Pregnancy is a beautiful and life-altering experience that is unique to every woman. It is the time when a new life is formed inside a woman's body, and the journey towards motherhood begins. However, not every woman is aware of the early signs of pregnancy, and sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you're pregnant or not. Knowing the early signs of pregnancy can help you take care of your body and prepare for the exciting journey ahead.
Although taking a pregnancy test is the most reliable way to confirm pregnancy, some women experience early signs and symptoms even before a missed period. These early signs can be subtle and easy to miss, but they can also be the first indication of pregnancy. Being aware of these early signs can help you recognize your pregnancy early on and take the necessary steps to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
In this article, we will discuss 25 early signs that you might be
pregnant before you even take a pregnancy test. It's important to
remember that every woman's pregnancy journey is different, and not all
women experience the same symptoms. Some women might experience several
early signs, while others might not experience any at all. However,
being aware of these early signs can help you identify if you might be
pregnant and prepare for the exciting journey ahead.
HERE ARE THE 25 EARLY SIGNS OF PREGNANCY BEFORE A MISSED PERIOD
1. SENSITIVITY TO SMELLS
A very common sign of pregnancy is the heightened sense of smell. It could be food, drink, toiletries, detergents or even people. This strange side effect is very real when you are going through it.
Two things I couldn’t stand the smell of during the early weeks were; the smell of the dishwasher tablet we used and secondly my husband’s deodorant.
I couldn’t even be in his presence if he had used this certain brand it would literally make me gag and puke up.
So, if you can smell dog poop before you get to the park or someone having a sneaky cigarette a few blocks away you are most probably pregnant!
2. METALLIC TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH
If you have gone off your favorite food and find everything has a metallic taste, this is a sign of very early pregnancy.
I remember not being able to drink tea in the first trimester as the taste was so strong in my mouth!
I remember asking my husband if he could taste the weird flavor of foods which he obviously couldn’t, even bottled water tasted funny.
A sour or metallic taste in the mouth in early pregnancy is also referred to as dysgeusia.
3. BREAST CHANGES
Many women report that they can feel changes in their breasts even before they had confirmed that they were indeed pregnant.
They notice that the breasts become tender, grow larger and the areole starts to get darker.
This is due to the hormone levels rapidly increasing after conception preparing the glands inside the breasts to prepare for milk production when the baby is born.
The skin around your nipples may also become bumpy or bumpier than usual, known as ‘Montgomery’s tubercules’ They secrete an oily fluid helping prepare the breasts for breastfeeding.
You may also find the veins in your breasts become more noticeable mine was a green/blue color during the early weeks!
Any discomfort of the breasts should settle as the pregnancy progresses but it is vitally important that you invest in a well-fitting supportive bra as this will help reduce swelling and sagging later.
4. FATIGUE
Early pregnancy tiredness is not like your normal tiredness, you may feel absolutely shattered after doing normal everyday activities.
Listen to your body and try and get as much rest as possible in these early weeks.
This tiredness is caused by all the changes that are happening in your body. The early weeks of pregnancy are known to be draining both physically and emotionally.
5. LACK OF PMS SYMPTOMS
Some women suffer terribly with PMS; tender breasts, cramps in their tummy, back and shooting pains down their leg, feeling exhausted, being moody and suffering from migraines.
There is a crossover of some early signs of pregnancy Vs PMS and could cause some confusion.
Try and see if there are any additional PMS symptoms on this list that you don’t usually suffer from
So, when your period is due and you don’t get even the slightest sign that your period is coming it could be a sign that you are pregnant.
6. RAISED BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE
Charting your basal body temperature gives you great insight and information about your menstrual cycles and ovulation dates.
It is simple in that you take your temperature before leaving bed each morning.
Charting this information will tell you when you are ovulating or if you are having fertility issues.
For those who have been charting their BBT for a few months, this is a great way of knowing you are pregnant before taking a test.
If you have been charting and notice that your temperature has been elevated for more than two weeks then you’re probably pregnant.
7. BLOATING
Can’t zip up your favorite pants? Hormonal changes mean that you may be more susceptible to bloating.
The extra puffiness from the bloating is why sometimes your clothes feel snug around your tummy in the early weeks of pregnancy, even though your uterus is still quite small.
The increase in gas during pregnancy is caused by the higher level of progesterone in your body leading to an increase in digestive issues.
Normally when you get your period progesterone levels plummet helping the bloat disappear.
If you find that there is no sign of your period and you are still bloated then it’s likely you are pregnant.
8. HEADACHES
Again, another issue caused by hormonal changes is headaches.
It is reported that the extra increase in blood flow circulating in your body could be a contributing factor to headaches. Experiencing headaches is, therefore, another early sign of pregnancy.
These headaches can also be bought on if you are dehydrated and not drinking enough water and if you are anemic.
The good news is that as your pregnancy progresses, they should become less frequent.
9. STUFFY NOSE OR HAVING A COLD
If you are suffering from a blocked nose or cold-like symptoms then this could also be seen as an odd early indicator of pregnancy.
Hormonal changes mean that passages in the nose can swell up leading to an increase in the amount and thickness in mucous. They can also lead to drying out and in some cases cause bleeding.
10. FOOD AVERSIONS AND CRAVINGS
You may go off all your favorite food, and start craving things that you hated before. You may also feel queasy when you smell certain foods.
You may also start enjoying strange and odd combinations like ice cream and pickles!
You may also find that your body is craving more carbs, this is due to them being easily metabolized which will keep your energy levels up.
11. MOOD SWINGS
Crying when someone gets voted off X factor? Or in floods of tears as your WiFi won’t be fixed until next Tuesday?
Rapid changes in hormone levels are often believed to be the cause of mood swings in early pregnancy.
Women report feeling stressed, hugely emotional, easily irritated and even crying spells without actually knowing why.
These mood swings are often seen as the first sign of pregnancy in some ladies.
The same hormones that caused your bloating are also to blame for your poop problems.
The fact that the digestive tract is slowing down means that food isn’t passing through as quickly as it used to. Unfortunately, this symptom can get worse as the pregnancy progresses.
To ease this problem, try and drink lots of water and eat fiber-rich food.
Constipation is one of those strange early pregnancy signs that people sometimes miss.
13. IMPLANTATION CRAMPS / BLEEDING
Known as one of the earliest signs of pregnancy is implantation bleeding.
Spotting which is sometimes accompanied by cramping. Implantation bleeding can occur anywhere from 6-12 days after the egg has been fertilized.
The cramps that sometimes accompany the bleeding can be mistaken for a period.
Implantation bleeding normally fills a pantyliner and not a sanitary towel.
14. NAUSEA WITH OR WITHOUT VOMITING
Known as one of the most classic indicators of pregnancy it is one of the toughest to deal with in my honest opinion.
Unfortunately, some women will experience nausea right from implantation, for others, it peaks between 8-12 weeks.
Normally referred to as morning sickness don’t be fooled by its name this can take place at any time of day and night.
15. LOWER BACKACHE
The hormone Relaxin gets to work straight away preparing your body for childbirth.
This hormone relaxes ligaments in and around the pelvis and this can result in lower back ache very early on in pregnancy.
16. PEEING MORE OFTEN
Often thought as an issue that arises when the baby is getting bigger and pushing against your bladder, however, this could be a sign of very early pregnancy.
As HCG levels elevate, they cause blood flow to increase to a woman’s kidneys leading to an increase in toilet trips, up to 25% more in fact which accounts for the 6 trips to the loo last night.
This will normally peak at 8-12 weeks and then sometimes gets worse towards the end of your pregnancy as the baby grows.
Which leads me to my next point
17. URINARY TRACT INFECTION (U.T.I)
Going to the loo more often is a sign of pregnancy but it is also associated with having a U.T.I or bladder infection.
This is a common sign of early pregnancy bought on by the changing hormones in your body.
If you think you have a U.T.I please see your doctor as you may need antibiotics.
18. INCREASE IN VAGINAL DISCHARGE
Your body’s way of cleaning the cervix is through a thick, milky, musky smelling discharge known as leukorrhea.
Although it’s common throughout your life if can increase dramatically for some during pregnancy.
19. LOTS OF GAS
Increased fluctuance and gas are a common symptom of pregnancy.
The increase of progesterone that happens when you conceive relaxes your muscles for childbirth leading to more than the average slip up.
20. FAINTING AND DIZZINESS
Feeling lightheaded and dizzy when you get up too quickly or finish mopping the floor can be a sign that you are pregnant.
Raging hormones cause blood vessels to relax and widen, causing these dizzy spells in pregnancy.
This for me is the earliest and most definitive sign I am pregnant. In fact, every time I faint, I ask myself could I be pregnant?
21. INTUITION
Just a feeling that you might be pregnant may be the reason you are reading this.
Some women are hugely in tune with their own body’s and just ‘know’ that something is different, and often this intuition is proven to be correct.
22. INCREASE IN SALIVA
A very strange symptom of early pregnancy being reported is that you may find you have more saliva in your mouth.
Some moms talk of excessive drooling through the night when it was never a problem before.
This is an uncommon sign of early pregnancy but you may be one of the few women that experience this.
23. BLEEDING GUMS
Changes in hormones can be blamed for sore, inflamed, swollen gums early on in pregnancy.
These changes can also make your gums much more vulnerable to plaque leading to bleeding also known as gingivitis or gum disease.
24. THRUSH
The increase in progesterone can be blamed for our next early symptom; thrush. A quarter of all pregnant women will suffer from this.
An increase of discharge can be blamed for thrush which is also a sign of early pregnancy.
Thrush is normally accompanied by itching, soreness and stinging when you pass urine.
If you think you may have thrush go and see your doctor.
25. VIVID DREAMS
Another reported symptom is an increase in vivid dreams. So vivid you able to describe upon waking every detail.
This can even happen during a catnap!
26. A MISSED PERIOD
The most obvious sign but still needs a mention.
This is the most common sign for most women that they are indeed pregnant.
If however you have missed a period and you still have a negative test then try again in a few days’ time or a different brand of test.
If after a week your period is still a no show contact your healthcare provider for advice.
WHEN CAN I TAKE A PREGNANCY TEST?
Most experts would agree that the earliest time to test would be at 8 days after you have ovulated.
But it’s difficult to know when you ovulated even if you have had some
implantation bleeding as ovulation can vary in length too.
The best day to test for a pregnancy would be on or after the day of your missed period.