Early signs of pregnancy
For women who have a regular monthly menstrual cycle, the earliest and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Sometimes women who are pregnant have a very light period, losing only a little blood. Some of the other early pregnancy signs and symptoms are listed below. Every woman is different and not all women will notice all of these symptoms.
Whether or not you've done a pregnancy test, you should see a GP or midwife as soon as you think you're pregnant.
Your pregnancy will be treated confidentially, even if you are under 16. Your GP or midwife will tell you about your choices for antenatal (pregnancy) care in Cambridgeshire. Being pregnant may affect the treatment of any current illness or condition you may have or go on to develop.
Feeling sick during pregnancy
You may feel sick and nauseous, and/or vomit. This is commonly known as morning sickness, but it can happen at any time of the day or night.
Around half of all pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting, and around three in 10 women experience nausea without vomiting. For most women who have morning sickness, the symptoms start around six weeks after their last period.
If you're being sick all the time and can't keep anything down, contact your GP.
Feeling tired is common in pregnancy
It's common to feel tired, or even exhausted, during pregnancy, especially during the first 12 weeks or so. Hormonal changes taking place in your body at this time can make you feel tired, nauseous, emotional and upset.
Sore breasts in early pregnancy
Your breasts may become larger and feel tender, just as they might do before your period. They may also tingle. The veins may be more visible, and the nipples may darken and stand out.
Peeing more often suggests pregnancy
You may feel the need to pee (urinate) more often than usual, including during the night.
Other signs of pregnancy that you might notice are:
- an increased vaginal discharge without any soreness or irritation
- a strange taste in your mouth, which many women describe as metallic
- losing interest in certain foods or drinks that you previously enjoyed, such as tea, coffee or fatty food
- losing interest in tobacco
- having a more sensitive sense of smell than usual, for example to the smell of food or cooking
Knowing that you're pregnant
When you find out you're pregnant, you may feel happy and excited, or shocked, confused and upset. Everybody is different; don't worry if you're not feeling as happy as you expected. Even if you've been trying to get pregnant, your feelings may take you by surprise.
Some of this may be caused by changes in your hormone levels, which can make you feel more emotional. Even if you feel anxious and uncertain now, your feelings may change. Talk to your midwife or GP. They will try to help you to adjust, or give you advice if you don't want to continue with your pregnancy.
Men may also have mixed feelings when they find out their partner is pregnant. They may find it hard to talk about these feelings because they don't want to upset her. Both partners should encourage each other to talk about their feelings and any worries or concerns they may have.
However you're feeling, contact an NHS professional (for example a midwife, GP or practice nurse) so that you can start getting antenatal (pregnancy) care. This is the care that you'll receive leading up to the birth of your baby. Find out more about your schedule of antenatal appointments.
Information syndicated from the NHS Choices website
