When Do Pregnancy Symptoms Start
Pregnancy symptoms are different for every woman . Some women feel the first twinges of pregnancy a week or two after conceiving, while others don’t feel any different for a few months.
In the best study on this question to date, 136 women who were trying to get pregnant kept daily records of their symptoms from the time they stopped using birth control until they were 8 weeks pregnant. The results:
- 50 percent had some pregnancy symptoms by 5 weeks pregnant
- 90 percent had pregnancy symptoms by 8 weeks pregnant
The first sign of pregnancy was usually a missed period. The most common symptoms to follow were nausea and vomiting, fatigue, frequent urination, and breast tenderness and swelling.
What Are The Earliest Signs Of Being Pregnant With Twins
Is there such a thing as being twice as pregnant? As you begin to experience pregnancy symptoms, you may wonder whether having stronger symptoms means something are there signs youre having twins? Is it normal to be this exhausted and this nauseous, or could it mean something more?
While the only definitive way to know whether youre pregnant with twins is an ultrasound, some symptoms may suggest that a little something extra is happening on the inside.
Swollen And Tender Breasts
Soreness or tingling in breasts is one of the most common signs of being pregnant. Early in pregnancy breasts will fill out and change shape as they prepare to produce milk. Breasts may become very tender and sensitive for a few months as a result. But, Teresa Pitman, doula and lactation expert, notes: that not all women experience these changes, especially if they have been on birth control pills.
It is possible to know youre pregnant in those first few weekssome women even know from the moment of conception. Here are the very earliest signs of being pregnant, that you might not notice.
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Did You Use It Correctly
Here’s the big question, were you using the birth control correctly? That means, for example, taking a pill every day at the same time or using a condom every time you had sex. If you weren’t using birth control correctly, it greatly increases the likelihood that you could be pregnant.
Even if you were using birth control correctly, there is still a chance that you could be pregnant, because nothing is 100% effective against pregnancy, except not having sex.
Kicking Your Smoking Habit
Smoking and taking other drugs is one of the most dangerous things you can do to your future baby. Smokers usually have a more difficult time getting pregnant than do non-smokers, and also have a higher rate of miscarriages.
If you smoke while pregnant, you also expose your unborn baby to toxic chemicals. This increases your babys risks of being born too early or with a low birth weight. We dont mean to scare you, but on a very serious note, smoking also increases risk of sudden infant death syndrome .
If you live with someone who smokes, ask them to smoke outside and away from you so youre not exposed to secondhand smoke.
Quitting smoking is tough! Let week 1 of your pregnancy be your motivator to stop.
Talk to your doctor about how to quit, or join a support group or program. You can learn more about your options by calling 800-QUIT-NOW.
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How Long Does It Take To Know If You Are Pregnant
Pregnancy symptoms at 4 weeks. Normally you get your period about 4 weeks from the start of your last period, but if youre pregnant, the clearest sign at this point is a missed period. Many women still feel fine at 4 weeks, but others may notice sore breasts, fatigue, frequent urination, and nausea.
What Are Some Of The Early Signs Of Pregnancy
Most women will have some symptoms of early pregnancy within a few weeks of becoming pregnant.
The most common symptom of early pregnancy is a missed period. This may be less obvious to women with irregular cycles or who are using a type of contraception that affect their periods. These women may not notice a missed period. Its also common to notice physical changes such as:
- morning sickness nausea and/or vomiting that may come and go throughout the day
- needing to pass urine more frequently
- an increase in breast size
Some women will experience many of these changes, while others wont feel very different to usual. If you are having severe symptoms, ask your doctor about things you can do to help you feel better.
The hormonal changes in early pregnancy can also cause changes to your mood. You may feel more emotional and cry more easily. These feelings are very common in early pregnancy, but if they become severe and start to affect your daily life, its a good idea to discuss them with your doctor or pregnancy care provider.
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What Is A Pregnancy Test
A pregnancy test is a way to determine if youre pregnant by looking at the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin in your body. From the very beginning of pregnancy, your body starts to go through changes to support growth in the grouping of cells that will develop into your baby. One thing that happens very quickly is production of hCG. This chemical is only found in pregnant women and it starts to build up once the fertilized egg implants in the uterus about 10 days after conception.
There are two main types of pregnancy tests urine tests and blood tests. Often, youll take a urine test at home with a home pregnancy test kit. This type of test can be purchased over-the-counter and is available in a variety of price ranges. Blood tests to check for pregnancy are done in your healthcare providers office.
Were There Any Problems With It
There are many things that can potentially interfere with birth control. For oral contraceptives or the pill, some medications, like antibiotics, can nullify the effects. If you have a condom slip or break, you have a greater likelihood of pregnancy. So did you have any issues like this during your cycle?
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Cramping And Spotting During Early Pregnancy
From weeks 1 to4, everything is still happening on a cellular level. The fertilized egg creates a blastocyst that will develop into the fetuss organs and body parts.
About 10 to 14 days after conception, the blastocyst will implant in the endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus. This can cause implantation bleeding, which may be mistaken for a light period. It does not occur for everyone. If it does occur, it will usually happen around the time you expect your period.
Here are some signs of implantation bleeding:
- Color. The color of each episode may be pink, red, or brown.
- Bleeding. Implantation bleeding is usually much less than your usual period. Its often described as light bleeding that never turns into a flow or enough to need a tampon.
- Pain. Pain is usually milder than your usual menstrual pain. It may involve some cramping. It can be moderate or severe, but its most often mild.
- Episodes. Implantation bleeding is likely to last less than 3 days and does not require treatment. It can sometimes last only a few hours.
How Do I Calculate My Due Date
You can calculate your due date by using:
The date of your last period
You can calculate your due date if you know the first day of your last menstrual period before you got pregnant. Your due date is 40 weeks after the day you started your last period.
This method is a good way to estimate when your baby is due because many women remember the day they started their period. But it might not always be accurate, especially if you have an irregular menstrual cycle or are on birth control.
The date you conceived
If you know the exact day you conceived, you can use that information to figure out when your baby is due. Count ahead 38 weeks from the day you got pregnant. That day is your due date.
This method is only accurate if youre sure about the day you got pregnant. You may only know the specific day you got pregnant if you know when you ovulated. Ovulation happens when your ovaries release an egg. Usually, women ovulate about 14 days after the first day of their period. You can track your ovulation by:
- Taking your basal body temperature around the time when you think you might be ovulating.
- Tracking your ovulation symptoms, such as ovulation pain and cervical mucus.
- Using an ovulation predictor kit. These kits use your urine to detect when youre ovulating.
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Food Aversions And Sensitivity To Smell
Sensitivity to certain smells is a common symptom for pregnant women. You may also find that your tastes have changed for certain types of food.
Any of the above signs can mean youre pregnant, but there are women who conceive and experience none of them. Likewise, you can experience all ten and not be pregnant. The best way to confirm pregnancy is to schedule an appointment with a provider, preferably your gynecologist.
If you notice a few of the early pregnancy symptoms above and think you may be pregnant, wait one or two days after your missed period and take a pregnancy test. If the test is negative, wait a few more days and take another, just in case the first was a false negative. If the test is positive, schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN.
At Baptist Health, were committed to helping women through every stage of their health journeys. If youre trying to conceive or thinking about getting pregnant, read through our preconception to-do list, or if you have an upcoming OB/GYN appointment, learn how you can get the most out of your visit.
What Are The Different Types Of Pregnancy Tests
There are two main types of pregnancy tests: urine and blood tests. Urine tests are typically done at home though you can have a urine test done at your healthcare providers office while blood tests are done by your provider.
At-home pregnancy test
An at-home test usually uses your urine to look for hCG in your body. According to most manufacturers, at-home pregnancy tests are about 99% effective when used as instructed. Thats about the same accuracy rate as urine pregnancy tests done in your healthcare providers office. These tests are available in most pharmacies or grocery stores and they dont need a prescription. They can take different amounts of time depending on the brand. Its important to read the instructions on these tests before taking them.
When you go to take an at-home pregnancy test, youll typically place one to several drops of urine on a prepared chemical strip or place the strip in the urine stream. The strip is specially-designed to detect hCG. For many of these tests, hCG can be detected in your urine about 10 days after conception. However, taking it after your missed period reduces the chance of getting a false-negative.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you take a home pregnancy tests, including:
Blood test
A blood test for pregnancy might be done in special circumstances, such as for women who are having infertility treatments or when the healthcare provider thinks there might be a problem.
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Are There Signs That Youre Carrying Twins
As soon as pregnancy begins, your body begins to produce hormones and undergo physical changes. These changes may be the first sign of pregnancy. Whats more, some of these signs may be slightly different when youre expecting more than one baby.
Many people who experience twin pregnancy report that they had a sense or feeling that they were expecting multiples, even before they knew for sure. On the other hand, for many people, the news comes as a complete surprise.
The following symptoms are commonly reported as signs that you may be pregnant with twins, from the earliest weeks of pregnancy.
Can My Pregnancy Continue After An Ectopic Pregnancy
Unfortunately, an ectopic pregnancy is fatal for the fetus. It cannot survive outside of the uterus. Quick treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is important to protect the mothers life. If the egg has implanted in the fallopian tube and the tube bursts, there can be severe internal bleeding. This can lead to maternal death.
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Signs You’re Having A Girl
When Pregnancy Is Unintentional
If you had unprotected sex or a contraceptive failure and fear you could get pregnant, emergency contraception is an option. Commonly called the “morning-after pill,” medications are available over-the-counter that can prevent pregnancy if taken within five days of having unprotected sex.
The sooner you take these medications, the more effective they are in preventing unintended pregnancy. These medications do not cause an abortion, but rather prevent a pregnancy from being established.
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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.
Follow Your Baby’s Amazing Development
BabyCenter’s editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you’re seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.
ACOG. 2021. Morning sickness: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy
ACOG. 2021. Bleeding during pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/bleeding-during-pregnancy
ACOG. 2021. Good Health Before Pregnancy: Prepregnancy Care. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/good-health-before-pregnancy-prepregnancy-care
Mayo Clinic. 2021. Symptoms of Pregnancy: What happens first. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/symptoms-of-pregnancy/art-20043853.
NICHD. 2017. What are some common signs of pregnancy? National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/signs
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What Else You Might Experience Throughout Pregnancy
Throughout your pregnancy, your body will do some weird and wonderful things. Some of these physical changes may subside, while others may continue over the course of your pregnancy. These are some of the changes you may experience during the second and third trimesters:
Most of the time, these physical discomforts and changes are completely normal, but there are some signs you should not ignore, including severe headaches, changes in eyesight, or sudden swelling . If you notice anything that just doesnââ¬â¢t seem right, consult your healthcare provider.
What Are False Labor And Braxton
Not all contractions mean youre in labor. You may have contractions on and off before true labor starts. These contractions are called false labor or Braxton-Hicks contractions. They soften and thin the cervix to help your body get ready for labor and birth. You may feel them in the weeks right before your due date. Learning the differences between true labor contractions and false labor contractions can help you know when youre really in labor.
It can be hard to tell the difference between true labor and false labor. When you first feel contractions, time them. Write down how much time it takes from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. Make a note of how strong the contractions feel. Keep a record of your contractions for 1 hour. Walk or move around to see if the contractions stop when you change positions.
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How Serious Is An Ectopic Pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency. The uterus is uniquely suited to hold a growing fetus. Its an organ that can stretch and expand as the fetus grows. Your fallopian tubes arent as flexible. They can burst as the fertilized egg develops. When this happens, you can experience large amounts of internal bleeding. This is life threatening. An ectopic pregnancy needs to be treated right away to avoid injury to the fallopian tube, other organs in the abdominal cavity, internal bleeding and death.
