Beginning Signs of Pregnancy – Early Weeks

For most women, the positive result on a home or doctor’s office pregnancy test is the moment when they realize they are pregnant. The human body, however, changes starting the first moments after conception. These changes can cause a myriad of beginning signs of pregnancy that many women experience before they miss that first menstrual cycle.

Nausea and Vomiting – Otherwise known as morning sickness, there is no definitive cause for these beginning signs of pregnancy in the early weeks of pregnancy though some experts believe it is linked to the sudden increase in estrogen.

Bleeding or Spotting – As the egg implants in the uterus a bit of bleeding can occur. This bleeding is normal, but in some cases a placental hematoma may occur. This is not one of the normal beginning signs of pregnancy.  If you are bleeding after a positive pregnancy test an ultrasound may be performed to look for a placental hematoma.

Swollen Breasts – Estrogen is on the rise and that, in combination with other pregnancy hormones, causes beginning signs of pregnancy. Breastfeeding is just 10 months away and there is a lot of preparing to do. Increased breast size could also be attributed to swelling, water retention or increased blood volume.

Painful Breasts – Breasts are painful in those early weeks because the ducts that produce milk are changing. Breast tissue will continue to change throughout the pregnancy, but pain is often centralized in those early weeks and paired with swelling as beginning signs of pregnancy.

Increased Fatigue – Progesterone is responsible for fatigue early in pregnancy. Progesterone, a pregnancy hormone, causes a drop in blood sugar and blood pressure – a one-two combination causing lack of energy and fatigue, both beginning signs of pregnancy.

Craving Food – Again those pregnancy hormones are to blame as is the case with many beginning signs of pregnancy. During pregnancy, many women report craving foods they hated before becoming pregnant and hating foods they loved.

Food Aversion – A food aversion can cause morning sickness symptoms. If the scent of any food makes you feel sick, try to stay away from that food as much as possible. All it takes is a simple scent and you could find yourself running to the bathroom.

Mood Swings – Hormones increase and decrease throughout pregnancy, but never more drastically than the first few weeks after conception. You may feel happy one moment and sit crying the next. These hormone changes and mood swings typically last throughout the first trimester with a reprieve during the second trimester. Unfortunately, the mood swings come back in the third trimester.

Constipation – Progesterone is responsible for slowing down the digestive process. This means food moves more slowly through the intestines causing constipation in some cases. Increase fiber and water intake and the constipation problems should go away.

Dizziness – Progesterone is the culprit again. When progesterone levels increase, blood sugar decreases causing dizziness in some pregnant women.

Areola Changes Color – More than likely the color changes of the area around the nipple (areola) are caused by hormone changes, but some believe the darker areola is easier for the infant to find for breast feeding.

Headache – When the egg implants, the body kicks into action. Blood volume and circulation increases; two beginning signs of pregnancy. This can cause mild headaches that will last the duration of the pregnancy.

Slight Temperature Increase – Your basal metabolic temperature increases at the time of ovulation. If conception occurs, that increase in temperature will last a few weeks. This is often one of the first beginning signs of pregnancy.