Early signs of pregnancy

While pregnancy becomes unmistakable and impossible to miss after a couple of months, detecting pregnancy at its earliest stages is often very difficult. That is because some of the classic signs of early pregnancy can easily be mistaken for other conditions. Likewise, the presence of many early signs of pregnancy do not necessarily mean a pregnancy is underway. Symptoms like nausea, frequent urination, heartburn and even missed periods have other causes besides pregnancy. Being in tune with your body and knowing what is normal and what is not is the best way to catch a pregnancy early. Since good prenatal care is so vital to the health of both mother and baby, the sooner a pregnancy is suspected, the better off everyone will be.

Signs you may be pregnant

Every woman (and man) already knows that one or more missed periods is the defining symptom of early pregnancy. Other signs of pregnancy can be apparent, however, even before that first missed period occurs. While the signs of pregnancy will vary from woman to woman, things to look for include tender breasts, morning sickness, fatigue and tiredness, lightheadedness or fainting, heartburn, spotting and constipation.

What to do next

Those women who have one or more of the signs listed above should be sure to get an accurate pregnancy test as quickly as possible. If pregnancy is suspected, it is important to be sure so that proper prenatal care can begin. The right care early in pregnancy can make a huge difference in the health of both mother and baby.

The pregnancy test and early signs of pregnancy

There are a large number of excellent quality home pregnancy tests on the market today. The advantage of these tests is obvious – they allow a woman to determine if she is pregnant in complete privacy. Of course no test is completely accurate, so it is important to follow up the home pregnancy test with a professional pregnancy test at your physician’s office. It is not unusual for a home pregnancy test to produce a false positive or a false negative, so it is important that a professional test be done as soon as possible.

The importance of recognizing the early signs of pregnancy

The most obvious advantage of recognizing a pregnancy early is that the expectant mother can immediately begin prenatal care. Early recognition of pregnancy also provides the happy couple with more time to prepare and begin to purchase all the things the baby will need.