Some early signs of pregnancy may appear even before the delay of menstruation, because the body begins to rebuild after the fertilization of the egg. But these symptoms can only be considered in combination. In fact, the objective sign of an interesting situation on such dates is precisely the delay in menstruation.
When the first signs appear
Judging by the reviews, the first signs of pregnancy after conception immediately (literally within a few days, if not hours) appear in almost every second woman planning a baby. Doctors say that immediately after unprotected intercourse, as a result of which fertilization occurred, any signs of an interesting situation cannot be immediately felt.
The fact is that fertilization itself can occur only after a few hours, after sex, and the hormones that provoke future mothers to change their moods, change their taste and other subjective symptoms begin to develop even after some time after implantation eggs in the uterine cavity. This process takes three to ten days.
But still, the first signs of pregnancy before the delay (reviews confirm this) are felt by many women. Interestingly, most of them are those who were planning a pregnancy, got acquainted with information on this topic or have already visited a reproductologist. In this case, the woman waits for two strips on the test every cycle, so she can subconsciously look for symptoms in herself. The placebo effect works.
In fact, some characteristic symptoms do appear quite early, that is, only one to two weeks after fertilization. If you carefully consider your own health and general condition, you can notice the first signs of pregnancy before the delay of menstruation. In reviews of expectant mothers, breast sensitivity, cramps in the lower abdomen and minor spotting, which can be mistaken for meager menstruation, are most often mentioned.
Lack of menstruation
An objective sign that a woman is expecting a baby is the absence of menstruation. Every month, the body prepares for a possible conception, and if this does not happen, the uterus cleans itself. The mucous membrane, which was formed to successfully fix the fetal egg, is rejected and goes out with the blood. During pregnancy this cannot be. Abundant spotting indicates spontaneous abortion. This happens very early, so the woman may not even know that she was pregnant.
According to numerous reviews, the first sign of pregnancy for women who have not yet planned a birth is a delay in menstruation. Doctors also pay attention to this symptom, which, as a rule, associate nausea, fatigue, and mood swings with other processes in the body, but not pregnancy.
True, there are two points to which you need to pay attention. Delay is not so easy to determine with an irregular cycle, so that a woman for a rather long time may not be aware that she is expecting a baby. In this case, other signs are already beginning to appear that make you get a test at the pharmacy.
In addition, in a certain number of women (about 20%) during pregnancy, “menstruation continues”. In fact, of course, this is not menstrual bleeding, but implantation, which is a variant of the norm. Implantation bleeding is less profuse, lasts up to two days, occurs approximately at the time of critical days or earlier, accompanied by pulling pains in the abdomen. This condition can easily be taken for meager periods.
It is important that spotting during pregnancy (other than implantation bleeding) is not the norm. With this symptom, it is advisable to visit a gynecologist, so that the doctor using ultrasound confirms that there is no threat of interruption.
Increased basal temperature
The first sign of pregnancy in the reviews (before menstruation, which this time does not arrive on time) is called an increase in basal temperature. This is also an objective sign that qualified doctors tend to trust. But in order to accurately determine the increase in basal temperature, schedules should be maintained for at least two to three months before conception.
Basal temperature is measured daily immediately after waking up in the vagina or rectum. Data is plotted for ease of decryption. In the first phase of the cycle, that is, while the follicle is ripening, the temperature will be slightly below 37 degrees. Normally, a thermometer records indicators of 36.4-36.8 degrees Celsius. Before ovulation (in about three days), the temperature drops sharply, and then rises by 0.4-0.6 degrees. The border between the decrease and increase in temperature allows you to accurately determine the onset of ovulation.
In the second phase of the cycle, the temperature keeps at around 37 degrees and above, and one-three days before the menstrual period drops sharply (if conception has not occurred). If fertilization has occurred, the schedule will look a little different. In this case, three to ten days after fertilization, the temperature will drop sharply, and then it will stay above 37 degrees and not drop.
Depression on the graph is called implantation. This is the attachment of a fetal egg in the uterine cavity. A similar change in the basal temperature graph is a sign of the first week of pregnancy. The reviews (both doctors and women planning a conception of a child) confirm that a systematic measurement of basal temperature allows you to determine an interesting position even before the delay.
Cramps in the lower abdomen
What other signs of pregnancy can be noted in the first weeks? Reviews are full of a variety of symptoms, but most of them are subjective or nonspecific sensations that appear not only during pregnancy. So, drawing pains in the lower abdomen before menstruation is noted by about 40% of women. The same symptom may indicate that the conception took place.
In their reviews of the first signs of pregnancy before the delay, women talk about cramping in the lower abdomen a few days after fertilization (it is believed that the process of attaching a fetal egg to the uterine cavity is felt this way) and a few days before the alleged menstruation. Some feel a tingling sensation and a feeling of fullness. These are subjective signs of pregnancy. Cramping can be ordinary premenstrual pain. To clarify the situation, a pregnancy test should be done after a delay. Some modern tests allow you to determine an interesting situation even before the expected monthly periods, but they can be wrong.
Minor spotting
Sometimes the very first sign of pregnancy (according to reviews) is implantation bleeding. Someone does not pay attention to this symptom, taking spotting for menstruation, and then it turns out that the woman is expecting a baby. In fact, it is very simple to distinguish normal menstruation from implantation bleeding. In case of pregnancy, the discharge is pinkish in color, very scarce and lasts no more than two to three days, may be accompanied by minor pain in the lower abdomen.
Most often, implantation occurs without severe damage to the walls of the uterus, which can cause bleeding. Usually a woman, in general, does not notice this process. According to gynecologists, any discharge with an admixture of blood (except normal menstruation) is potentially dangerous, so this is an occasion for an extraordinary visit to a doctor. Perhaps an ectopic pregnancy has occurred or there are some other problems.
With an ectopic pregnancy, the discharge is dark red or brown, because during the passage through the fallopian tube, the blood has time to darken, is accompanied by sharp pains and can be plentiful. This is an occasion to urgently seek medical help, because a pathological pregnancy is dangerous to the life and health of a woman. In addition, atypical discharge may appear at the risk of spontaneous abortion. If you find the problem in time and take appropriate measures, the fetus can be saved.
Breast augmentation and tenderness
Nipple sensitivity and a slight increase (swelling) of the mammary glands are one of the first signs of pregnancy. The reviews are different: some women felt that the bra was too small before the delay, while in others the breasts swelled only at the end of the first trimester. Already in the early stages, the mammary glands begin to prepare for lactation under the influence of estrogen and progesterone. The breast changes before menstruation, but the sensitivity of the nipples, as a rule, speaks of pregnancy.
Mood swings and fatigue
The mood, the level of concentration of attention and working capacity largely depend on the hormonal background, and changes in the female body during pregnancy begin almost immediately. A woman can become tearful, irritable, or overly sentimental. Already in the first weeks there is a feeling of fatigue and drowsiness, which haunts most expectant mothers throughout the first trimester. The body spends a lot of energy on maintaining the pregnancy, so the desire to take a nap during the day is quite normal.
Nausea and increased salivation
For a woman, the manifestation of toxicosis is natural for up to 12 weeks. During this period, a significant restructuring of the body. Initially, the fetus is a foreign agent for the female body, so the immune system is rebuilt, blocking certain elements so that the body does not tear off the embryo. This is one of the first signs of pregnancy. But reviews confirm that toxicosis in most cases appears after a delay in menstruation. There is medical evidence that the cause of this condition is an increase in the level of the hormone chronic gonadotropin (hCG, which is also called the "pregnancy hormone").
Lowering blood pressure
A decrease in blood pressure can be considered as a sign of pregnancy only in conjunction with other symptoms. Indicators may decrease under the influence of progesterone, the level of which increases with the onset of pregnancy. Because of this, a woman may be disturbed by weakness, dizziness, poor health, shortness of breath, darkening in the eyes. A decrease in blood pressure in early pregnancy is often the cause of fainting.
Gastrointestinal Disorder and Frequent Urination
Toxicosis and delayed menstruation are far from the only first (early) signs of pregnancy. Reviews of doctors confirm that pregnancy provokes a restructuring of all organs and systems. Diarrhea is not an independent disease, but a signal of changes in the body. Therefore, with an upset stomach, it makes sense to listen to your condition. This may be an early sign of pregnancy. The same can be said about the frequent urge to urinate. The flow of blood to the pelvis increases, which can cause such a symptom.
Temperature rise
Together with other signs, a slight increase in temperature over several days may indicate pregnancy. Mild malaise can be noticed when the egg is attached to the uterus. After progesterone is actively produced, which is responsible for thermoregulation. During pregnancy, immunity naturally decreases (so that the body does not reject the fetus), so that signs of a cold may appear. Because of this, the temperature rises.
Sensitivity to odors and food
What else can be listed the first signs of pregnancy in the early stages? Reviews often mention changes in taste preferences and sensitivity to odors. Some women cannot stand the smell of tobacco smoke or coffee, although before they could not imagine the beginning of the day without this drink, while others suddenly begin to experience an irresistible craving for certain foods. This is also evidence of the active work of hormones.
Other (individual) symptoms
Early signs of pregnancy are extremely individual. A runny nose and a cold, an allergic reaction, a metallic taste in the mouth, or bleeding gums may appear. The body is being rebuilt, so such changes are completely normal. Doctors consider an objective sign only a delay in menstruation. You can confirm an interesting position with the help of a home pregnancy test, a blood test for hCG and ultrasound.