What are the symptoms of pregnancy?
Looking forward to becoming a mommy and hold your baby on your lap? How will you know you are pregnant? Certainly one of the most common signs is the delay of your menses. But it’s not only that! Here are some more signs that may mean that you are pregnant:
1. Sensitive and tumid. This symptom is due to a surge of hormones in your body and it is very similar to the swelling you feel when waiting for your period. This sensitivity usually starts to subside after the third month of pregnancy because your body has found a new balance and has now become accustomed to hormonal changes.
2 Frequent urination. During pregnancy, the body fluids are increased thereby increasing the flow from the kidney to the Usually this symptom occurs around the 6th week of pregnancy and is becoming more intense as the pregnancy progresses. This happens because the baby develops and the pressure exerted on the bladder increases.
3. Fatigue. Due to increased progesterone in your body, it is very likely to feel your body’s energy levels decreased and exhaustion symptoms to appear.These symptoms usually diminish during the second trimester of pregnancy.
4. Nausea and retching. There are very few women who don’t have nausea and, in most of them, these symptoms appear after completing the first month of pregnancy. There are also some women that experience heavy nausea early in the second week. The nausea and vomiting usually cease after completing the first quarter of pregnancy, while there are very few cases that continue after entering the second quarter.
5. Sensitivity to certain smells. Many women, even from the first days of pregnancy, find out that are repelled by certain smells. The same symptoms can be noticed with some food which they previously enjoyed, but during pregnancy feel aversion to. Although there is no scientific explanation to this symptom, it may be due to an increase of estrogen in the body.
6. High body temperature. If you know the temperature of your body and notice that it has suddenly increased, for a period longer than two weeks, then it is very likely to be pregnant.
7. Constipation: The increase of progesterone during pregnancy makes food pass slower into the intestine. This results frequently to constipation symptoms in pregnant women.
8. Back pain. At the beginning of a pregnancy it is very likely to feel mild back pain. This is not necessarily indicative as itmaysimply be due to poor posture or other orthopedic problems.
9. Headaches. Hormonal changes and the increased blood flow, that occurs in the body during pregnancy, are likely to cause intense headaches.
10. Cramps of the uterus. At the beginning of a pregnancy, as the uterus grows to accommodate the developing fetus, it is very likely for a woman to experience camps of the uterus. This pain is absolutely normal and is very similar to menstrual pain.
Of course, it is not necessary that all pregnant women will display some, or all, of the above symptoms, as these are not common to all. Thus, if you suspect to be pregnant you are advised to visit your gynecologist, who will confirm if the happy event is true.
In collaboration with Dr Olga. E. Bikou, Obstetrician-Surgeon-Gynaecologist
