-
Q. What are the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy?
A. To diagnose pregnancy, you should have two or three of the following:
-
Missed a period (amenorrhea)
-
A growing uterus
-
A positive pregnancy test
The things that women commonly notice early on in pregnancy are:
-
Missing their period- in women with REGULAR monthly cycles, this can
be a very reliable sign of pregnancy.
-
Nausea and vomiting- This symptom of early pregnancy occurs in about
50% of pregnant women. It is usually worse in the morning and may be brought
on by strong odours or even cooking smells! It is usually at its worst between
the 2nd and 12th week of pregnancy. The nausea is thought to be secondary
to a rise in the hormone B-HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin; the
same hormone we detect for pregnancy tests).
-
Breast tenderness
Other signs women sometimes notice are:
-
Enlargement of the glands on the outer edge of the areola (the red area
surrounding the nipple itself).
-
Having to urinate more often
-
Darkening of certain areas of skin, including the areola, nipples and a line
in the middle of the belly from the belly-button to the pubis bone. Sometimes
a mask of pregnancy also appears, as a darkening of skin over the
forehead, cheeks and nose.
Remember, if you think you're pregnant....FIND OUT!! (pregnancy tests are
available from the pharmacist or at your doctors office).
If you KNOW you're pregnant....go see your family doc for some advice on
what your options are and how best to keep you and your pregnancy in top
health.
