Which signs of pregnancy can and cannot be trusted?

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 16:39

Delayed menstruation is not the first symptom.

The most reliable signs of pregnancy are the notorious two strips (or any other positive indicator) on the test and the ultrasound confirming the fact of conception.

But sometimes you want to clarify the situation before going to the doctor or to the pharmacy. And this can really be done with high accuracy if you know which symptoms and in what period to pay attention.

At what time do the first signs of pregnancy appear?

Let's say right away: stories like "I realized that I was pregnant the very next morning after the night of love!" or “we slept, and after three days morning sickness appeared and everything became obvious” - this is something like urban legends. They have nothing to do with science.

The earliest signs of pregnancy appear at best after 6 days. What are some common signs of pregnancy? after conception. And that is not for all women.

The reason is physiology. We recall the school course in biology.

For a pregnancy to occur, the egg must meet with the sperm in the fallopian tube. This should happen within one or two days after ovulation - the maturation of the egg in the ovary. Further, the fertilized egg is sent to the uterus to attach to it.

This process takes at least a few Early Pregnancy Symptoms days - on average, from 6 to 12. Moreover, until the ovum begins to fixate in the endometrium lining the uterus, it is impossible to notice any changes in the state of health. Simply because they do not exist and cannot be.

Actually, it is the implantation (introduction) of the embryo into the wall of the uterus that doctors consider Facts Are Important. Emergency Contraception (EC) and Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) are Not Abortifacients onset of Pregnancy.

And this is logical. If a woman is taking oral contraceptives or has an intrauterine device, implantation will not take place. Accordingly, pregnancy will not occur and will not be able to make itself felt by any symptoms.

Conclusion: it is useless to look for signs of pregnancy earlier than 6 days after unprotected intercourse. But after this period, you can already start listening to yourself.

How Early Pregnancy Signs Can Be Trusted

There are traditional signs of pregnancy related to well-being: morning sickness, painful breasts, changes in taste … And most of them are really worthy of attention.

Patricia A. Yost obstetrician-gynecologist, MD

Even if you feel a little differently than usual, it is enough to assume pregnancy. 5 Reliable Early Pregnancy Signs.

But at the same time, there may be other reasons for these symptoms. The real signs of pregnancy manifest themselves in strictly defined terms - this is due to the physiology, which we talked about above.

Therefore, if any change in your well-being seems suspicious to you, be sure to check how much time has passed since the intended conception (or the first day of the last menstruation - the so-called obstetric period is counted from it).

Here are the most popular and reliable Early Pregnancy Symptoms of being pregnant. Not all of them may be present specifically for you. But the more there are, the higher the likelihood that you are in a position.

1. Mild cramps in the lower abdomen

When appear: 6-12 days after the intended conception (4-5th week since the beginning of the last menstruation).

When a fertilized egg is implanted into the wall of the uterus, some women experience mild cramping pain in the lower abdomen. It can last 1–2 days until the implantation process is completed. These sensations are also enhanced by the increased blood flow to the uterus.

But don't be confused! Painful sensations in the lower abdomen often occur before menstruation, when the uterus is preparing to reject the thickened endometrium that is not needed this time. If you are not pregnant, these cramps will end in your period after a couple of days. But if the stomach ached and stopped and menstruation did not come at the same time, you should be on your guard.

2. Spotting spotting

When appear: 6-12 days after the intended conception (4-5th week since the beginning of the last menstruation).

The process of implantation of an egg into the wall of the uterus can be accompanied not only by pain, but also by the so-called implantation bleeding. It is small and is usually a small, light red or brownish discharge that stops within a couple of days.

Sometimes women overlook this symptom, considering it simply too weak menstruation. But menstruation cannot be "too weak", this is important. If the monthly bleeding of your usual volumes did not come after the smearing discharge, you are highly likely to be pregnant.

3. Heavy, painful breasts

When appears: in 6-12 days What are some common signs of pregnancy? after conception (4-5th week from the beginning of the last menstruation).

This is how the mammary glands react to hormonal changes in the body that begin after the implantation of the egg. This is a fairly common and characteristic symptom. According to the Early Pregnancy Symptoms survey conducted by the American Pregnancy Association, for 17% of women, it was swollen breasts that were the first sign of their new condition.

At the same time, breast enlargement and soreness can be associated with the approaching menstruation - the so-called premenstrual syndrome.

4. Unmotivated weakness, fatigue

When appears: 6-12 days after the intended conception (4-5th week since the beginning of the last menstruation).

During and after the implantation of the egg, the body begins to produce progesterone, a hormone that helps maintain pregnancy. A side effect of its increased level is sudden weakness, laziness, unwillingness to do anything. Later, when the female body adapts to the changed hormonal background, vigor will return. But at the very start of pregnancy, weakness is most noticeable.

However, it is not worth concluding that you are pregnant just because you suddenly wanted to crawl under the covers and do nothing. Unmotivated fatigue can have dozens of different reasons - from banal overwork or ordinary SARS to much more dangerous diseases. Continue to monitor your condition.

5. Delay of menstruation

When appears: Approximately 14 days after conception (5-6 weeks from the beginning of the last period) in a normal 28-day cycle.

Lack of menstruation is the key and most understandable sign of pregnancy. Nearly 30% of women surveyed by the American Pregnancy Association said in Early Pregnancy Symptoms that this is what prompted them to take the test.

Nevertheless, a delay in menstruation is still not an unambiguous sign. It can be associated with a host of other factors besides pregnancy: stress, weight loss, exercising too intensely, changing time zones, taking certain medications.

6. Nausea (early toxicosis)

When appears: about 14 days after conception (5-6 weeks from the beginning of the last menstruation).

They like to demonstrate this sign in films so that the viewer understands that the heroine is pregnant. But nausea does not appear earlier than 2 weeks after conception. Scientists do not fully understand what this process is associated with, but they assume that this is the body's response to a changed hormonal background.

If you feel nauseous 3–7 days after intercourse, it is more likely a problem with digestion, and not early toxicosis, because at this time the level of hormones does not change significantly.

7. Sensitivity to odors

When appears: about 14 days after conception (5-6 weeks from the beginning of the last menstruation).

This symptom is triggered by all the same hormonal changes as nausea. Sometimes it appears even before the delay in menstruation. For example, the smell from smoking colleagues becomes unbearable. Or begins to feel nauseous from the aroma of your favorite flowers, perfumes, dishes. This is a good reason to at least buy a pregnancy test.

8. Bloating and constipation

When appear: 6-12 days after conception (4-5th week since the beginning of the last menstruation).

Progesterone causes some muscle relaxation. This also applies to the musculature of the intestines. For this reason, the digestive process slows down, the feces remain in the intestines longer. Which often causes a bursting sensation in the abdomen and constipation.

However, it should be borne in mind that bloating and constipation can have dozens of other causes besides pregnancy. Therefore, it makes sense to consider this symptom only in combination with others.

9. Frequent urination

When appears: 14-21 days after conception (5-6th week since the beginning of the last menstruation).

In the first weeks of pregnancy, the body actively produces the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). It increases blood flow to the small pelvis, forcing women to run to the toilet more often.

10. Increase in basal temperature

When appears: 14-21 days after conception (5-6th week since the beginning of the last menstruation).

Basal temperature is measured in the mouth, rectum or vagina. It rises during ovulation - that is, during the period when the egg leaves the ovary into the fallopian tube. During pregnancy, the basal temperature can also rise. But this does not happen until the sixth obstetric week.

11. Mood swings

When appear: in 7-10 days from the beginning of the delay of menstruation (from the 6th week from the beginning of the last menstruation).

Mood swings are caused by hormonal changes experienced by a pregnant woman. However, these changes increase gradually and become significant after a delay in menstruation.

If irritability, anxiety, tearfulness occur much earlier, most likely, we are not talking about pregnancy, but about banal PMS or stress.

12. Dizziness

When appears: from the 14th to 21st day after conception (from the 5th to 6th week from the beginning of the last menstruation).

Blood pressure often drops during the early stages of pregnancy. This is due to the fact that the uterus requires more blood supply, the blood vessels expand to provide the necessary blood flow, and the heart is not yet ready to pump the required volumes. The pressure decreases, this process is accompanied by dizziness.

However, dizziness can have other causes, including dangerous ones. If you started to feel sick on a regular basis, consult your doctor - therapist or (if pregnancy has already been established) a gynecologist.

13. Faster heart rate

When appears: from 8-10th week from the beginning of the last menstruation.

During pregnancy, the heart has to pump more blood - this is necessary to properly nourish the growing uterus. Therefore, it begins to work more actively. Elevated pulse and cardiac arrhythmias are a common symptom in pregnant women, but it occurs already at the time when pregnancy is obvious in most cases.

But again, keep in mind that arrhythmias and rapid heartbeat can occur for other reasons, such as cardiovascular disease. In any case, such conditions, if they began to appear regularly, require consultation with a doctor - therapist, gynecologist or cardiologist.

14. Acne

When appear: As a rule, not earlier than the 11th week from the beginning of the last period.

Increased blood volume and increased hormone levels increase blood flow. This leads to the fact that the sebaceous glands of the body begin to work more actively than usual. Acne is often a side effect of this activity.

However, acne has many other reasons, so do not rush to write off pimples for pregnancy. You can probably get rid of them quickly if you make small lifestyle changes.

Signs of pregnancy not to be trusted

1. Diarrhea

Liquid, watery stool is sometimes considered a sign of pregnancy. But this is not the case. On the contrary, in the early stages of pregnancy, you are more likely to experience constipation. Exclusively for hormonal reasons, which we wrote about above.

If you do develop diarrhea, it is probably caused by other factors: you may have eaten something wrong, drank dirty water, or contracted rotavirus infection.

2. Sharp changes in taste preferences

There are legends about the love of pregnant women for peaches with herring or strawberries with soy sauce. But there is little convincing scientific evidence that women develop a craving for unusual taste combinations during pregnancy while Early Pregnancy Symptoms are scarce.

Rather, we are talking about some changes in appetite Pregnancy signs at two weeks associated with early toxicosis and sensitivity to odors. So, you may want to give up your usual coffee or fried foods - simply because their pungent smell will become disgusting.

However, craving for non-standard dishes still occurs. As a rule, it is associated with the fact that the body of a pregnant woman is deficient in certain essential vitamins and minerals. And he tries to cover their shortage, forcing the hostess to want chalk (this may be a sign of iron deficiency) or, for example, pickles (deficiency of some salts) with raspberry jam (vitamin C deficiency). But such food perversions occur at the solid stages of pregnancy, when it is already obvious.

3. Dreams about fish and other signs

But these options have nothing to do with evidence-based medicine at all, no matter at what moment they appear. Also, do not try to detect pregnancy using fortune telling and waving a ring on a string.

How to know for sure that you are pregnant

For a start - listen to yourself, but do not go crazy. If you have a couple of reliable signs, invest in a quality pharmacy test. With its help, it is possible to determine pregnancy as early as 10–12 days after fertilization.

If you want to clarify earlier, take a blood test for hCG (chorionic gonadotropin). It can be done in any certified medical laboratory and the results will be ready within a few hours.

Lia Moss Nurse Midwife at Northwestern University School of Medicine

A blood test for hCG can detect pregnancy as early as 7-10 days after conception. But be warned: Testing too early can give a false positive result Are You Pregnant? 12 Early Signs of Pregnancy.

If the test is positive, go to your gynecologist. The doctor will conduct an examination and assign you a follow-up ultrasound to finally confirm your new position.

If the tests are negative, but the symptoms of pregnancy seem obvious to you, repeat the test after 1–2 days. And if necessary - again after the same period of time.

By the way, a negative result in this case will also be the result. If signs of pregnancy persist or increase, and the test claims that there is no embryo in your body, this is a serious reason to see a gynecologist again. There are hormonal diseases that give symptoms similar to pregnancy. And it's important not to miss them.