When a woman becomes pregnant, a hormonal revolution takes place in her body that gives rise to the first symptoms of pregnancy .
The action of human chorionic gonadotropin (the pregnancy hormone), together with that of estrogens and progesterone, provoke a series of physiological mechanisms that indicate that gestation has begun, and can occur even before you know that you are expecting a baby .
Some women may have symptoms without actually being pregnant, so it is best to do a pregnancy test to confirm it.
First symptoms of pregnancy
1. Lack of menstruation
Some symptoms may appear before you know you are missing your period. However, amenorrhea (absence of bleeding) is the most obvious symptom of pregnancy , although it can also be due to other circumstances such as stress, hormonal changes outside of pregnancy or some other cause.
However, there may be bleeding that can be confused with menstruation, but is actually implantation bleeding.
Implantation bleeding, also known as false menstruation, is a slight loss of blood caused by the nesting of the fertilized egg in the wall of the uterus. It occurs between six and ten days after fertilization , a period that agrees with the expected date for menstruation, which is why it is often confused with its arrival.
2. Tender breasts
The breasts begin to prepare to begin producing milk from the beginning of pregnancy. They begin to suffer alterations that cause swelling, a tingling sensation and extreme sensitivity , causing any friction to cause pain.
The sudden increase in the hormone progesterone affects the growth of the mammary glands and estrogens in the development of the milk ducts, causing an increase in blood flow, the layer of fat and an increase in the size of the milk ducts. milk glands.
3. Pain in the belly
It is common during the first weeks to feel pain in the lower abdomen similar to premenstrual pain or the one felt during menstruation. In fact, it is common for the first symptoms of pregnancy to be confused with those of menstruation.
You may also feel stinging accompanied by pain in your lower back. It is due to congestion of the uterus, when the embryo is taking root in the uterine lining.
4. Nausea and vomiting
Also caused by the action of hormones, most pregnant women experience nausea during the first trimester of pregnancy, although in some cases it can last longer, even until the end of pregnancy.
Nausea can be accompanied by excessive salivation or vomiting. There are things you can’t even smell, especially in the morning, because right away it makes you want to vomit. You can even dislike certain foods.
To combat nausea you can use some tips to keep them at bay, such as eating certain foods that help relieve nausea and eating several small meals a day.
Morning sickness is more frequent, although there are women who experience it at any other time of the day, and even throughout the day.
5. Indigestion
It is normal to have the feeling of an upset stomach and that everything you eat makes you feel bad. Due to the increase in progesterone that relaxes the intestinal muscles, it is also common to have gas.
There are even women who lose weight in the first few weeks because they feel reluctant to many foods.
6. Swelling
The increase in blood volume is responsible for this (and many other discomforts), since it causes excess fluid to accumulate in the tissues of the pregnant woman, causing swelling in the legs, feet or hands.
7. Dizziness, low blood pressure, or fainting spells
Dizziness occurs when there is a drop in blood pressure , because the body’s cardiovascular system is adapting to the new situation.
They are usually more frequent in the morning but can occur at any time of the day and end in fainting, such as after eating, because a greater amount of blood is concentrated in digestion, or because of standing for a long time.
There are some recommendations that you can take into account to avoid dizziness, such as: avoid sudden changes in position, crowded places, without ventilation and always carry a candy in your bag to drink when you feel dizzy, it will help to raise the blood sugar level.
8. Tiredness and sleep
During pregnancy, the volume of blood increases to house the baby and the pulse increases, so the body demands more rest. A feeling of tiredness, listlessness and sleep appears that sometimes you cannot control and you feel that you fall asleep no matter where you are.
Rest whenever you can, because if the body demands it, it is because it needs to recover the energy consumed in the creation of a new life.
9. Implantation bleeding
Some women may experience light dark bleeding that can be confused with the arrival of the period, but it is not that: it is what is known as implantation bleeding. It is a slight erosion that occurs in the walls of the uterus when the fertilized egg is implanted.
It lasts less than menstruation, at most 2-3 days and it is not abundant, you will notice that it stains the underwear.
10. Changes in the sense of smell and taste
Many women who have already been pregnant find that they are again when they notice changes in their sense of smell and taste again.
Things that did not bother you before now produce even nausea just by smelling them, they begin to reject some foods because they smell strange or because they cause you rejection, when before you ate them without problems.
11. Mood swings and extreme sensitivity
The action of hormones can cause your mood to fluctuate constantly and you feel more sensitive than usual. You can be crying and the minute you laugh out loud.
12. Headache
The body is preparing to house the baby, so changes happen at all levels . Headache may also occur, which is concentrated on both sides of the head and in the nape of the neck,
13. Nasal congestion
The woman may have the sensation of having a cold without having a cold. It is the so-called rhinitis of pregnancy caused by the dilation of blood vessels due to the action of hormones.
14. Excessive salivation
Another discomfort that appears in early pregnancy is excessive salivation or hypersalivation, perhaps one of the lesser known discomforts of pregnancy.
It is caused by the hormonal changes of the first weeks that cause alterations in the mouth. It is associated with nausea, since swallowing excess saliva contributes to that feeling of discomfort or it may occur precisely when you feel nauseous.
15. Increased need to urinate
You may feel bloated, that everything you eat feels bad, there are even women who lose weight during the first weeks because they feel rejection of many foods.
A pregnancy test can be the first option to make sure. However, it is good to remember that most pregnancy tests sold on the market are not accurate in an early stage of pregnancy, so days (even a few weeks) after conception the result may be negative but really in state.
Photos | iStock and Dan Zen on Flickr
In Babies and more | How old am I? The equivalence between weeks and months of pregnancy
