Pregnancy Symptoms: Which are the First and the Most Reliable
Index
- Symptoms of pregnancy: generalities
- The first and most common symptoms of pregnancy
- Why you feel the first symptoms of pregnancy
- After how long do you feel the first symptoms of pregnancy
- When to take a pregnancy test
- How to recognise the first symptoms of pregnancy
- Amenorrhoea
- Implantation spotting
- Whitish leaks
- Abdominal cramps
- Breast soreness
- Nausea and appetite disturbances
- Tiredness and drowsiness
- Frequent urination
- Mood swings
- Some advice from the midwife
Symptoms of pregnancy: generalities
The first symptoms of pregnancy are an important indicator of the changes that the woman's body is preparing to face.
Immediately after conception and in the first weeks of gestation, any pregnant woman may present signs and different symptomsboth in terms of timing and mode
What are the first and most common symptoms of pregnancy?
Usually, symptoms occurring in the first weeks of pregnancy include:
- Amenorrhoeai.e. the absence of the expected menstruation;
- Low blood loss, so-called implantation losses;
- Tension and increased breast volumetogether with a particular sensitivity of the areolar and nipple area;
- Pollachuriai.e. an increased sensation of urinary urge;
- Nausea;
- Humoral sensitivity;
- Tiredness and drowsiness;
- Headache;
- Cramps in the lower part of the abdomen.
Why do you have these symptoms?
The typical symptoms of a presumed pregnancy occur due to the hormonal changesresulting from conception: this leads to a rapid increase in theHCG hormone, chorionic gonadotropinwhich will be crucial for the stimulation of progesterone production, a hormone that is very important for maintaining pregnancy.
The progesteronewhich together to oestrogenis the main pregnancy hormone, it also involves theimpairment of taste and smella particular humoral sensitivity and possible headache.
Not only will the woman receive the symptoms of pregnancy due to major hormonal changes, but other changes occur in the female body immediately after conception, namely:
- Sugar reduction in the blood;
- Decreased pressure arterial;
- Increased volume of circulating blood;
- Metabolism slowdown.
How soon after do you feel the first symptoms of pregnancy?
Not all women experience the typical pregnancy symptomsThis is a very subjective matter.
There are women who hardly realise that they are pregnant, except as a result of menstrual delay, resulting in a positive pregnancy test; others perceive the first symptoms immediately after conception; others a few days after the presumed menstruation.
In general, however, what should make one suspect a presumed pregnancy is amenorrhoeai.e. delayed menstruation.
Generally the early symptoms should be felt at around 5-6 gestational weeks, i.e. at 3-4 weeks after conception.
When to take a pregnancy test?
The only way to have a certain answer with respect to an alleged pregnancy state is the performance of a pregnancy testby means of a urine test or a blood sample, both of which aim to determine the presence of the hormone HCGproduced by the placenta from the moment of implantation.
Considering a woman with a regular menstrual cycle lasting approximately 28 days, the urine pregnancy test can be carried out from the first day of delay of the cycle, i.e. about seven days after the fertilised ovum may be nested.
However, it may happen that, if performed too early in pregnancy, some urine tests may be insensitive to the presence of the HCG hormone, leading to a false negative outcome.
This is why we recommend perform the test at least after 4-5 days of delay from the presumed menstruation, in order to have as reliable a result as possible.
How to recognise the first symptoms of pregnancy?
As already mentioned, the early signs are very subjective and can vary from woman to woman.
Sometimes the strong desire of a pregnancy can lead to the perception of being pregnant, confusing the symptoms of the premenstrual phase with those of a pregnancy, which, especially in the first weeks, can be almost overlapping.
It is reiterated that one of the sure signs of pregnancy is a positive pregnancy test, following a period of amenorrhoea, i.e. a delay since the presumed menstruation.
Let us see them in detail:
Amenorrhoea
Amenorrhoea represents thetotal absence of the cycle menstrual, although the onset of pregnancy does not exclude the presence of blood loss.
In some cases, there may be a slight loss of blood at theembryo implantation (approximately 6-12 days after conception).
One speaks in these cases of 'pseudo menstruation", as it could occur at the same time as the expected menstruation, but with different qualitative and quantitative characteristics.
Delayed menstruation is not always attributable to an alleged pregnancy state.
The menstrual flow may be delayed or not showing up for other reasons such as:
- Significant weight changes;
- Stress;
- Climate change;
- Taking particular drugs.
To rule out doubts, a pregnancy test is recommended.
Implant spotting
Sometimes, at the time of the presumed menstruation, the so-called implantation lossesare blood losses, generally small and dark red in colour, synonymous with thenidation occurred of the product of conception at the level of the endometrium.
This event may confuse the woman, as she may mistakenly mistake the episode for a less abundant flowing menstruation.
Whitish leaks
A very common symptom among expectant mothers is theincreased vaginal secretionsare clear, milky losses due to theaction of oestrogenwhich make more blood flow to the genitals and act on the glands in the mucous membrane, which thus increase their secretions.
However, if these leaks are associated with a bad smell, burning and/or itching, it is a good idea to contact your doctor to rule out vaginal infections such as candida mycosis or a bacterial infection.
Abdominal cramps
Following fertilisation, which occurs at the level of the fallopian tube, the product of conception arrives after a few days inside the uterine cavity: it is here that must lurk and thus 'dig"to create a space for itself to continue its development.
This process can in some way "irritate" the uterine mucosaresulting in abdominal cramps, felt by the woman in her lower abdomen.
This symptomatology but it is similar to the premenstrual periodConsequently, this symptom alone cannot be considered a sure sign of pregnancy.
Breast soreness
One of the first symptoms of pregnancy is represented by theincreased breast volume and greater sensitivity of the areola and nipples.
This happens because of of the increase important of the progesteronewhich from the very beginning has the purpose of preparing and fortifying the udder for milk production.
Breast soreness and tension is also present among premenstrual symptoms.
If there is a pregnancy, symptoms affecting the breasts tend to be accentuated.
Nausea and appetite disturbances
One of the first and most popular signs of a possible pregnancy is nausea.
In association with the nauseaoften also appear aaltered taste and increased sensitivity to odours.
There are women who realise that they are pregnant when a food they have always found pleasant starts to be unpleasant.
Apparently, the hormone responsible of these feelings is the chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
It is not quite correct to speak of morning sickness, as the feeling of nausea can strike the pregnant woman at any time of day.
Tiredness and Drowsiness
One of the most common symptoms of the first weeks of pregnancy is the fatigue.
Lassitude and drowsiness are caused by the new hormonal and metabolic balancewhich is being established to accommodate the pregnancy.
As early as a week after conception, the increase in progesterone causes feelings of tiredness accompanied by an irrepressible desire to sleep and rest.
This symptomatology indicates the the mother-to-be's need for time, rest and sleep to allow your body to get used to the pregnant state.
There is a great energy consumption in the body and it is only right to comply with this request and let go.
The progesterone also relaxes the muscles of the small peripheral blood vessels, producing a decreased blood pressurethat's why they can sometimes occur dizziness and some failureup to real fainting spellswhich can be disturbing and worrying in the early stages of pregnancy.
Frequent urination
In the first weeks of pregnancy, the "pollakiuria', i.e. the increased urge to urinate, is still due to the action of the progesteronewhich relaxes the smooth muscles of the bladder and urethra and limits the ability to hold urine.
This phenomenon also depends on the increase in blood circulating during gestation, resulting from the formation of the placenta.
Mood swings
Due to the significant increase in hormones, pregnancy, from the first days, can lead to irritability and major mood swings.
It is normal for the woman to feel very more emotionalmay cry often and come across as anxious, perhaps never experienced before, as well as, on the contrary, much happier and euphoric.
As with other typical pregnancy symptoms, mood swings can also be typical of the premenstrual periodTherefore, the phenomenon taken in isolation cannot be considered a sure sign of pregnancy.
Some advice from the midwife
- Perform proper intimate hygiene, using specific products so as not to alter the vaginal bacterial flora;
- Avoid smoking and/or alcohol;
- Consume dry food and avoid prolonged fasting to limit the feeling of nausea (eating little and often during the day);
- Consume fibre-rich foods and engage in moderate physical activity to promote intestinal motility;
- Limit stress by doing activities that usually relax you (walking in the fresh air, reading a book, listening to your favourite music);
- Moisturise properly, also by drinking herbal teas and infusions;
- Listening to one's body and indulging its needs.
If you are looking for or suspect a possible pregnancy, it is important to consider taking care of your nutrition right from the start. The "Nutrition in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding" course can give you the right guidance to get off to the best start in this adventure!
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