Signs of pregnancy before missed period

Pregnancy refers to the development of a child in a woman’s womb. Most women think and believe that a missed period is one of the first signs of pregnancy. But there are several other signs as well that may indicate the onset of pregnancy.

Some of the signs of pregnancy before a missed period are as follows:

Increased basal body temperature:

Basal body temperature is the oral temperature that one measures just after getting up from sleep. Thus a constantly elevated basal body temperature is one of the characteristics signs of pregnancy. Soon after ovulation, the basal body temperature is elevated and it continues till the next menstrual period occurs when it subsides. When the elevated basal body temperature persists even after the time of expected menstrual period, then it is sign of pregnancy.

Swelling of the breasts, pain and tenderness:

There may be a swelling of the breasts accompanies by tenderness and pain. These may be similar to the sensations that a woman feels some days before an expected period. Some women may express a felling of fullness or heaviness of the breasts as early as two weeks into child conception.

Nausea and Vomiting:

Pregnancy may also cause nausea and vomiting in women, which is commonly referred to as morning sickness. However nausea and vomiting can occur at any time of the day or night and usually starts in 3 weeks after conception or even sooner in some women.

Nausea and vomiting may be caused due to increased sensitivity in pregnant women to certain odors and smells or due to elevated levels of estrogen during early pregnancy that slows down the process of emptying the stomach.

Abdominal bloating or cramping:

Some of the women may feel or experience a slight bulging of the abdomen or a feeling of being bloated. However the weight gain is not excessive and most women usually put on about a pound a month in the first trimester of pregnancy. Mild cramps in the abdomen which women usually experience before or during periods may be experienced by women occasionally during early pregnancy.

Frequent Urination:

Women who are in the early stages of pregnancy may also get the urge to urinate frequently, particularly in the night. Women may also leak urine when they laugh, cough or sneeze. There are physical and hormonal causes for the increased urge of frequent urination in pregnant women.

The embryo once planted starts producing a hormone called human chorionic which is known to arouse frequent urination. Second trimester of pregnancy onwards, the pressure exerted by the uterus on the bladder also increase the desire to frequently urinate.

Food cravings or aversions:

Most women experience cravings for certain kinds of food and aversion to others during early pregnancy when hormonal imbalance is at the highest.

Changes in nipple color:

The color of the areola that surrounds the nipple may deepen in color. Also, the dark line that goes from the central abdomen to the pubic region may deepen in color as well.

Fatigue, tiredness and dizziness:

Changes in the levels of progesterone during early pregnancy may cause fatigue and tiredness. Low levels of blood sugar, dilation of the blood vessels and drop in the blood pressure may result in dizziness.

Constipation:

Hormonal changes during early pregnancy may result in constipation and changed bowel movement.

Light spotting:

One of the signs of pregnancy before a missed period is light spotting which may cause pink or light red stains. The light spotting is caused due to the burrowing act of the fertilized egg on the blood rich uterus lining.

Headaches:

Early stages of pregnancy may also cause headaches in women due to hormonal changes in the body.

Mood swings:

The hormonal changes in the body bring about changes in the mood which may vary from elevated states of euphoria to stress and bouts of crying.

Darkening of the skin or Melasma:

The skin on the forehead, upper lip, cheeks or the bridge of the nose may darken in some women during the early stages of pregnancy and is more common in dark skinned women than those with lighter skin.