Signs of Pregnancy

This page includes many of the earliest signs of pregnancy. Early pregnancy symptoms are not the same from woman to woman, and many women do not experience pregnancy signs until after a missed period.

• Are you a teenager who might be pregnant? Need advice and support? Visit the Teen Pregnancy Forum to ask questions and chat with others.

Morning sickness

This telltale sign of pregnancy can start as early as the fourth week after conception and runs the gamut from mild nausea to intense vomiting. Contrary to the name, morning sickness can occur at any time of day. Morning sickness generally lasts until the second trimester of pregnancy (the fourth month), but varies greatly and can last much longer or much shorter. A few lucky women don't get it at all.

• What are your most effective cures for morning sickness? Help out others and post them here!

Headaches

Many women experience headaches in early pregnancy. The changes in hormones, the need for more calories, and the need for more fluids can cause headaches. At this stage and throughout the pregnancy, women should consume more fruits, vegetables, and water to counteract this symptom.

Fatigue

Extreme fatigue is another early sign of pregnancy. Increased levels of the hormone progesterone and the stress your body undergoes as it adapts to pregnancy can make you feel extremely tired.

Tender breasts

Another fun symptom of pregnancy is extremely sore breasts which occur due to increased hormone levels. As with morning sickness, the discomfort generally decreases after the first trimester. Enjoy the reprieve while you can -- you don't know for sure until your milk comes in!

You've missed your period

Well, duh... :)

Other signs of pregnancy

Frequent urination, increased sensitivity to odors, implantation bleeding (spotting within the first two weeks of conception caused by the fertilized egg burrowing into the uterine lining), food aversions, food cravings, and an increase in your basal body temperature are all signs of pregnancy.

• What strange food cravings have you experienced? Share them!

Pregnancy Test

The only way to know if you're pregnant is to get a pregnancy test. You can get tested by your doctor, pick up a home pregnancy test at a pharmacy, or (if neither of those is an option for you) at a Planned Parenthood or a free health clinic (your local phone book will have listings).

Things to Remember...

Birth control only works if you use it correctly - for example, if you miss taking your birth control pill and have unprotected sex, your chance of getting pregnant increases. You have to take your birth control pill every day for it to work.

If you're coming off of your hormonal birth control, it can sometimes take months before your menstrual cycle is back to normal. So if you're trying and it's taking longer than you expected, consider that your body might be adjusting to new hormone levels and talk to your doctor.