancy symptom that is very common and is unmistakable
You may also experience other strange flavors in your mouth, like saltiness, rancidness, or just a bad taste in general.8
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Pregnancy Glow And Acne During Early Pregnancy
Many people may begin saying you have the pregnancy glow. The combination of increased blood volume and higher hormone levels pushes more blood through your vessels. This causes the bodys oil glands to work overtime.
The increased activity of your bodys oil glands gives your skin a flushed, glossy appearance. On the other hand, you may also develop acne.
in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that taking a home pregnancy test at this point will give a more accurate result.
Home pregnancy tests are inexpensive and widely available without a prescription in pharmacies and other stores.
You can take a test earlier than this if you want, but you run the risk of getting a false negative result. This means the test may say youre not pregnant, but in fact you are.
If you take a home pregnancy test too early, there may not be enough hCG in your urine yet for the test to detect it. Home pregnancy tests work by testing the amount of hCG in your urine. This is a hormone thats only present in the blood and urine of pregnant people.
Also, every persons body chemistry is a bit different. One person may get a positive result as early as a day after their period, while another persons positive results may not show up for another week. So, early test results may not be the most accurate.
Unlike at-home urine tests, blood tests are usually done in a clinical setting. Contact your doctor if you want this type of test.
What Are Five Common Signs Of Pregnancy
There are several signs of early pregnancy that you could experience. Not everyone will have all of these symptoms, and some women may not feel any of these things. Pregnancy symptoms throughout the entire pregnancy can vary dramatically between women. Its important not to compare your pregnancy to someone elses.
Common early pregnancy symptoms can include:
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Smell Sensitivity And Food Aversions During Early Pregnancy
Smell sensitivity is a symptom of early pregnancy thats mostly self-reported. Theres little scientific evidence about smell sensitivity during the first trimester. However, it might be important, since smell sensitivity may trigger nausea and vomiting. It may also cause strong distaste for certain foods.
You may experience either a heightened or lessened sense of smell during pregnancy, according to 2017 research. This is especially common during the first and third trimesters. Heightened smell is more common than lessened smell. Some smells that never bothered you before may become less pleasing or even trigger nausea.
The good news is that your sense of smell usually returns to normal after delivery, or within 6 to 12 weeks postpartum.
When Is It Too Early To Test For Pregnancy
If you take a pregnancy test before you have missed your period, you increase your chances of getting a false negative result. This means the test will read negative when you actually are pregnant, so experts recommend waiting until you have already missed your period to prevent false-negative test results.
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Calculate Using A Dating Ultrasound
A dating ultrasound, which measures the length of the fetus from crown to rump, is an accurate way to estimate your due date or how far along you are if completed within the first trimester . Most women have a pretty good idea of when their last period was, within a day or two, says Scurfield. If a woman has no idea, youll want to try to get her as early as you can. Once you get past 13 weeks, the variability of the growth is such that an ultrasound can be off by a week or so.
Early Symptoms Of Pregnancy
These are some of the symptoms you might experience within your first six weeks after conception,2 and organised roughly by when you might expect to experience them.
There have been many other rarer and less common early symptoms reported as well so keep an eye out for any unusual or unexpected changes.
Another confusing factor when trying to determine if you are pregnant is that all of the symptoms of pregnancy can be symptoms of other conditions.
So detecting the very early signs of pregnancy without a test can be tricky, especially if it is your first pregnancy.
Once you are on to pregnancy two, three, or four, you will more than likely recognize the signs quite quickly. Testing, however, should always be your first course of action, and is especially helpful to confirm your symptoms.
There are several early signs that can tell you that you may be pregnant. The most obvious is missing your period or having light spotting instead of a proper period.
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Pros Of Blood Testing
- Blood tests can detect pregnancy earlier than a home pregnancy test, about 6 to 8 days after ovulation, or about 7 – 12 days after possible conception .
- This could mean that you get a result as early as 9 days after possible conception, or 5 days earlier than a home pregnancy test would be able to detect .
For most women, it makes more sense to wait and do a pregnancy test at home because of its convenience and low cost, as well as the fact that you’d only find out a day or two earlier with a blood test .
For others, especially those with a high risk for miscarriage or other pregnancy complications, their doctor may recommend getting a blood test.
