Pregnancy occurs immediately after conception when the sperm fertilizes a mature egg. Pregnancy is accompanied by various symptoms that you might notice as early as a few days after conception. Some of the advanced pregnancy symptoms you might notice a few days after conception are sensitivity to smell and tender breasts. Another early sign is spotting, which might occur one week after fertilization.
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Different women tell if they are pregnant at different periods after conception. Some women can tell a few days after conception, others after a few weeks, while others cannot tell whether they are pregnant until a few months elapse.
Nevertheless, this article talks about the signs that indicate a potential pregnancy.
Sore breasts
Breasts tend to be tender and bigger after conception. You might notice the transformation of your breasts in about two to three weeks. In early pregnancy, your body is making more progesterone and estrogen, and the glands in your breasts start growing.
When estrogen and progesterone increase, your breasts retain more fluid, feel heavy, sore, and more sensitive than normal. This sign is very common, and you might consider visiting a specialist for a professional consultation.
It is also important to note that sore breasts may also be a symptom of PMS instead of pregnancy. It may be best to wait a week after a missed period to more accurately determine a pregnancy using a pregnancy test.
Cramping and backaches
These symptoms might be closely related to the signs of menstrual periods, but you should not mistake them. However, these symptoms are caused by hormonal changes and the growth of the uterus.
Many women experience cramping after conception, caused by implantation when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. Your uterus may stretch more during the implantation than normal to prepare for its large expansion in the next nine months.
Implantation bleeding
After about two weeks, when the fertilized egg implants into the uterus lining, you might notice light vaginal spotting. You might mistake this for period bleeding, but it’s lighter than menstrual bleeding. Moreover, implantation bleeding is brown or pink, unlike the red color of menstrual flow.
While you might think you are pregnant after seeing this sign, consider visiting a doctor to rule out other issues. The obstetrician-gynecologist (OBGYN) should rule out three critical things: miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or infection. Implantation bleeding is one type of diagnosis of exclusion. Search online for an “obgyn near me” to find an experienced medical professional to help you determine the cause of the bleeding.
Fatigue
Fatigue is your body’s response to pregnancy since it works all day to support the pregnancy. Your body also produces more progesterone, increasing your basal body temperature. Your heart pumps faster to deliver extra oxygen to the uterus during pregnancy, making you feel fatigued.
Dark nipples
Pregnancy hormones influence the activity of melanocytes, or cells in the nipples, responsible for their color. You might notice that your nipples are darker than on other days. You might not notice this if you have a dark complexion until around ten weeks.
Nausea
You may experience a subtle motion in the early weeks of your pregnancy. After a few weeks or months, you may now have full-blown morning sickness. Progesterone causes many things, such as slowing down digestion. Slow digestion may cause constipation or indigestion, and since your stomach does not empty quickly enough, it might want to purge in some way, either into the gut or through the mouth.
Nausea is related to human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone you can detect after a missed period through urine or a mother’s blood. If you have a high HCG, you might experience more sick feelings.
Headaches
When you are pregnant, you may have higher blood circulation, which may trigger frequent but mild headaches as an early sign of pregnancy. These headaches can happen if you are not drinking enough fluids or suffer from anemia. Therefore, you should undergo a blood test to rule out the presence of anemia. However, as pregnancy progresses, migraines tend to be less frequent.
Mood swings
As the levels of HCG hormone increase, you feel more fatigue, making you more prone to moodiness. You might find yourself weeping or getting upset over trivial or small matters. Be aware that such mood swings are normal, but eating a healthy diet and getting some exercise can boost your mood.
In summary
There are numerous symptoms of pregnancy apart from those discussed above. You may also experience constipation, bloating, a heightened sense of smell, constipation, and food cravings. If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms, it is advisable to take a home pregnancy test and visit an obstetrician to begin your prenatal appointments. Women in the Atlanta area can consult an obgyn alpharetta for professional guidance on confirming pregnancy and starting a personalized prenatal care plan.