Early pregnancy is marked by significant changes in your body as it adjusts and prepares to nurture a new, growing baby. Hormonal fluctuations caused by pregnancy hormones like hCG and progesterone are the main culprits behind the common symptoms experienced during pregnancy. These hormones directly impact the way your body functions, resulting in physical and emotional changes.
A missed period is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. Although it’s not always the most reliable indicator, as periods can sometimes be irregular, it’s one of the most common early signs that you may be pregnant. You may experience some of the other symptoms, such as fatigue or nausea around the same time. When these pregnancy symptoms start can vary for each woman (and each pregnancy).
Each pregnancy is different, and not all pregnant women will experience all symptoms listed above. You may even find yourself experiencing symptoms that are more “uncommon” and seem a bit strange. Pregnancy requires a lot of change to your body as it cares for your growing baby and prepares for labor, and it’s common for some of those changes to be a little “weird”.
Some cold symptoms in early pregnancy can be common (such as nasal congestion). Pregnancy can cause inflammation to the mucous membranes lining your nose and also increased blood flow in your nasal passages. This can sometimes cause symptoms that may mimic a cold.
As your hormones are fluctuating and your body is changing, it is certainly common for early pregnancy symptoms to “come and go”. It is also quite common for pregnancy symptoms, such as morning sickness, to ease up a bit as you progress from the first trimester to the second trimester as well.
While there are many options of reliable birth control, abstinence is the only birth control that will 100% prevent pregnancy. If you are on birth control, have recently had unprotected sex, and believe you could be pregnant, you certainly could be. You’ll want to take a pregnancy test to confirm.
First Care Women’s Health offers free pregnancy testing to help you know for certain.
Some signs and symptoms of pregnancy can start as soon as conception occurs. For some women, these early symptoms can appear within days after conception, while for others they may take weeks.
If you find yourself experiencing early pregnancy symptoms and think you might be pregnant, the professionals at First Care Women’s Health are here to support you.
We offer free, confidential, lab-quality pregnancy testing as well as a free ultrasound to confirm pregnancy and viability (no insurance necessary).
With locations in Manassas and Woodbridge, we serve the communities of Bristow, Buckland, Dale City, Dumfries, Gainesville, Haymarket, Lakeridge, Manassas, Montclair, Nokesville, Occoquan, Quantico, Triangle, Woodbridge, and greater Prince William County.
With locations in Manassas and Woodbridge, we serve the communities of Bristow, Buckland, Dale City, Dumfries, Gainesville, Haymarket, Lakeridge, Manassas, Montclair, Nokesville, Occoquan, Quantico, Triangle, Woodbridge, and greater Prince William County.
