Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms

All women will experience very early symptoms of pregnancy, they may not all experience the same symptoms; however there will be clear signs that will lead you to consider the fact that you might be pregnant. We've listed below the most common early symptoms of pregnancy.

Please note, these signs alone do not necessarily mean that you are pregnant. It is possible these are symptoms to other issues, so if you're not sure please seek medical help or advice.

Morning sickness

Whilst nobody can confirm the exact reason we suffer from morning sickness, it is thought that it is to do with all of the hormonal and chemical changes that are happening in our bodies. There is not a huge amount that we can do to avoid morning sickness, although staying away from hot and spicy food is thought to help.

Swollen breasts or darkening of the areolas

Swollen breasts are caused by an increase in the amount of the hormones progesterone and estrogens. As very early symptoms of pregnancy swollen breast usually occur a week or so following conception.

The darkening of the areolas is the result of your breasts beginning to prepare themselves to product milk. This is a natural reaction by your body to pregnancy.

Amenorrhea or missed period

Amenorrhea or a missed period is often the most obvious of the very early symptoms of pregnancy. Although, it is possible that there are other reasons for this, especially if you have stopped taking a regular birth control product, you are breast feeding or had a sudden increase in weight.

Urinating more regularly

The increase in the size of your uterus will begin to press against your bladder, meaning that you will need to visit the toilet or urinate more than usual. This is also a result of hormonal changes within your body as it prepares itself to protect your baby.

Fatigue and tiredness

Many women complain about the feeling of fatigue during the early stages of pregnancy. This is because your body is taking on extra work developing the foetus and making the necessary changes in readiness for birth. The feeling of fatigue will disappear once you body has gone through the initial changes, in fact many women speak about a surge in their energy levels, especially as the big day looms closer.

Craving for foods

One of the more famous early symptoms of pregnancy is our penchant for particular foods. We've all read stories of how certain women have craved banana and marmite sandwiches or ate other strange combinations of food during their pregnancy. Part of the craving is our attraction to different smells, it was recently reported that one pregnant woman could not get enough of the smell of tarmac during her first pregnancy.

Bleeding

Unfortunately, bleeding is a natural part of pregnancy. This is especially true in the early stages as our body works hard preparing your body for the forthcoming changes. Often the bleeding will be spots of blood which are pink in color. If you find that this becomes a problem, we urge you to seek medical advice as there could be other issues.