The first external signs of pregnancy. First signs of pregnancy Symptoms if pregnant

Pregnancy is a physiological process in which a new human organism develops in a woman’s uterus, resulting from fertilization.

Pregnancy lasts on average for women 280 days(40 weeks, which corresponds to 9 calendar months or 10 lunar months). Pregnancy is also usually divided into 3 trimesters of 3 calendar months each.

Signs of early pregnancy

In the early stages, the diagnosis of pregnancy is made on the basis of doubtful and probable signs.

Questionable signs of pregnancy- various kinds of subjective sensations, as well as objectively determined changes in the body, outside the internal genital organs: taste whims, changes in olfactory sensations, easy fatigue, drowsiness, pigmentation of the skin on the face, along the white line of the abdomen, nipples and areola.

Possible signs of pregnancy- objective signs from the genital organs, mammary glands and when staging biological reactions to pregnancy. These include: cessation of menstruation in women of childbearing age, enlargement of the mammary glands and the appearance of colostrum when squeezed out of the nipples, cyanosis of the mucous membrane of the vagina and cervix, changes in the shape and consistency of the uterus, and an increase in its size.

You can first verify the presence of pregnancy at home using a rapid test for the content of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin in a woman’s urine (the test is carried out from the first day of the delay of the next menstruation).

It allows you to confirm the fact of pregnancy.

Changes in the body of a pregnant woman

Numerous and complex changes occur in a woman's body during pregnancy. These physiological changes create conditions for the intrauterine development of the fetus and prepare the woman’s body for labor and breastfeeding of the newborn. Menstruation stops, the mammary glands increase in volume, and the nipples darken.

Many pregnant women experience nausea and sometimes vomiting in the first trimester - these symptoms are commonly called. Weakness, drowsiness, heartburn, drooling, changes in taste, and frequent urination often occur. These disturbances in well-being are characteristic of a healthy and normal pregnancy.

Particularly large changes occur in the woman’s genital organs. Each time the uterus grows, the blood supply to the internal and external genital organs increases. The tissues swell and become elastic, which facilitates their better stretching during childbirth. In the mammary glands, the number and volume of glandular lobules increase, their blood supply increases, they become tense, from the nipples. There is a sharp increase in the amount of gonadotropic hormones, as well as estrogens and progesterone, produced first by the corpus luteum (a temporary gland formed at the site of the follicle from which the mature egg emerged) and then. Hormones secreted by the corpus luteum (progesterone and, to a lesser extent, estrogens) help create conditions for the proper development of pregnancy. The corpus luteum undergoes reverse development after the fourth month due to the development of the hormonal function of the placenta.

To manage pregnancy, it is necessary (3 - 4 weeks after the delay of menstruation), where the doctor examines and examines the external and internal genital organs, and, if necessary, prescribes additional examinations.

Genital organs during pregnancy

Uterus. During pregnancy, the size, shape, position, consistency and reactivity (excitability) of the uterus changes. The uterus gradually enlarges throughout pregnancy. Enlargement of the uterus occurs mainly due to hypertrophy of the muscle fibers of the uterus; At the same time, muscle fibers multiply and the newly formed muscle elements of the reticular-fibrous and argyrophilic “framework” of the uterus grow.

The uterus is not only a fruit repository that protects the fetus from adverse external influences, but also a metabolic organ that provides the fetus with enzymes and complex compounds necessary for the plastic processes of a rapidly developing fetus.

Vagina During pregnancy, it lengthens, widens, and the folds of the mucous membrane become more pronounced. The external genitalia loosen during pregnancy.

Lifestyle of a pregnant woman, regime, nutrition and hygiene

The developing fetus receives all the necessary nutrients from the mother. The well-being of the fetus depends entirely on the health of the mother, her working conditions, rest, and the state of the nervous and endocrine systems.

Pregnant women are exempt from night shifts, heavy physical work, work associated with body vibration or adverse effects of chemicals on the body. substances. During pregnancy, sudden movements, heavy lifting and significant fatigue should be avoided. A pregnant woman needs to sleep at least 8 hours a day. A walk before bed is recommended.

A pregnant woman must be carefully protected from infectious diseases, which pose a particular danger to the body of the pregnant woman and the fetus.

During pregnancy, you need to be especially careful about keeping your skin clean. Clean skin helps eliminate metabolic products that are harmful to the body through sweat.

A pregnant woman should wash her external genitalia twice a day with warm water and soap. Douching during pregnancy should be prescribed with great caution.

During pregnancy, you should carefully monitor the condition of your oral cavity and carry out the necessary treatment.

The mammary glands must be washed daily with warm water and soap and dried with a towel. These methods prevent cracked nipples and mastitis. If so, then you should massage them.

Maternity clothes should be comfortable and loose: you should not wear tight belts, tight bras, etc. In the second half of pregnancy, it is recommended to wear a bandage that should support the abdomen, but not squeeze it.

A pregnant woman should wear low-heeled shoes.

How to determine pregnancy without a test, what happens in the body in the early stages when pregnancy symptoms appear, and what they are like in the first days after conception - look for answers in our article.

The first symptoms of pregnancy before the delay will tell a woman that she will soon become a mother. When you are waiting for two lines on the test, you are looking for hints in all changes in the body that conception has occurred. How to recognize it yourself?

The slightest malaise, irritability or - immediately a thought in my head: I’m going to have a child. Many mothers actually say that these were the first symptoms of pregnancy.

You can also hear the opinion that forgetfulness, enlarged breasts and an inspired facial expression indicate conception.

Of course, all these signs of changes in the body can signal a long-awaited pregnancy. But such symptoms are not always indicators of an interesting situation.

How were the first signs of pregnancy recognized in ancient times?

Hundreds and even thousands of years ago, people learned to recognize the first signs of pregnancy. In ancient Egypt, for example, in order to find out about the interesting position of a woman, a “test” drink was prepared for her.

It consisted of special grass and milk from the mother who gave birth to a boy. If such a mixture caused a woman to vomit, the verdict was clear: pregnant!

The ancient Hebrews asked a woman to walk on soft grass and then examined her footprints.

Unfortunately, information has not reached our days on how to interpret prints and determine pregnancy based on traces, but modern doctors have learned simpler and more accurate signs that a woman is expecting a baby.

Symptoms of pregnancy in the first trimester

Even when planning a pregnancy, it is impossible to determine that conception has occurred. Moreover, symptoms in week 2 may also go unnoticed. Many women experience delays in their menstrual cycle and perceive the absence of menstruation as another failure.

There are no obvious symptoms of pregnancy within 1 week. Fatigue, mood swings, frequent urination, and drowsiness are usually attributed to signs of PMS. Rarely does anyone suspect pregnancy and run to the pharmacy for a test.

First signs of pregnancy: symptoms in the second week

In the second week after fertilization, there are no obvious sensations in the body that indicate pregnancy. The processes proceed the same as in the first week.

A distinctive feature is the decreased immunity of the expectant mother. The fact is that the embryo is perceived by the woman’s body as a foreign body. Protective functions fall so that the pregnancy continues. For this reason, colds are possible.

Symptoms at 2 weeks of pregnancy:

• drowsiness
• insomnia
• weakness
• your lower abdomen may ache
• breasts are sensitive
• headache
• pulling sensation in the lower back

In the second week of pregnancy, the embryo is already tightly attached to the uterus and receives all nutrients from the female body. The heart, blood vessels and amniotic sac begin to form.

How to detect pregnancy in the early stages

A woman wants to know for sure whether she will become a mother this time, no matter what the symptoms of pregnancy were before the delay. You can find out the result in different ways.

Conduct a blood test for hCG

The fastest and most accurate method for determining pregnancy in the early stages. In addition, it gives results before the delay - on the 5th day after intercourse.

• pregnancy hCG ranges from 20 to 150 mU/ml
• pregnancy increases from 100 to 4870 mU/ml
• pregnancy hCG ranges from 2500-82,000 mU/ml
• pregnancy, hCG in the blood can reach 151,000 mU/ml

Take a pregnancy test

The best time to do the test is the day the delay is discovered. It makes no sense to do this earlier, since you can get a false negative result. There are a few simple rules to follow when taking a pregnancy test.

• read the instructions and follow them
• do a test in the first days after the delay
• use morning urine to test
• if the test shows a controversial result, do another one

Visit a gynecologist to detect pregnancy

In the early stages of pregnancy, an examination by a gynecologist is not very informative. In the first weeks after conception, changes in the size of the uterus and vaginal walls are invisible. However, if pregnancy is suspected, the doctor will send you for an ultrasound or prescribe a blood test for hCG.

Victoria Taranenko, gynecologist:

“Doctors certainly rely on facts. And if the mother makes assumptions and looks at the first external signs of pregnancy, then the gynecologist, as a rule, can tell with 90% accuracy during examination whether pregnancy has occurred, and 100% of pregnancy is indicated by a change in the shape of the uterus. This sign can be checked by an obstetrician or using ultrasound, the error of which does not exceed 10%.”

Signs of early pregnancy

Pregnancy is definitely indicated by an increase in the level of hCG in the blood, listening to the baby’s heartbeat or ultrasound results. All the rest are just possible first signs of pregnancy.

• Small discharge

  If you find a few brown drops on your underwear, then it may not be your period at all, but... It is likely that right now the cell that will become a child is “traveling” in search of the uterine wall. This is one of the very first signs of pregnancy. But! This process can occur without any discharge.

• ​Promotion

  Don't be lazy: watch your basal temperature throughout your cycle. If you are pregnant, your temperature will either rise to 37 degrees or drop sharply for one day in the second phase of the menstrual cycle. This process is called “implantation retraction.”

  There may be two reasons. Firstly, from the middle of the second phase, the production of the hormone progesterone, which is responsible for raising the temperature, decreases, but if you are pregnant, it begins to be produced again. Therefore, temperature fluctuations occur. Secondly, during pregnancy there is a release of the hormone estrogen, which lowers the temperature.

  See our

• Constant weakness and fatigue

  Many women who are not yet aware of their situation believe that they are simply sick. And this is partly true. One of the reasons for weakness is decreased immunity. Some expectant mothers even develop a cough and runny nose during their first pregnancy.

• Sensitive breasts.

  If the sensitivity of your nipples increases sharply, then it is likely that you are pregnant. This symptom appears through two weeks after conception. On the. The breasts can react even to the gentlest touch, they can swell or simply hurt. Darkened skin around the nipple areolas may also indicate pregnancy.

• Montgomery tubercles

  Montgomery tubercles are tiny bumps on the areola of the breast that resemble goose bumps. They do not pose any threat to your health, but their appearance is often a sign that a woman is pregnant.

• Insomnia.

  Many women may experience insomnia and sleep disturbances due to changes in the body. Expectant mothers do not get enough sleep, even if they went to bed early, and did not wake up with the first rooster.

  IN You can fall asleep even in the middle of the day, just at your desk. And this is nothing if the work is not associated with danger, so move to a “quieter” department in advance. There is no need to worry: the body simply has its own ways of communicating its new status.

• Nausea, sensitivity to smells

  This is a classic sign that appears on . About half of expectant mothers have experienced such unpleasant sensations. But don’t rush to rejoice if this indicator appears in the morning: maybe in the evening you just ate something “wrong”?

• Lower back pain

  Back or lower back pain may be slightly noticeable . And such “lumbago” in the lower back will accompany the expectant mother throughout the entire pregnancy, periodically making itself felt.

• Bloating

  During pregnancy, the intestines become “lazy” and do not think that during the digestion process they need to monitor the level of gas formation. Bloating can also be felt because the intestinal walls become slightly swollen.

• Frequent urination

  Two weeks after conception, you may feel a frequent urge to go to the toilet. This is due to changes in hormonal levels, and not, as is commonly believed, stretching of the uterus or pressure of the fetus on the bladder (the child is still too small).

• ​Delayed menstruation

  This is perhaps the most common first. It is, having noticed it, that we confidently go to the pharmacy for a test. But, if your cycle is irregular, you should not rely on a delay.

Symptoms of twin pregnancy are no different from the listed signs of pregnancy in the early stages. The fact that several embryos are growing in the body of the expectant mother can be found out during a routine ultrasound.

Signs of pregnancy. Early pregnancy symptoms (video)

Accurate signs of pregnancy in the early stages

1. Increased levels of hCG in the blood. The “pregnancy hormone” begins to increase 7-10 days after pregnancy. The hCG test is quite reliable in determining pregnancy. Therefore, by donating blood from a vein in any laboratory, you can find out about your situation even before your menstruation is delayed.
2. Listening to your baby's heartbeat. Using an electronic stethoscope, you can hear the baby’s heartbeat at 10-12 weeks. His heart rate is 120-160 beats per minute.
3. Ultrasound examination (ultrasound). The recommended period for the first ultrasound is 7-12 weeks, but with its help you can determine the gestational age from 2-3 weeks.

Changing breast size. Under the influence of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, breast size will change literally within a few days after conception. You will feel tingling, tenderness and heaviness in your chest. You may notice darkening of the nipples and areolas.

Spasms. You may feel them as the uterus grows and stretches. This is normal: stretched muscles react by contracting. (Tip: Try bending down and touching your toes. That's about the same thing you feel in the ligaments and muscles of your feet, you feel in the muscles of the uterus and the ligaments that support it.) However, if the pain is very severe or you are bothered by constant bleeding and cramping, immediately go to the doctor!

Fatigue. During the first trimester, you will feel very tired. Which is not surprising: your body is busy building the baby’s basic systems and organs. Rest easy, by the end of the first 13 weeks the fatigue will pass.

Morning sickness and odor sensitivity. Toxicosis of pregnancy usually begins in the 5th week, although it can appear earlier.

Frequent urination. The culprits for this inconvenience are the hormone progesterone and the pressure of the ever-increasing uterus on the bladder. The bladder muscles are stressed even if there is little urine in the bladder.

Lack of menstruation or minor bleeding. Light and brief bleeding may occur when a fertilized egg implants into the wall of the uterus.

Hair and nail growth. They may begin to grow “like crazy.” It's all hormones! It's okay - pluck and wax. No one wants to look like Bigfoot during pregnancy.

Only for dad. All these signs of pregnancy - changes in the expectant mother's mood, changes in the body and increasing fatigue - are a signal that dad needs to be patient. Be prepared for anything.

• We can imagine how excited you are about your loved one's bust enhancement. But just try to touch it! Painful sensations in the chest are a standard manifestation of pregnancy. Some expectant mothers find it painful even to sleep on their stomach.
• Your partner may be exhausted, especially if you are used to having sex frequently. “Assembling” a baby is not an easy task, and the surge of hormones can drive her crazy. Hold your horses! Watch sports programs or action movies in the meantime.
• If your loved one feels nauseous, calm her down, walk her to the toilet, hold back her hair and never, ever show her your dissatisfied grimace. This creature bending over the toilet is the future mother of your child!

A modern woman, most likely, will not notice the onset of conception immediately after sexual intercourse, although, provided she has a developed sense of body and soul, as well as good intuition, this is quite possible. This lack of knowledge about the state of one's own body is due, in part, to the fact that for centuries pregnancy was so devalued that it was kept secret for as long as possible. Is it any wonder that over time this repression manifested itself in the way a woman experiences her own body.

The most characteristic signs of pregnancy can be divided into 3 groups: presumptive, probable and reliable.

Presumptive (doubtful) signs include mainly subjective sensations - sensitivity to smells, changes in appetite, nausea and vomiting in the morning. And from the neuropsychic sphere - nervousness, irritability, tearfulness, drowsiness. From the urinary system - frequent urination.

When examining the mammary glands, their tension and sensitivity of the nipples are determined. When pressed, colostrum is released from the nipples. During a gynecological examination, the cyanosis of the mucous membranes of the vagina and cervix is ​​determined. Examination of the uterus determines softening of the isthmus and some asymmetry of the uterus.

Signs that reveal the presence of an embryo or fetus in the uterus are called reliable. This includes pregnancy tests, which cannot be false positive, cannot show pregnancy if there is none. This also includes a laboratory blood test for human chorionic hormone or its beta subunit. The most reliable sign is the presence of a fertilized egg in the uterus, on ultrasound, starting from one week of missed period. In the second half of pregnancy - determination of the height of the uterine fundus, during an obstetric examination - determination of the position and presentation of the fetus, its small parts, listening to the fetal heartbeat with an obstetric stethoscope from 23-24 weeks of pregnancy. On ultrasound, the fetal heartbeat is detected from 4-5 weeks.

Often the first sign of pregnancy is absence of menstrual bleeding. In this case, a hormonal test will help to understand whether the woman made the correct assumptions. At the same time, even the onset of bleeding does not give reason to confidently say that pregnancy has not occurred. It happens that even during pregnancy, bleeding can begin at term, although it will be much less profuse than usual.

The effect of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) detected by modern tests soon after fertilization is also not surprising, and many women soon experience changes in the sphere of sensory sensations, for example, increased sexual desire. From a biological point of view, this makes sense, since now a woman needs to “tie” a man to herself especially reliably. However, interest in sexual relations may decline as soon as a woman discovers that she is pregnant, for example if it is against her wishes or if the woman has not yet been able to work through her thoughts and feelings about a previous miscarriage.

Extremely frequent are mood swings. For no apparent reason, a woman has a desire to cry. This tearfulness corresponds to the water-salt aspect at the body level and the Moon archetype at the level of the system of first principles.

Another early sign of pregnancy is swelling and tension of the mammary glands, which, in particular, is due to an increase in the amount of water retained in the body. The body may begin to take on unusual round shapes, which is also associated with weight gain. The body is trying to become round and healthy in order to grow to a state in which it can best perform the important task assigned to it. This phenomenon can also be observed at such a level of manifestation as an undoubted improvement in skin quality. It happens that the first hint of new life circumstances is a ring that suddenly becomes difficult to remove from your finger. In the morning hours, a feeling of swelling may occur, which is explained by the accumulation of more water during the night. As the pregnant woman comes more and more into the sphere of influence of the Moon principle every day, the night in her life becomes increasingly important, and the soul element also comes to the fore. Where it figuratively does not receive sufficient space, the body comes to the rescue, as evidenced by the tendency of the body to retain large quantities of water.

At the level of the soul, the swelling of the mammary glands corresponds to an intense “growing in” into the sphere of the feminine archetype, which finds its expression through the principles of the Moon and Venus. The desire to feed and the desire to please a partner (and thereby tie him even more tightly to oneself), due to the influence of the Moon and Venus, respectively, can manifest themselves at very different levels of life.

Increased and unusual fatigue may appear, but not necessarily. However, if the body requires a lot of energy to rebuild, the woman will notice it this way. It would be ideal if it could adequately satisfy the increased need for sleep, because by doing so it would help the body in the best way to gain the energy it needs to re-adjust all body systems. In addition, when the mother rests, the child has the opportunity to develop in the most optimal way. Subsequently, by the way, it also grows much better at rest than in the active phase.

Often associated with restructuring and occurring most often in the morning nausea represents a reaction to the increased production of hormones; in times when the feminine pole of life is given so little respect, it can well be considered a normal phenomenon. However, nausea will only bother a pregnant woman until the restructuring of the body is completed. The adjustment phase can last quite a long time (for recommendations regarding the use of homeopathic remedies and other measures, see the section “Nausea and vomiting” “Symptoms during pregnancy”).

Nausea during pregnancy occurs in much the same way as dizziness and seasickness. There is a collision between two internal information structures that are different from each other. The organ of balance signals to the “central control room” that the body is on a rocking ship, but the eyes look below the deck and see that everything is calm. Something doesn't add up. The brain realizes that it is being deceived, and as a result, the head begins to spin, followed by nausea and vomiting. In order for the condition to normalize, it is necessary to get rid of one of these information structures that contradict each other.

About the same thing happens in the body of a pregnant woman experiencing nausea. This feeling reveals the archaic feminine principle, the typical basal need for motherhood. A woman is likened to a female animal. If previously this woman put herself on the same level as a man, emphasized isolation and thereby moved more and more away from the ancestral ocean of the collective unconscious, now she suddenly finds herself under the crossfire of two archetypes. She has conflicting impulses, she tries to get out of the influence of one of the poles: she feels sick and vomits. This symptom takes root the more intensely, the more strongly the opposite poles in the psyche or the individual, courageous pole are expressed.

So, nausea indicates that a woman wants to get rid of something. Most often, she is opposed not to the child and pregnancy, but to that courageous part of herself, which at this stage should recede into the background. On the other hand, it is difficult to survive without this part in the modern world (think about what kind of man today would like to see next to him an extremely soft, labile woman who lives solely by feelings, near whom he must spend much more time and whom he must constantly protect?) . Thus, pregnancy poses the task for a woman to immerse herself in the realm of the archetypal feminine, to be soft and emotional and at the same time remain fully armed, so as not to endanger her child and herself, not to give up her own independence.

Increased mucus secretions, associated with an increase in blood circulation, can sometimes also indicate pregnancy. All tissues of a woman gradually become more mucous, “juicy” and loose. A woman’s psyche can also become more shaky, but at the same time strong, which gives her the opportunity to reassure her man, who so often fears the pregnancy of his other half.

Hormonal changes also affect the vaginal environment, making it more alkaline. The vagina becomes less acidic and may be prone to discharge, which is usually not a problem. At the same time, the threat of vaginal infections increases. A pregnant woman should be especially careful and think more often about who and under what conditions she allows to be near her. If swimming in a public pool seems threatening to her, and using a public toilet is a provocation, then she should also be very careful when making direct contact. The light pale blue (liquid) tint of the skin in the area of ​​the vaginal opening is due to the natural activation of venous circulation and should not cause any concern.

In rare cases, a sign of pregnancy may be pigmentation changes. Darkening of the halos around the nipples is completely normal. Later, these halos will indicate to the newborn his first goal and, at the level of archetypes, indicate a connection with the theme of feeding, which has already begun to gain strength in the life of a pregnant woman, but, nevertheless, will truly come into its own only after 10 lunar months. Less common are cases where a dark stripe appears along the midline of the body, running from the hypogastric region to the upper abdomen. She seems to show the woman where her center is and where she should direct her main attention over the next months; In addition, such a stripe signifies the need to share and give.

Sometimes dark pigmentation can appear around the lips (note that this phenomenon is often underestimated), giving the skin a less than neat appearance. This can be interpreted as a hint that women should pay special attention to switching to “purer” forms of interaction and communication.

May occur bleeding gums. It indicates that a pregnant woman is in danger of losing vital energy along with blood. Gums symbolize basal trust, the importance of which is greater than ever in the first weeks of pregnancy. Through bleeding, the theme of initial trust manifests itself, in the development of which the exercises and meditative techniques mentioned above can help.

The need for iron for fetal hematopoiesis is satisfied by iron reserves in the mother's body. From a spiritual point of view, we proceed from the fact that an increased need for iron is characteristic of a child because he is preparing to enter the world of opposites. Let's just say he needs to adapt to life between the north and south poles. And iron is an element that “feels” best in the Earth’s magnetic field.

The increase in dental caries indicates that a pregnant woman should take more active care of her “weapon in the mouth” - her teeth, and first of all, strengthen her position more courageously and even aggressively. It is also necessary to receive a sufficient amount of nutrients, since in emergency situations the reserves of the mother’s body will be sacrificed for the formation of the child’s body, which can take the form of real “poaching”. The folk wisdom that says that every pregnancy is worth one tooth clearly represents this relationship. However, today, a healthy and nutritious diet can make this sacrifice unnecessary.

Stomach and intestinal problems can also occur at the stage of restructuring of the body; they tell the pregnant woman that the new situation is not as easy to “digest” as her intellect imagines. Bloating may indicate aggression that needs to be freed from and which until now has not been able to find a way out. If a woman begins to emit an unpleasant odor and thereby evokes not the most blissful feelings in her partner, this can be regarded as a hint to both of them that something remains unsaid in their relationship - something that previously did not get a chance to express itself. In addition, a clear lack of integration mental strength of the partners becomes obvious.

The solution may be to release yourself from excess pressure in a timely and appropriate manner, find a source of courage and willingness to interact directly, and learn to speak your mind openly. It is about learning to eat and digest this world, an exercise called bhoga in Hinduism and Buddhism.

Pregnancy stretch marks(striae) in general appear quite rarely today. Thanks to proper body care and the modern tendency to maintain a relatively low weight during pregnancy, fewer and fewer women are suffering from this type of stretch marks.

Relaxation of the uterine muscles in former times it was an important sign of pregnancy. The muscles become softer, so that they can stretch better. Enlargement is preceded by relaxation caused by water deposition and muscle cell growth. The masculine aspect of the musculature recedes, allowing the feminine aspect to expand and increase its readiness to receive.

If only she hadn't come!

The most obvious sign of pregnancy is a delay in menstruation - this is the case if menstruation previously came regularly.

Some women continue to menstruate in the first three months of pregnancy, but the amount of blood released and the duration of bleeding are reduced compared to normal periods. So if this happens to you, consult your doctor.

Most women also experience other pregnancy symptoms about a week after their first missed period or five weeks after their period:

• swelling and tenderness of the mammary glands;
• nausea and vomiting;
• feeling exhausted and tired;
• severe dizziness;
• vaginal discharge;
• changes in taste, strong cravings and aversions to certain foods;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• increased emotional vulnerability. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and other hormones such as progesterone are responsible for the suppression of menstruation and these changes. Hormones are produced in a woman's body to maintain pregnancy and care for the growing embryo. A urine pregnancy test relies on the presence of hCG in the blood and urine to confirm pregnancy.

Urine pregnancy test

Don't rely solely on a missed period. To confirm pregnancy, a positive test and examination by a doctor are required. Ten days after a missed period, a urine pregnancy test can detect the presence of human serum beta-gamma globulin in the urine. This test can be prescribed by your doctor, or you can use do-it-yourself tests sold in pharmacies, such as PFegcolour, TestPack, Gravindex.

When testing yourself, carefully follow the included instructions. To perform the test, the first morning urine must be collected in a clean, wide-necked container. A positive test result is almost always correct. A negative result may be due to the fact that the test is performed too early or is delayed by more than three months after PM. With the help of some modern tests, it is possible to determine pregnancy even before a missed period. But such complex tests are not usually required to confirm pregnancy.

As soon as you receive a positive urine pregnancy test, schedule a visit with your doctor.

Whether conception was a long-awaited miracle or an unplanned surprise, every girl wants to know about it as early as possible. That's why women love to share descriptions of the first signs of pregnancy. After all, tests promise results only after a delay. But we still have to live to see it! And what should a girl, consumed by curiosity, hope or anxiety, do?

We warn you right away: it is useful to know about these signs, but you should not attach too much importance to them. Because they are very subjective and can serve as symptoms of completely different conditions.

A woman's egg is capable of fertilization in the first 12 hours after ovulation. If a woman tracks her cycle and knows exactly when the egg was released, she can determine whether conception occurred after the act or not.

Symptoms of pregnancy in the first days after conception are similar to those of PMS of varying severity. The fact is that during the luteal period, a woman’s body always prepares for pregnancy - just in case. And the processes that take place in it after the release of the egg are always the same for about two weeks, regardless of whether conception has occurred or not.

The corpus luteum, which remains in the ovary after ovulation, produces the hormone progesterone, so women’s breasts swell and become sensitive, irritability, drowsiness, fatigue appear, they want to go to the toilet more often, and so on. If pregnancy has actually occurred, then the symptoms continue, intensify and become more characteristic, and if not, menstruation occurs.

Therefore, before the onset of menstruation, many women notice certain symptoms, which are often considered signs of conception. Their presence, severity and strength depend on the characteristics of the organism. They are not at all mandatory - neither in the case of pregnancy, nor in the absence of it.

Many symptoms may not even be caused by PMS, but by ordinary illness or stress. Therefore, you should not rely 100% on such signs of conception. But knowing them is useful - at least for your own peace of mind.

If a woman usually goes through the second phase of her cycle without pronounced symptoms, the presence of such signs can serve as a kind of “beacon” and allow us to suspect an interesting situation.

As a rule, at 1 week the pregnancy is not even considered pregnancy. At this time, the fertilized egg moves through the tubes into the uterus, where it will take hold and spend the next 9 months. There are no obvious signs these days, although discharge uncharacteristic of the phase of the cycle, pulling sensations in the abdomen, drowsiness, headache and irritability may appear. But for many women, it is precisely these symptoms that accompany the entire second phase - they form the notorious PMS.

Usually the first signs appear approximately 8-10 days after conception. This largely depends on the characteristics of the body of each individual woman, on her attentiveness and level of sensitivity. It is at week 2 that some expectant mothers experience the phenomenon of implantation bleeding.

After fertilization of the egg has occurred, it moves to the uterus and becomes attached to one of its walls. In this case, micro-ruptures of blood vessels and capillaries may occur, which are accompanied by bleeding. This phenomenon occurs in only 20-30% of all pregnancies, and sometimes it is mistaken for menstruation that began prematurely.

However, it is not difficult to distinguish bleeding during embryo implantation from normal menstruation. It lasts only a few hours, less often it lasts the whole day. At the same time, its intensity is weak and does not increase. The color of the discharge is light brown, bright red or pink. An analysis of hCG levels at this time is not yet informative, since the changes are just beginning.

Signs of pregnancy at 3 weeks are already more distinct. The sensations in the chest intensify - soreness, sensitivity, tingling, the areolas around the nipples darken. Taste preferences and reactions to smells change, chronic diseases worsen. As a rule, at this time a delay in menstruation is already detected, so it’s time to do a test or donate blood for hCG.

How to recognize pregnancy in the early stages

Accurately recognizing pregnancy before delay is an unrealistic task. After all, the main reliable sign is the absence of bleeding on day X. However, there are certain symptoms that tell a woman that something is wrong with her. However, as mentioned above, you cannot completely rely on it.

Increased BT

Those women who regularly measure their basal temperature know that after ovulation it always rises sharply by a few tenths of a degree. This usually lasts about two weeks and before menstruation the temperature returns to normal. If pregnancy occurs, the temperature above 37 will remain for about two more months.

It is believed that a sign of conception after ovulation is an increase in BT to 37-37.5 degrees at the very end. This is noted by many mothers, although there is no exact confirmation of this phenomenon. At 1 week of pregnancy, this is facilitated by the high level of progesterone produced by the corpus luteum.

Insomnia and nervousness

With hormonal imbalance caused by changes in the female body, many systems and organs work in a new way. This greatly affects the emotional background of a woman. Therefore, the first symptoms of pregnancy can also manifest themselves in the form of irritability and nervousness, which lead to insomnia.

Drowsiness, fatigue, low blood pressure

Sometimes in the first days of pregnancy a feeling of drowsiness appears; a woman gets tired faster and feels tired even after a long rest. My head starts to feel dizzy due to low blood pressure. These signs of pregnancy are also subjective and unreliable; they can occur due to ordinary overwork.

Discomfort in the abdomen and lower back

Secondary symptoms of pregnancy also include strange sensations in the abdomen or lumbar region. At the beginning of pregnancy, the blood supply to the pelvic organs increases, so women often feel heaviness and compression, discomfort in a sitting position.

You may feel a nagging pain in the lower back, although this is often a sign of kidney problems. But increasing pain in the lower abdomen can warn of an ectopic or a threatened miscarriage. Changes in the uterus sometimes cause a tingling feeling, although not all girls feel it. Another sign of pregnancy in the second week, and even later, is bloating. Hormonal changes lead to relaxation of the intestinal muscles and flatulence.

Headache

The first signs of pregnancy before menstruation include spontaneous headaches. They are caused by hormonal fluctuations. At the same time, there are no external reasons for the migraine - the girl did not catch a cold, got enough sleep, and did not sit in a stuffy room.

"Gorges" or lack of appetite

After conception, metabolism speeds up, so signs of pregnancy also include an increase in appetite.

The exact opposite picture can also be observed - a woman cannot swallow a spoon. As a rule, this is associated with changes in the perception of taste and aromas of food.

Intolerance to certain odors

During pregnancy, many women become very sensitive to smells and tastes. This applies not only to food, but also to everything that surrounds a woman - cleaning products, cosmetics, perfume, flowers. The girl clearly senses smells and tastes that she had not paid attention to before. Or she suddenly “fell out of love” with the ones she used to like.

Digestive disorder

Hormonal changes are often accompanied by changes in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Girls may suffer from constipation or diarrhea, belching, and heartburn. Nausea and vomiting, which are the first signs of pregnancy, rarely occur before a missed period. As a rule, toxicosis begins at about 4 weeks.

Fever, cold

To prevent the body from rejecting the embryo, which is a foreign body to it, after conception the woman’s immunity decreases. That is why one of the common symptoms of pregnancy is a cold (ARVI).

However, an increase in body temperature to 37 degrees is, in principle, typical for the first months of pregnancy, and due to hormonal imbalance, a woman sometimes feels hot or cold.

Acne

After a woman becomes pregnant, her body begins large-scale hormonal changes, so many people notice the appearance of skin rashes - pimples, blackheads - among the early symptoms of pregnancy. It is especially worth paying attention to this for those who have not previously been bothered by such symptoms. It should be remembered that acne often accompanies the second phase of the cycle, so the symptom is subjective and unreliable.

Age spots on the face and darkening of the nipples

Many people consider the appearance of various pigment spots on the face or darkening of the breast areolas as a sign of fertilization of the egg. These signs are also subjective and cannot serve as a reliable guide. For some women, the areolas become very dark already in the first month of pregnancy, while others do not notice this until the very end. Every woman’s body is unique, so the birth of a new life always goes a little differently than others.

Frequent urination

Pregnancy before the delay can also be determined by the frequency of trips to the toilet. Frequent urges are associated both with increased blood flow to the female organs and with a hormonal storm. Or they can be explained by aggravated inflammatory processes, for example, cystitis.

Is it possible to have early pregnancy without symptoms?

If the child is long-awaited, the expectant mother carefully monitors the slightest signs and changes in her body. But it happens that a woman finds out about her new position only after a delay. And if her cycle is irregular and her periods are regularly late, then even later. It happens that pregnancy is detected only in the third to fifth month after conception, when the belly is already growing. Since there were no symptoms before this. Occasionally, even menstruation may persist (or rather, it is no longer menstruation, but bleeding) in the first 1-2 months. This, of course, does not happen often.

As a rule, signs of pregnancy in the first week after conception are almost invisible or may be absent altogether, and this is the norm. At this time, changes in the woman’s body have not yet entered into full force, and basically coincide with the usual sensations in the second phase of the cycle or with PMS symptoms.

Reliable signs of pregnancy

True signs of pregnancy in the first month include characteristic symptoms that appear a few weeks after fertilization. As a rule, the time of their appearance is the third or fourth week of pregnancy, when changes in the mother’s body gain momentum. Their appearance can tell a woman that conception has occurred. But not all of them will necessarily appear: the absence of any of these symptoms is only an individual feature of the body.

Delay of menstruation

Delayed menstruation is one of the most famous and true signs of conception. But only if the woman has a more or less regular cycle and does not suffer from diseases that cause long delays.

As a rule, a healthy woman's periods come at the same time, although slight fluctuations of 1-2 days in one direction or another are possible due to illness or stress. Therefore, a delay of 4 days is already a reason to listen more carefully to your feelings and conduct a pregnancy test.

If the cycle is not very regular, then a delay of up to 5-6 days, not accompanied by other symptoms, cannot yet serve as a reliable sign of pregnancy. In this case, it is advisable to postpone the test until 7-8 days of delay, since earlier it can give either a false positive or a false negative result.

Signs of pregnancy in the first days of the delay already appear more noticeable, so if the absence of menstruation is accompanied by copious white discharge, increased fatigue and drowsiness, chest pain and nausea, the woman may well think about her interesting situation.

Breast swelling

Another characteristic symptom is changes in the mammary glands. They may swell, become painful, sensitive, the areola darkens - although all this is an unreliable sign. Typically, the increase in progesterone secretion associated with conception causes a noticeable increase in breast size, as well as the appearance of nipple bumps. Sometimes colostrum may ooze.

Pigment stripe on the abdomen

Almost all pregnant women notice the appearance of a dark pigment stripe on the abdomen - it goes from the navel to the pubic bone. Sometimes this sign of pregnancy appears even in the early stages, although it usually happens later - about 4-5 months.

Nausea

Many women are waiting for pregnancy with fear, having heard enough horrors about toxicosis. Of course, it also happens that nausea and vomiting simply drive the expectant mother to exhaustion, and the smell of some foods literally turns her inside out. But for many girls, morning sickness passes quickly, causing almost no inconvenience. And some women note that they have not encountered toxicosis at all.

How to detect early pregnancy

Diagnosis of pregnancy in the early stages is possible, starting from the day of the expected delay of menstruation. The earliest is the tenth day after conception; before this period no one will give a reliable result.

Diagnostic methods include:

While expecting pregnancy, a woman can mistake any manifestations and reactions of her body for its signs. Therefore, it is still not worth buying a test if you have lost your appetite; it is better to wait for a delay. In addition, many signs are merely secondary and subjective. They are caused by the hormone progesterone, which is actively produced in the second phase of the cycle, regardless of whether conception has occurred or not.

Many women are convinced: as long as there is no delay in menstruation, there is no point in talking about pregnancy. However, there are symptoms even earlier than the delay, which allow us to say with a high degree of confidence that pregnancy has occurred.

There are changes, sometimes barely noticeable, which, combined with intuition, enable a woman to find out that she will soon become a mother.

The first sign of early pregnancy is drowsiness and weakness

You feel sleepy, even if you slept soundly all night. The fact is that a pregnant woman’s metabolism instantly accelerates. This is necessary to support the body - yours and the future baby, but at the same time it causes rapid fatigue. Sleep as much as you want! And try to lie down to rest more often.

The second sign of pregnancy is nausea.

For some women, morning sickness can appear literally from the first days of pregnancy. This is due to a sharp drop in blood sugar. Nausea (toxicosis) most often accompanies the expectant mother only during the first trimester. However, some suffer from nausea for the entire nine months.

Try to eat as regularly as possible, include only natural foods in your diet.

The third sign of early pregnancy - Breast enlargement

Literally in the first days after conception, you may feel discomfort from wearing a bra. The breasts visibly swell and enlarge, and after a while the nipples darken.

The fourth sign of early pregnancy is a change in taste and smell.

Everyone knows about the passion of pregnant women for pickles. But this is only one of the possible options for changing taste. You can start eating foods that you couldn’t even look at before. Most often, expectant mothers are craving sour or salty foods. But your favorite foods can be disgusting. Happens. That an unpleasant metallic taste appears in the mouth, poisoning the pleasure of eating.

The sense of smell also begins to cause problems: you suddenly realize that you cannot, for example, fry potatoes, because the smell of oil makes you sick. In a clean and ventilated apartment, the smell of tobacco smoke suddenly begins to appear...

The fifth sign of early pregnancy - Forgetfulness and lack of concentration

The body’s goal is now one – to successfully bear a child, and everything else is now “superfluous”, optional. Therefore, expectant mothers are often in an absent-minded state - they forget their keys and money, are unable to solve a simple crossword puzzle, they take a long time to remember why they left the house... Don’t be alarmed: this is temporary, at a later date everything will return to normal.

The sixth sign of early pregnancy - Change in basal temperature

This happens even before the delay. Basal temperature rises sharply. If ovulation has occurred, the temperature remains at 37-37.2 degrees for several weeks. If conception does not occur, the very next day the basal temperature returns to normal.

The seventh sign of early pregnancy - Discharge

Already on the 6th day after conception, you may notice slight spotting. They say that embryo implantation has occurred. But such discharge does not always appear and not for everyone - this is also normal.

The eighth sign of early pregnancy is Frequent urination

If a week has passed since conception, you may experience a frequent urge to urinate. This happens because blood supply increases in the pelvic area, and the bladder sends a signal that it is full, even if only a little urine has accumulated. Urinary frequency usually returns to normal by the fourth month of pregnancy.

The ninth sign of early pregnancy - Emotional instability

A woman in early pregnancy can suddenly cry or be offended for no reason, and within a minute she can laugh cheerfully or feel extraordinary happiness. The irritability of expectant mothers is the reason for numerous stories and even jokes.

The tenth sign of early pregnancy - Deterioration in health

An embryo is implanted into a woman’s body, half of whose chromosomes are foreign, as they were received from the child’s father. To prevent rejection from occurring, the immune system is somewhat reduced, that is, the body’s defenses are not working at full strength. Therefore, a pregnant woman is more likely than others to suffer from colds and ailments.

The main thing is not to take strong drugs without consulting a doctor! They can cause serious harm to the baby.

The eleventh sign of pregnancy is bloating

With the onset of pregnancy, the intestines become more “lazy”, gas formation increases, constipation may cause pain, and the volume of the abdomen increases. There are many safe, gentle remedies for this problem.

All these signs of pregnancy can occur long before the delay, signaling that pregnancy has occurred, and you need to treat your body with special care.

Olga Moiseeva for Women's magazine "Prelest"