Early Pregnancy Symptoms
Do you think you might be pregnant? While a missed period is the most common symptom women look for to indicate pregnancy, there are a number of other symptoms that may indicate you’re pregnant even before you miss your period.
If you are experiencing some or all of the below symptoms, we recommend taking a pregnancy test as soon as possible to get peace of mind. We offer no-cost pregnancy testing and limited ultrasounds to help you find out for sure if you are pregnant.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms:
Missed Period
When a woman becomes pregnant, her body will stop menstruating. In some rare cases, a woman may continue to have a period or some minor spotting that resembles a period during her pregnancy. If you are experiencing other pregnancy symptoms and have reason to suspect you may be pregnant but are still getting your period regularly, it may still be worth taking a pregnancy test.
Nausea
Nausea (also known as morning sickness) with or without vomiting is typically one of the first pregnancy symptoms you will experience. It is caused by increased estrogen and progesterone production in your body. If there is a chance you may be pregnant and you feel nauseous, experience dizzy spells during the day and/or find yourself throwing up on a regular basis, do not take over the counter or prescription medication until you have taken a pregnancy test.
Fatigue
The extra progesterone your body makes while pregnant will leave you feeling tired during the day. It may also interfere with your sleep at night, making it hard to get a good night’s rest.
Changes in Appetite
Most pregnant women notice a change in eating habits beginning early in their pregnancy. Some women experience cravings, others have aversions to foods they used to love, and still others experience a loss of appetite. In fact, some women experience a combination of all these changes throughout the first three months of pregnancy.
Frequent Urination and Constipation
Hormonal changes in the body will likely leave you feeling like you need to pee all the time even though you are not drinking more water than normal. As the uterus begins to harden, it puts increased pressure on the bladder, making you feel the need to pee more frequently. Additionally, progesterone, the primary pregnancy hormone, causes the bowel muscles to relax, slowing down digestion and increasing the likelihood of constipation.
Mood Swings
Many women experience mood swings even before they know they are pregnant. These mood swings have nothing to do with common pregnancy worries. They come about because your body is creating more estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that affect your moods and feelings.
Breast Tenderness
The surge of hormones in early pregnancy often cause a woman’s breasts to become tender and increase in size. For many women this continues throughout the pregnancy.
Next Steps
If you are experience some or all of these early pregnancy symptoms, it’s time to take a pregnancy test! First Coast Women’s Services offers medical-grade pregnancy tests free of charge as well as pregnancy confirmation ultrasounds. If your test is positive, our team of professionals will walk you through next steps and options for your pregnancy.