Pregnant? Here Are 70 Early Signs Of Pregnancy

Updated: November 11, 2022

Pregnancy tests and ultrasounds are proven ways to confirm your pregnancy. And a missed period is considered the first sign of pregnancy.

Do you know there are also some uncommon signs and symptoms of early pregnancy?

In this article, we are providing you with 70 early signs of pregnancy. Some of the signs are very common - occurring for almost every other pregnant woman, but other signs are rare and only a few pregnant women experience those.

What Are Some Early Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy

If you want to know whether you are pregnant or not, notice what’s going on with your body. Your body gives you different signals so that you know you are expecting a baby.

The three most common early pregnancy signs include:

• Morning sickness
• Sensitivity to smell
• Fatigue

Some women also experience other symptoms such as:

• Mild cramping and spotting
• Missed period
• Nausea
• Tingling or aching breast
• Frequent urination
• Bloating
• Mood swings
• Body temperature changes

And some are less common signs that also hint at pregnancy are:

• High blood pressure
• Extreme fatigue and heartburn
• Faster heartbeat
• Breast and nipple changes
• Pregnancy glow, backache, or headache
• Noticeable weight gain
• Cramping and spotting during early pregnancy

We are going to discuss many of these early pregnancy signs and for some, show you how you can manage the symptoms.

Keep reading.

Here is the list of 70 early signs of pregnancy that you should look out for to confirm if you are pregnant or not

1.  Missed Period

A missed period is the most obvious sign that you are expecting and in 90% of cases, the result is positive. In the remaining 10% of cases, the reason can be:

• Stress
• Lower body weight
• Obesity
• PCSO ( polycystic ovarian syndrome)
• Birth control pills
• Chronic diseases
• Thyroid issues

2.  Mild Cramping

Mild cramping might be an early sign of pregnancy!

It usually happens in the third trimester because of the growing uterus. But you can feel cramps in your lower abdomen during your first few weeks of pregnancy.

3. Implantation Bleeding or Mild Spotting

If you experience mild spotting that does not turn into periods then it can be implantation bleeding. It usually occurs 6-12 days after ovulation or 8-9 days after conception. Implantation bleeding is often confused with period blood. If you are not sure about the blood on your undergarment, you can consult your healthcare provider.

Implantation bleeding is not common and some women mistake this bleeding as a light period because it usually happens when you are expecting your period.

What is Implantation Bleeding?

The fertilization of the egg starts within 1 to 4 weeks and then transforms into a blastocyst. The blastocyst is the structure that develops into the body parts of your fetus. After about 4 weeks the blastocyst implants in the endometrium which leads to bleeding and this bleeding is known as Implantation bleeding.

The following are some signs of implantation bleeding:

• Color: The spotting will appear as pinkish, reddish, or brownish.
• Bleeding: Implantation bleeding is light bleeding that is less than your usual periods.
• Pain: The pain might be mild to intense cramping.

How Long Does Implantation Bleeding Last?

Implantation bleeding lasts for less than 3 days or sometimes just for a few hours. It does not need any treatment and usually goes on its own.

Tips to Prevent Mild Spotting

Some tips that can help to prevent the risk of mild spotting include:

• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol: The use of illegal drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol can increase the risk of implantation bleeding. Therefore, you should avoid using them.
• Avoid using tampons: The use of tampons can lead to infection and can also cause other difficulties. So, it is better to avoid using tampons when you are experiencing implantation bleeding.
• Take a pregnancy test to confirm your pregnancy. You might miss your periods after implantation. Therefore, it is recommended to do a pregnancy test when you experience irregular periods. The home pregnancy test can confirm your pregnancy 8 days after a missed period.
• Stop using any medication if your test is positive and talk to your doctor for your prenatal appointment.

4.  False Periods

If the spot looks like period blood but later stops then it can be implantation bleeding. Implantation bleeding occurs when your egg attaches to the uterine wall. The color of the blood would be pink or brown not red.

5.  Implantation Pain

Implantation pain is like sharp, stabbing cramps and usually subsides quickly. For some women, it is very painful while others don't even feel it.

6.  Period-like Pain

Early pregnancy can cause cramps and period-like pain due to the changes in the womb, muscles, and ligaments.

7.  Changes In The Cervical Mucus

If you have seen a mucus-like substance on your underwear every few hours you might need to get ready for a little guest.

8.  Tender Breasts

Your breasts might feel tender 1-2 weeks after conceiving. Sometimes tender breasts can be a sign of PMS (pre menstrual syndrome), therefore you need to confirm it from your healthcare provider. If breast tenderness lasts after a missed period, it might be a sign of early pregnancy.

9.  Breast And Nipple Changes

If wearing your bra now hurts your boobs then it can be a sign that a life is growing inside you. In some cases, it can be because of PMS but there is a difference between PMS breasts and pregnancy breasts. Breasts feel fuller, heavier, sore, and more sensitive during pregnancy than during PMS.

During weeks 4 to 6, your breast will start to change and grow. It becomes swollen and tender because of hormonal changes. But you don’t need to worry about it as it is normal and your body can adjust to it.

Your nipple also starts to change in its appearance in week 11. The areola (the area around your nipple) starts getting darker and bigger.

How to handle breast changes?

• The tenderness with growing breasts can be treated with a supportive maternity bra. Cotton and underwire-free bra also seem very effective.
• As your breasts are growing larger, therefore, you should wear a bra with varying clasps. This will give room to your growing breasts.
• You can also use breast pads to support your breast and reduce pain.

10.  Veiny Boobs

With the change in breast size and the increase in blood flow, your breasts might look veiny when you are pregnant.

11.  Nausea, Morning Sickness, Vomiting

Pregnancy can make you sensitive even to minor smells which makes you nauseous. Nausea in the second and third trimester are rare. It is more common in the first trimester.

Morning sickness usually begins in the first trimester of pregnancy and goes away between 12 to 14 weeks. So you should keep a record of your missed period and morning sickness.

There is no exact evidence of the main cause of morning sickness and nausea. It is believed that fluctuating hormones are responsible for these health conditions.

Morning sickness and nausea usually start from week 4 to week 6. The condition might get intense when you hit week 9.

Morning sickness not only occurs in the morning but can also occur at any time of the day or even at night. It usually starts during the first trimester and can be mild or severe.

Nausea becomes worst in the last days of the first trimester but it gradually slows down as you enter the second trimester.

How to deal with morning sickness and nausea?

• You can keep a pack of saltine crackers by your bedside. Take bites from it when you get up in the morning. This will help you with morning sickness.
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• You can also try anti-nausea wrist bands which are specially designed to relieve the symptoms of nausea.
• Talk to your doctor if your stomach is disturbed.

 

12.  Heavy Stomach

Do you feel full or have a heavy feeling in your stomach? It can be a sign of early pregnancy and occurs because of the extra amount of progesterone hormone.

13.  Not Feeling Hungry

Losing your appetite could be a sign of pregnancy!

Food aversion nausea and an increased sense of smell contribute to repulsion towards food. Sometimes during early pregnancy even when women feel hungry, they cannot eat food properly.

14.  Feeling More Hungry Or Thirsty

Anything can be expected during pregnancy and no one knows what you will experience the next moment. Sometimes you feel nauseous and the very next moment you develop a strong craving for food. All these are the symptoms of early pregnancy.

15.  Burping

With pregnancy the amount of progesterone hormone in your body increases, which causes burping. Pregnancy slows down the process of digestion which builds up excess gas leading to burping.

16.  Bloating

The hormonal changes during early pregnancy can cause bloating which slows down the process of digestion. So if you are experiencing bloating with missed periods it can be a sign of pregnancy.

17.  Heartburn

Horrible heartburn can be a sign that you are pregnant!

If you are feeling constant heartburn and don’t feel like eating anything, you should visit your doctor for a checkup. Fluctuating hormones can cause the valves between your stomach and esophagus to relax. As a result, the stomach acids leak and cause heartburn.

How to deal with heartburn?

• Heartburn can be prevented by eating your food in intervals. You should eat smaller portions at a time. It is better to consume several small meals instead of eating a huge meal all at once.
• Sitting in a straight upright position for about an hour after eating is also very effective to digest your food.
• Talk to your doctor about antacids, if needed.

18.  Motion Sickness

The low sugar level and increased number of hormones can lead to motion sickness in the initial days of pregnancy. If you are prone to motion sickness on normal days then it is more likely to affect your pregnancy also.

You can try acupressure bands to help with motion sickness.

19.  Constipation

Constipation is another common sign of pregnancy. The increased amount of progesterone during early pregnancy can slow down the digestive process which leads to constipation.

20.  Diarrhea

The fluctuation of hormones, together with diet, and added stress might contribute to diarrhea during early pregnancy.

21.  Increased Urination

Pregnancy causes an increased amount of blood in your body. More blood leads to more fluid production which leads to frequent bathroom visits.

Increased urination occurs after the 4th week. Generally, it is believed that frequent urination is a part of the third trimester but some women experience frequent urination even during early pregnancy.

How to manage frequent urination?

Frequent urination causes a lower level of fluids in your body. Therefore, you should try to drink a lot of water to compensate for this loss. Drink at least 300 milliliters of water every day to keep yourself hydrated.

Set your schedule for bathroom visits to avoid incontinence or frequent urination.

22.  Strong Smelling Urine

Strong-smelling pee also occurs during early pregnancy. The foul smell is due to an increased amount of HCG hormone or can be because of your heightened sense of smell.

23.  Smell Sensitivity and Food Aversions

Pregnancy comes with an increased sense of smell also known as Hyperosmia – especially during the first few months. It is also common during the third trimester.

Because of the smell sensitivity, you will find things unpleasing that never bothered you before. Smell sensitivity also triggers nausea and vomiting. Your food preference might also change during pregnancy.

Your smell sensitivity will be back to normal after delivery or within 6 to 12 weeks postpartum.

24.  Stuffy Or Runny Nose

The increased amount of blood and hormones during early pregnancy can swell the mucus membrane in your nose. This can make your nose more prone to dry out or stuffy.

25.  Nose Bleeds

The swollen mucus membrane is also the reason for your nose bleeding and a sign of early pregnancy.

26.  Sense Of Taste

Not enjoying the taste of your favorite food?

During pregnancy, almost all women experience a change in their taste buds. They hate the smell and taste of the food they once loved. This condition is also called dysgeusia and usually occurs in the first trimester.

27.  Excess Saliva

The excessive secretion of saliva during pregnancy is called ptyalism. This condition is also common during the first trimester.

28.  Dry Mouth

A dry mouth can be another pretty good sign of early pregnancy. During pregnancy, hormones affect your oral condition. You might have a dry mouth and feel thirsty during the early pregnancy weeks.

29.  Sour Or Metallic Taste

Don’t worry too much if you have a sour or metallic taste in your mouth. This is another symptom of dysgeusia and it might be a sign of early pregnancy.

30.  Coffee Aversion

Suddenly dislike your favorite drink?

Coffee aversion is common and it occurs due to general food aversions during early pregnancy.

31.  Bleeding Gums

The additional hormones in early pregnancy can make your gums sensitive which leads to gums bleeding.

32.  Difficulty Brushing Your Teeth

Difficulty brushing is another good sign that you could be pregnant. Pregnant women often report bleeding and pain while brushing their teeth during early pregnancy.

33.  Color Sensitivity

Wondering why you’ve become sensitive to certain colors?
Pregnancy can be the reason!

According to the studies, pregnant women are attracted to rich ripe colors and are repulsed by bluish colors.

34.  Excessive Sweating

If you are experiencing more sweating than usual then it can be pregnancy. The hormones and high blood pressure can cause more sweating in early pregnancy.

35.  Body Temperature Changes

Tracking your basal body temperature is an easy way to confirm your pregnancy because your basal body temperature increases in early pregnancy. If you know your body well, you can tell something is going on because of the sudden temperature changes.

How to deal with body temperature changes?

When you are pregnant your body sweats a lot with little effort or workout. At this time your body may lose fluids quickly therefore you should try to stay hydrated and drink a lot of water and fluids.

36.  High Blood Pressure

Sometimes pregnancy can lead to high blood pressure. The increased B.P can be because of several reasons including first-time pregnancy, carrying multiples, your age, being in Vitro, or being overweight.

As every human body is different, you might experience high blood pressure during early pregnancy even if you don’t have any of these problems.

37.  Hot Flashes

The increased blood pressure and blood flow can cause a feeling of hot flashes in early pregnancy.

38.  Faster Heartbeat

Feeling a fast flutter in your chest area?

During early pregnancy your heartbeat starts pumping faster and even harder. Your heartbeat rate can increase by 15-20 beats per minute or even up to 50%.

Palpitations and arrhythmias are common pregnancy conditions because of the fluctuation of hormones. If you have any cardiovascular history it's time to discuss it with your healthcare provider.

39.  Shortness Of Breath

The fact is that during early pregnancy the increased progesterone level can cause you to breathe more rapidly and pregnant women feel shortness of breath.

40.  Headaches

The fatigue, eye strain, and increased blood flow can lead to very intense headaches in early pregnancy.

41.  Sleeplessness

During the first trimester, women have trouble sleeping. Insomnia in early pregnancy is very common and occurs because of the constantly fluctuating hormones or increased bathroom visits.

42.  Vivid Dreams

Vivid dreams? A little one may be on the board!

Again, hormonal fluctuation is the reason that affects your dreams and sleep pattern.

43.  You Feel Lightheaded

An increased blood flow and higher blood pressure can make you feel light-headed during early pregnancy.

44.  Dizziness

The increased blood flow can cause dizziness and it can be a sign that you are going to have a having baby.

45. Fatigue

Feeling tired upon waking up is another sure sign that you are pregnant. Feeling tired and exhausted especially in the first 12 weeks after conception is another sign of early pregnancy. Fatigue during pregnancy is a common condition.

How to deal with Pregnancy Fatigue?

• The initial weeks of pregnancy are very hard and women feel exhausted at this time. Therefore, you should try to get enough sleep.
• Keeping the temperature of your bathroom moderate can also help with your raised body temperature.

46.  Backache

Being stressed out and carrying the baby can lead to backaches that get intense during the nighttime.

47.  Achy Joints

Achy joints are another early sign of pregnancy. If you feel numbness or pain in your joints with a missed period, you might be expecting a baby.

48.  Pain In Legs

Leg pain is among the common signs of early pregnancy. You might also feel restlessness in your legs during the night.

49.  Leg Cramps

Horrendous leg cramps on waking up could be a sign that you are pregnant.

Health tip: Magnesium supplements help with muscle cramps. You can use it after your doctor's approval.

50.  Round Ligament Pain

The round ligament pain usually occurs during 14 weeks. The tightness of ligaments is the main reason for this pain. With pregnancy, your ligaments got compressed to support your growing little one which leads to pain.

51.   Weight Gain

Jeans not getting up? Pregnancy can add 1 to 4 pounds in weight even after the first few weeks.

You know that your belly will grow in pregnancy. But pregnancy also affects almost every part of your body. You will feel a gradual increase in your body weight.

You might feel a drastic change in:

• Breast: Your breast will increase from about 1 to 3 pounds
• Uterus: Your uterus increase from 1 to 2 pounds
• Placenta: Your placenta will increase from about 1 to ½ pounds
• Amniotic fluid: The amount of Amniotic fluid will increase from about 2 pounds
• Blood level: 5 to 7 pounds increase in blood and fluid amounts
• Fats: Total fats in your body will increase from 6 to 8 pounds

52.  Acne

An acne breakout is another good sign that you might be expecting - fluctuating hormones again are the reason for these breakouts.

53.  Pregnancy Glow

While other early pregnancy signs do not seem good, here is a good one for you. The hormonal fluctuation can bring pregnancy glow to your skin because of the increased level of blood flow.

54.  Hair Loss

The stress or shock can make your hair thin and make them prone to fall. But you don't need to worry it's temporary and you get your hair back sooner.

55.  Lack Of Hair Growth

With conception, the rate of hair growth sometimes decreases but it gets back to the normal point after childbirth.

56.  Shiny Hair

Not all pregnancies give you hair loss, sometimes pregnant women have thicker and shinier hair during early pregnancy. The excess amount of hormonal fluctuation makes your hair shinier and thicker.

57.  Extra Body Hair

Is your body hairier?

The extra body hair in your lower region is caused by an increased amount of estrogen production during early pregnancy.

58.  Darkening Of Skin

Noticing darker patches of skin in the cheeks, upper lip, or nose are called pregnancy masks or melasma. Again, hormonal changes are the main cause of all these dark patches.

59.  Brittle Nails

According to the studies, nails might become more brittle and might chip more easily during early pregnancy. In some cases, pregnant women got incredibly strong nails The reason is unknown but it can be a sign of early pregnancy.

60. Mood Swings

Are you riding on a roller coaster of emotions?

During pregnancy, you might feel quite excited and happy and the very next moment you will feel sad.

Mood swings mostly begin as early as 6 weeks and can last throughout the first trimester. Mood swings are also caused by pregnancy hormones.

During this period, your energy level becomes too low and you might feel like you can't even get out of your bed in the morning. These are the early signs that you are carrying a baby.

The level of estrogen and progesterone will also start to increase during pregnancy. It will affect your mood. The mood swings will lead to other feelings such as:

• Depression
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Euphoria

61.  Grumpy, Teary, Over-sensitive

Does a silly commercial or movie make you cry?

You are going to be sensitive and emotional throughout early pregnancy. Some pregnant women may even have an emotional breakout after the first trimester but it is generally linked to your changing hormones.

62.  Pregnancy Brain

During early pregnancy, some women face forgetfulness and memory problems.

63.  Gagging

If places, smells, or some sounds make you gag, then it means you might be expecting.

64.  Shivering

If you experience shivering without any apparent reason then it would be a sign. The same irritating fluctuating hormones are the reason behind this.

65.  Itching

Itching is not a common sign of early pregnancy. Women usually feel itchy around the belly after the fifth month, when the pregnancy belly starts to grow.

In some cases, pregnant women might feel itching in their bellies due to the drying of their skin during the first trimester.

66.  Change In Sex Drive

Feeling sexier!

The extra amount of blood flow can cause extra lubrication in the vagina and increase your sex drive during early pregnancy.

67.  Thrush (Yeast Infection)

During early pregnancy, the vagina becomes more prone to thrush or yeast infection. In case of itching, burning, or thick discharge from the vagina contact your healthcare provider.

68.  Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Don't confuse early pregnancy with Urinary Tract Infection as the symptoms look similar. It is better to confirm it with your doctor.

69.  Lightening Crotch

It is like a sharp pain that occurs in your pelvic region. Mostly it occurs in the later stages but in some cases, pregnant women experience this pain during early pregnancy.

70.  BFP

Big Fat Positive or BFP refers to the positive home pregnancy test. If you missed your period and your test is positive 99% of the time it means you are pregnant. It's the most accurate sign to confirm pregnancy in the initial stages.

Final thoughts

Your body will undergo a lot of changes in early pregnancy. Other than missed periods, you might also experience nausea and breast tenderness. But sometimes it is hard to identify pregnancy. Many women go weeks without knowing that their little one is getting ready.

If you think you are pregnant, takes a home pregnancy test to confirm. A urine test is an easy and reliable test to confirm pregnancy