Top 10 Early Pregnancy Symptoms

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The only sure-fire way of testing if you are pregnant is to get a home pregnancy test or to see a medical practitioner. However, there are a group of symptoms which can indicate that you're pregnant which some women experience really early in pregnancy - so take a look through the following list and if you recognise your symptoms then get a test to find out for sure!

Headaches

Increased headaches can be caused by all those hormones flowing around your body. They can also make you moody and agitated.

Other possible causes - Dehydration, impending period or a wide range of other reasons.

Tiredness or fatigue

Many pregnant women feel exhausted in the first few weeks of pregnancy, and the cause is unknown although it may be to do with large amounts of hormones flowing around your body preparing it for carrying a child!

Other possible causes - General exhaustion or illness can cause tiredness

Abdominal bloating

Those hormones again! You may notice that your clothes fit more snugly than normal and you feel bloated

Other possible causes - Period being due

Swollen or tender breasts

Your breasts can become tender or swollen from as little as 1-2 weeks after conception!

Other possible causes - A due period or birth control pills can cause sore, tender breasts.

Nausea and sickness

Morning sickness usually arrives at 2-8 weeks for the majority of unlucky mums, this may be short-lived, or for some continue through pregnancy

Other possible causes - Food poisoning and other illnesses, or stress.

Frequent urination

Need to go to the bathroom all the time? From about 6 weeks, many women find that they need to urinate more frequently. This is caused by increased liquid being stored by your body, and therefore the liver processing more urine.

Other possible causes - Urinary tract infection, diabetes or drinking lots of fluids!

Implantation bleeding

6-12 days after conception, the embryo implants itself in the wall of your uterus, and this can cause spotting or cramps.

Other possible causes - Actual period, or infection

Food cravings

You might not be longing for ice-cream with chilies or a nice lump of coal, but a craving for certain foods is a common pregnancy symptom, which can begin very early in pregnancy

Other possible causes - Lack of certain nutrients, bad diet.

Nipples (areola) becoming larger and darker

Many women's areola become darker and larger during pregnancy, this is completely natural!

Other possible causes - Hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy

Missed period

This is the most obvious sign of pregnancy. Although many women bleed during pregnancy, it is normally lighter and briefer than a normal period

Other possible causes - Stress, excessive weight loss/gain, birth control pills