| Most women are aware that a missed period can be | | | | while some have none at all. |
| a telltale sign of pregnancy. However, many changes | | | | -Food Cravings: Cravings for specific foods strike |
| take place in a woman’s body during pregnancy, | | | | many women during pregnancy. Developing new |
| some of which can help identify a pregnancy even | | | | aversions to certain foods is also common. While you |
| before a missed period. Recognizing other signs of | | | | may crave something other than the clichéd pickles |
| pregnancy can be particularly important for women | | | | and ice cream, craving unusual combinations of foods |
| whose periods are irregular and difficult to predict. Bear | | | | is not uncommon during pregnancy. |
| in mind that every woman’s body is unique, and | | | | -Mood Swings: Hormones levels in the body change |
| signs of pregnancy vary from woman to woman and | | | | dramatically during pregnancy, which can result in |
| among pregnancies for the same woman. Here we | | | | mood swings. Mood swings are a normal part of |
| examine some common signs of pregnancy that may | | | | pregnancy. Like many other signs addressed here, |
| be evident in the early stages: | | | | mood swings can be caused by a variety of factors |
| -Implantation Bleeding: Some women experience | | | | and do not necessarily signify pregnancy. |
| implantation bleeding, which is bleeding that occurs | | | | -Intuition: Perhaps more powerful than a checklist of |
| after fertilization when the fertilized egg is implanted in | | | | symptoms is good old fashioned women’s intuition. |
| the uterus. Implantation bleeding is usually lighter in color | | | | Some women report that they just “know” they |
| and flow than a regular period and shorter in duration. | | | | are pregnant, even when other signs of pregnancy are |
| -Fatigue: Pregnancy places a lot of new demands on | | | | not blatantly obvious. Perhaps they are experiencing |
| a woman’s body, and a feeling of tiredness or | | | | pregnancy symptoms but have not consciously |
| fatigue is common. Fatigue is often most noticeable | | | | connected them with a possible pregnancy, or maybe |
| during the first trimester. | | | | nature has equipped women with such strong intuition |
| -Heightened Sensitivity to Scent: Many pregnant | | | | that their bodies simply “tell” them they are |
| women experience a heightened sensitivity to scents, | | | | pregnant. Either way, women with this instinct are |
| even to the extent that certain odors can induce | | | | often right, so do not hesitate to take a pregnancy test |
| vomiting. Even scents that the woman would normally | | | | based on a strong hunch. |
| enjoy may become unpleasant or unbearable. A | | | | Remember, not all women experience all of these |
| heightened sense of smell can occur very early in | | | | symptoms during pregnancy, and the presence of |
| pregnancy. | | | | these symptoms does not necessarily mean you are |
| -Nausea/Vomiting: Morning sickness occurs during | | | | pregnant. It is advised to visit a doctor specializing in |
| pregnancy for many women, but is not limited to the | | | | obstetrical care as early as possible if you suspect |
| wee hours. Some pregnant women experience | | | | you are pregnant. |
| nausea and possibly vomiting throughout pregnancy, | | | | |