Early signs of pregnancy can feel surprising, confusing, and overwhelming. For some women, early symptoms of pregnancy can go completely unnoticed.
While the sure way to know you’re pregnant is to take a pregnancy test once you’ve missed a period, and then have an ultrasound to confirm, there are some symptoms to look for if you suspect you might be pregnant[1].
Common early pregnancy symptoms
Everyone experiences pregnancy differently, but the most common early signs of pregnancy include:
- A missed period: if it’s been a week or more since the expected start date of your next menstrual cycle, you could be pregnant[1][2].
- Frequent or increased urination: you may notice that you have to pee more often, even before you miss your period. This happens as your body produces more blood during pregnancy, which then produces more waste; this waste is filtered out through your kidneys and emptied when you urinate[1][2].
- Fatigue: due to increased progesterone levels, many women feel extremely tired early in their pregnancy[1][2].
- Nausea: typically referred to as “morning sickness,” nausea with or without vomiting can happen at any time of day beginning as early as two weeks into your pregnancy[1][2].
- Tender and swollen breasts: with the increase of hormones your body experiences during early pregnancy, your breasts may feel sore and larger than usual[1][2].
Less common early pregnancy symptoms
You may also experience some less common pregnancy symptoms, such as:
- Spotting (implantation bleeding)[1][2]
- Food cravings or aversions[1][2]
- Headaches[1][2]
- Cramping[1][2]
- Mood swings[1][2]
- Bloating [1][2]
Think you could be pregnant?
If you think you could be pregnant and need help verifying your pregnancy, we offer free and confidential medical grade pregnancy test verifications and limited obstetric ultrasounds.
During these appointments, you’ll have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with Care Clinic’s registered nurse, ask her all the questions you might have, and talk with someone through all your options.
*Care Pregnancy Resource Center and Care Clinic do not perform or refer out for abortions. All medical services are provided through referral relationship with onsite Care Clinic. Care Clinic is staffed by licensed medical professionals.
Sources
- Am I Pregnant? Cleveland Clinic (2022, July 26). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9709-pregnancy-am-i-pregnant.
- US Department of Health and Human Services. What are some common signs of pregnancy? National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (2017, January 17). https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/signs.