After having unprotected sex, or after a birth control method has failed, it’s only natural to wonder if you will become pregnant. There a few pregnancy signs and symptoms you can watch out for. If you notice one or more of these signs, consider taking a pregnancy test to find out whether you are pregnant or not!
Late Period
One of the most telling signs of a new pregnancy is a late or missed period. Typically, a period is considered late if it has been two weeks or more since the woman was supposed to have her period. Each woman’s cycle is different, so when a woman usually has her period can vary. If a period is two or more weeks late, then it is a good idea to look into pregnancy testing, especially if a woman is too young to be having perimenopausal symptoms yet.
Of course, it should be noted that pregnancy isn’t the only reason why a period might be late. High-stress levels, illness, dramatic weight changes, and starting new birth control can all affect a woman’s period. This is part of the reason why taking a test is so important to find out if you are pregnant or not.
Tender Breasts
At the beginning of a pregnancy, and even throughout a pregnancy, a woman’s breasts made begin to feel more tender. This is because of her rapidly changing hormones. Early on in pregnancy, breasts may be a bit tender to the touch, without many other differences.
As a pregnancy carries on, a woman’s breasts are likely to enlarge as they prepared to be filled with milk for the baby. This will cause some swelling. It should not be surprising if the nipples leak at times as well. This is all a perfectly natural part of pregnancy. However, if the nipple discharge seems discolored or comes with pain, you may want to talk to your doctor.
Nausea
According to the March of Dimes, about 70% of women experience morning sickness in the first trimester (first three months) of pregnancy. However, it does not usually start until about the sixth week of pregnancy– about two weeks after a missed period. This morning sickness can range from a mild feeling of nausea to vomiting several times a day. Even though it is called morning sickness, pregnant women can feel nauseous at any time of day.
While some women experience morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy, some women will never have it at all. Of course, there are many middle zones to this as well. So, just because you are nauseous does not mean you are pregnant and just because you are pregnant does not mean you will become nauseous.
Pregnancy, even in its earliest stages, brings along with it many changes to the body. These turn up as signs and symptoms as early as just a couple of weeks into a pregnancy. So, if you are trying to become pregnant or think you might be pregnant, keep an eye out for these symptoms. It might be a sign that a new baby is on the way!
