Pregnancy causes significant shifts in the body’s hormonal balance. One or more of these causes a range of reactions. There are some women who have a wide range of pregnancy symptoms while others simply have a few.
Pregnancy symptoms include a lack of menstrual flow, breast enlargement, fatigue, frequent urination, and nausea or vomiting (morning sickness). Take a home pregnancy test and visit your doctor if you think you’re pregnant, but don’t assume that these symptoms imply you’re actually pregnant.
Back pain, headaches, leg cramps or varicose veins, itching or tingling, constipation, haemorrhoids or indigestion, vaginitis or vaginal discharge, and mood swings or depression are just a few of the many changes your body may go through as you near the end of your pregnancy.
Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Get medical attention right away if you develop symptoms such as vaginal bleeding or broken waters; persistent discomfort; high temperature; severe headaches; or blindness or blindness in your eyesight.
Signs of pregnancy
Pregnancy warning symptoms include:
Period was not observed.
The first indicator of pregnancy is frequently the absence of a menstruation. While some women may notice minor bleeding around the time of their expected period, this is not always the case.
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Over half of all pregnant women have morning sickness. Nephrotic syndrome is characterised by vomiting and nausea as well as a general lack of appetite. When a woman is pregnant, she is more likely than not to have symptoms of morning sickness throughout the day.
The first signs of morning sickness normally appear between the fourth and sixth week of pregnancy and subside by the twelfth week, although they can last longer or reappear as late as the 32nd week.
Breast alterations
The breasts expand, swell, and become more sensitive during pregnancy. Some of these changes may ring a bell if you’ve observed something similar in the days leading up to your period. Pregnancy darkens the skin surrounding the nipple and draws attention to the veins in the breast.
Fatigue
Early on in a pregnancy, it’s not uncommon to feel exhausted all the time. Progesterone, a sex hormone, is most likely to blame for this dramatic rise. When you’re pregnant, you need progesterone to keep the pregnancy going and help the baby grow. However, this hormone lowers your metabolism.
This is a good time to obtain some extra sleep or rest. When the placenta is fully established in the fourth month of pregnancy, your energy levels should begin to return.
Anemia, which is most usually caused by iron deficiency, can also lead to exhaustion during pregnancy. Pregnant women should eat iron-rich meals in order to avoid iron deficiency anaemia. Pregnant women who suffer from anaemia are prescribed iron supplements.
Urination on a regular basis
The kidneys work harder and produce more urine while a woman is pregnant. The bladder is also pressed against by the uterus’s growth. In the first few weeks of pregnancy, most women notice an increase in their urine frequency.
A need for food
During pregnancy, cravings for specific meals, particularly those high in energy and calcium, such as milk and other dairy products, are typical. It’s possible that you’ll suddenly lose interest in meals you used to enjoy.
Even non-food objects like soil or paper might develop a peculiar flavour for certain women. This is known as ‘pica’ and may be a sign of a nutritional shortage. If this persists, make an appointment with your doctor or midwife.
Other symptoms of pregnancy
There are several illnesses that might cause these symptoms. Make an appointment with your primary care physician if you have any questions.
Backache
More than one in three pregnant women suffer from back discomfort. Pregnancy-induced ligament slackening and postural changes are typically to blame.
Wearing flat-heeled shoes, sitting in a chair with appropriate back support, avoiding heavy lifting, and engaging in light exercise can all help alleviate back pain during pregnancy. It has been shown that pregnancy-related back discomfort can be alleviated with water exercise, physiotherapy, and auriculotherapy.
Breathlessness
Progesterone, a hormone released early in pregnancy, boosts your lungs’ ability to hold air. As a result, you and your baby will be able to use more oxygen and eliminate waste products like carbon dioxide. You intake and expel more air each time you take a breath, and your lungs expand as a result. You may feel as though you are struggling to take a breath because of this.
Additionally, as you near the end of your pregnancy, the increased strain on your diaphragm from the expanding uterus and growing baby might make breathing more difficult.
If you suddenly become short of breath for any of the following reasons, call your doctor or midwife right away.
• Pain
• A thumping heart (heart pounding)
• Exhaustion to the max
• Exercise.
Constipation
Infrequent, firm bowel motions that are difficult to evacuate are referred to as “constipation.” Pregnancy hormones might impede your gastrointestinal movement, or the developing uterus can put pressure on your rectum, resulting in constipation.
Pregnant women who are experiencing constipation are encouraged to:
• Stay hydrated throughout the day.
• Eat more fibre to improve your digestive health (such as bran, wheat and fresh fruit and vegetables).
• Swimming, strolling, or practising yoga are all examples of low-impact exercises that may be done at home.
Make sure to talk to your doctor or midwife before using laxatives over the counter. You can ask your doctor or midwife for a prescription for a safe laxative to take during pregnancy if dietary and lifestyle modifications don’t help.
Haemorrhoids are a common ailment (piles)
Constipation or the weight of your baby’s head might cause haemorrhoids (also known as piles) to form. Rest assured that most of these symptoms will go away on their own within a few days of birth.
There are a number of things you may do to alleviate the symptoms of haemorrhoids:
• Increase your water and fibre consumption to alleviate or avoid constipation.
• After a bowel movement, sit in warm, salty water for around 15 minutes.
• Apply a haemorrhoid cream.
Talk to your doctor or midwife if the bleeding or discomfort persists.
Headaches
The second part of pregnancy is the best time to see your doctor or midwife if you are experiencing a headache that is not alleviated by paracetamol (like Panadol).
It’s possible that pre-eclampsia, which can increase blood pressure and reduce supply to your baby due to kidney damage, is the cause of a chronic headache.
Inflammation of the oesophagus and stomach
Reflux, indigestion, and heartburn are all terms used to describe the pain and discomfort caused by stomach acid refluxing into the oesophagus.
Pregnant women are more likely to suffer from indigestion because of the increased pressure of the uterus on the abdominal organs and the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the muscle between the oesophagus and stomach.
The following steps should be taken if you are having problems with heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion:
• Take smaller, more frequent sips of food.
• Avoid consuming food within three hours of going to bed.
• Use extra pillows to lift your head when you sleep.
• Dress comfortably and loosely.
• Alcohol, caffeine, spicy meals, fried foods, and other high-fat, high-fat foods should all be avoided if you are suffering from a cold or flu (including tea, coffee, chocolate and cola).
• Before using antacids, talk to your doctor.
Contact your doctor if these methods fail to alleviate your symptoms; he or she may recommend a prescription that can safely limit the production of acid.
Skin that is itchy
Pregnancy-related itchiness is rare, but not unheard of. When it’s there, it can be quite upsetting, making it difficult to relax and enjoy one’s pregnancy as much as possible. The itching may be caused by anything that isn’t obvious. A blood test can rule out significant liver disease in the rare situations when it’s the cause.
Cramping in the legs
Leg cramps are brought on by the accumulation of acids in the muscles, which results in the contractions of the afflicted muscles without their consent. Most of the time, they occur at night for the majority of pregnant women. In the second and third trimesters, leg cramps are more common than in the first.
Leg cramps can be alleviated by doing the following during an episode:
Take a stroll.
If acids have built up in your muscles, stretch and massage them to release them.
Put a hot pack on the sore spot (s).
Make sure to talk to your doctor or midwife about the possibility of taking magnesium lactate or citrate every day.
Changes in mood
The irritability experienced by some newly pregnant women might be a sign of hormonal shifts. It’s common for pregnant women to feel elated. Pregnancy hormones may affect brain chemistry, resulting in mood swings.
One in ten women will suffer depression at some point in their pregnancy. Early intervention is critical for pregnant women who are sad or experiencing symptoms of depression, as depression is curable. So please, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your doctor, midwife or childbirth educator as soon as possible.
Hand tingling and numbness (carpal tunnel syndrome)
Up to 60% of pregnant women suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes tingling and numbness in the hands. Compression of the median nerve during pregnancy is to blame, as is an increase in tissue fluids.
In some cases, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause the thumb to become partially paralysed or lose all feeling. Symptoms are normally gone within a few weeks of delivery.
Notify your doctor or midwife if you get tingling or numbness in your hands. Your doctor may prescribe corticosteroid injections or surgery if the condition is severe enough.
Discharge from the womb
When a woman is pregnant, it is not uncommon for her vaginal discharge to rise. If you’re experiencing itching, soreness, a foul odour, or pain while urinating, it might be an infection. See a general practitioner (GP) if you need help.
Vaginitis
Inflammation of the vagina is known as vaginitis, and it is an unpleasant condition that affects a lot of women. During pregnancy, it occurs more frequently. Vaginal thrush, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and chlamydia are some of the more common causes of vaginitis. For diagnosis and treatment, see your doctor.
Vascular disease, including varicose veins, and leg edema (swelling)
Pregnancy increases the risk of varicose veins in the legs because of the increased volume of blood flowing through the body and the strain placed on the bigger veins by the growing uterus. Swelling (oedema) of the lower limbs might arise from the increased pressure on the veins, causing discomfort, heaviness, cramps, and other strange symptoms.
People also search
How early do pregnancy symptoms start?
Pregnancy symptoms begin at what point? Sensitivity to smell and sore breasts are among the very early indicators of pregnancy that may develop before you miss your period. Other early signs of pregnancy like spotting may show up approximately one week after the sperm reaches the egg.
What are the 10 signs of pregnancy?
Early Pregnancy Symptoms to Look Out For
• A lapse in sex. A missing period is usually the first symptom that a woman is pregnant, especially in the early stages.
• Urination on a regular basis.
• Breasts that are swollen or painful.
• Weakness…
• A feeling of nauseousness, whether or not you vomit.
• Cramping and light spots….
• Constipation….
• Feelings fluctuate.
How can I tell if Im pregnant after 1 week?
• Signs of pregnancy in the first week
• Anorexia and/or vomiting
• Tenderness, swelling, or tingling in the breasts, as well as the presence of blue veins, are all signs of breast alterations.
• Urination on a regular basis.
• Headache.
• Elevated body temperature during rest.
• When the stomach fills up, this is known as gas.
• Mild cramping or pain in the pelvis, but no bleeding has occurred.
• The feeling of sleepiness or exhaustion.
Can I feel pregnant after 2 days?
Depending on the woman, symptoms might appear as soon as a week or two after conception or months afterwards. The majority of women can tell within two or three weeks of conceiving whether or not they are pregnant, although other women may tell within a few days.
