Are you wondering if you have a bun in the oven? From extremely early symptoms to home pregnancy tests, there are a few ways to tell if you’re expecting a baby.
Every woman’s initial indicators of pregnancy are different. While some women experience unmistakable signs of pregnancy (such as nausea and breast tenderness), others are unaware of their pregnancy until they obtain a positive pregnancy test. If you’re wondering, “How do I know if I’m pregnant?” keep reading to learn three ways to tell if you’re expecting a child.
Symptoms of Pregnancy in the First Trimester
Early pregnancy symptoms might appear as early as one week before a woman’s
missing menstruation. “Each of these symptoms could be misinterpreted as a disease or normal menstruation,” explains Stephen Rechner, M.D., Division Chief of General Obstetrics and Gynecology at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids. “If a woman gets more than one of the symptoms, she should get a pregnancy test to make sure she’s not pregnant.”
It’s crucial to remember, though, that even if you don’t have any symptoms, you could still be pregnant. Cristina Perez, M.D., OB-GYN at the Women’s Specialists of Houston at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, says, “If you don’t feel any signals, that’s OK too.” “You’re just fortunate.”
Some of the most typical indicators that you’re having a baby are listed here.
1. Breasts that are tender and swollen: One or two weeks following conception, a woman’s breasts can become sore, sensitive, and heavy-feeling. The glands expand in response to a rise in estrogen and progesterone.
2. Pregnancy happens when a fertilized egg implants into the uterine lining, which takes about six to twelve days following conception. Some women will have “implantation bleeding,” which is lighter than a regular period and usually pink or brown.
3. Mild cramping: Mild cramping that feels like tingling or pulling may accompany implantation. Many women confuse cramps with PMS.
4. Nausea: Nausea is common in early pregnancy (although morning sickness
won’t hit in full force for a few weeks). Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and
progesterone, which slow down your digestive process, can be blamed in part. “While we don’t know the exact cause of morning sickness, we do know that pregnant hormones play a significant influence,” Dr. Rechner explains.
5. Fatigue: If you’re expecting a child, you may feel fatigued. Put this one down to hormones as well. “The extra pregnancy hormone progesterone causes many women to feel tired,” says Dr. Rechner. “This ailment should subside throughout the second trimester, but it may reappear in the third.”
6. Cuisine aversions and cravings: Have you ever noticed that you can’t stand a food you usually enjoy, or that you can’t seem to get rid of a strong desire? Many women become aware that they are pregnant when they develop a new need (or aversion) for certain foods. Another side effect of the hormonal shift is this.
7. Mood swings: The pregnant hormone hCG may cause mood swings, which could be exacerbated by your other pregnancy symptoms.
Pregnancy Test at Home
Take a home pregnancy test if you’re having early pregnancy symptoms or haven’t had your period in a while. According to Dr. Perez, you’ll have to wait until you miss your period to receive the most precise reading. This is because home pregnancy tests assess the amount of the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine, and you may not have enough hCG for the test to detect before your missed period. (A urine test requires 50 units of hCG in order to be positive, while some tests are more sensitive.) Some
women’s bodies take longer to create that quantity than others).
A negative home pregnancy test does not rule out the possibility of being pregnant. If you take the test too soon, use diluted urine, or don’t follow the guidelines, you could obtain a false negative. If you’re still not sure if you’re pregnant, “take another one the next day.”
The doctor will perform a blood test.
A blood test at your doctor’s office is the most accurate way to find out if you’re pregnant. Because less hCG is required for a positive result, blood tests are more sensitive than urine testing.
Most women don’t have a blood test if their at-home test came back positive, but Dr. Perez says it can assist determine if they’ve had a miscarriage or have an ectopic
pregnancy (a pregnancy in the fallopian tubes). As a result, she suggests making an appointment as soon as you get a positive pregnancy test.
