When women are newly pregnant they have very little evidence that a baby is on its way unless they decide they need to take a pregnancy test and it shows a positive result.
Even having a positive test result without any baby bump, morning sickness or baby movement, it is sometimes difficult to believe that the pregnancy is real. By becoming familiar with early pregnancy signs, women can lose a bit of their anxiety and be more confident that they are actually pregnant.
Common Early Pregnancy Signs
There are several physical early pregnancy signs that indicate egg fertilization. When a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine lining, spotting and cramping can occur.
The spotting is light and is referred to as implantation bleeding. These symptoms occur a few days after fertilization and a few days before the expected period. Since implantation bleeding and cramps are similar to menstrual bleeding and cramps, they are easily mistaken for an early period.
Vaginal discharge, changes in breast appearance and increased breast sensitivity are also early pregnancy signs. These symptoms can begin around the time of implantation and prior to a missed period.
Additional early indicators of pregnancy are fatigue and morning sickness. These typically start around week six. Of course, at around four weeks a woman should experience the significant pregnancy indicator of missing a period.
Although these signs of pregnancy are all legitimate indicators, they can also be attributed to other factors and should not be relied on to confirm pregnancy. Only positive blood tests from a doctor’s office, taken with a few days in between, are the most reliable, true indicators of pregnancy.
When to Take a Pregnancy Test
It goes without saying that pregnancy tests are the most definitive proof of any early pregnancy signs. These days the tests are so sensitive that they can detect pregnancy a few days after an egg is fertilized.
It is hard to believe, but you can actually learn about your pregnancy even before you miss a period. After ovulation, when the egg becomes fertilized, it begins creating human growth hormone.
A pregnancy test checks for any HGH in your urine. It is nearly impossible to get a false positive test. Humans do not have human growth hormone in their bodies naturally unless they are pregnant, still recovering from a miscarriage, or injecting it.
You can take a blood test from your doctor’s office or an early urine test on your own, and receive a positive as early as the ninth day after ovulation.
Early Pregnancy Signs: The Bottom Line
If you are trying to become pregnant, remember that early pregnancy signs can sometimes be misleading. Try not to spend too much time worrying about what is or is not a sign that you are pregnant.
It may be difficult, but wait until you have missed your period to take a pregnancy test. Although you can get a positive test as early as nine days past ovulation, chances of a false negative or positive are higher before your period is due.
Remember that a chemical pregnancy test can give a false positive before a period is due. Doctors do not rely on any other early pregnancy signs other than positive blood tests.
Once you have a missed period and have a definitive, positive pregnancy test in hand, call your doctor or midwife to determine next steps.
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