The pregnancy journey is unique for every woman. From feeling the exact moment of conception to feeling nothing until the baby starts to poke their head out (it happens more than you’d think — just ask MTV), the symptoms of pregnancy can vary wildly. Show
While most of us miss the egg and sperm meet-and-greet (aka fertilization), some women do have symptoms as early as 8 to 14 days after ovulation. By week 8, 90 percent of women who have a baby on board will experience pregnancy symptoms. It can be a bit confusing, but your due date is calculated using the first day of your last menstrual period. Regardless of whether you were actually pregnant yet, this date becomes “week 1” of pregnancy. Many of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy are easy to miss, since they can mimic premenstrual symptoms (#Joy). Some women skip right through the early symptoms, but all women will miss their period if they’re pregnant. 1. Spotty with a chance of crampsWe usually don’t think of bleeding and babying as going hand in hand, but spotting, light bleeding, and cramping are some of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy and are perfectly normal. When the fetus (technically at this point a cluster of rapidly multiplying cells called a blastocyst) implants in your endometrium, or uterus lining, between week 1 and 4, it can trigger implantation bleeding. Implantation most commonly takes place on days 10 to 14. The bleeding is usually light and lasts less than 3 days. About 75 percent of women don’t experience any spotting or bleeding. Some women experience intermittent mild cramping not associated with implantation bleeding. This type of cramping is due to your uterus expanding and can happen off and on during your first trimester. What to know:
When to worry: Heavy bleeding or severe cramping after a pregnancy diagnosis could be a sign of trouble and warrants medical attention. 2: Oozy coochie-cooA milky-white or clear discharge can be an early symptom of pregnancy. What to know:
Tip: Wear a panty liner to absorb fluid when you’re feeling extra juicy. When to worry: If itchiness or a strong, foul odor is present, this could be a sign of a yeast infection, bacterial infection, or sexually transmitted infection. Seek medical treatment, because infections can increase the chance of miscarriage. 3: Hey, Aunt Flo, where’d ya go?If you have regular cycles and you’ve 👉👌 recently, missing your period is a pretty good indication there could be a baby brewing. What to know:
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When to worry: If you were hoping not to be pregnant, now might be a time for concern (#KiddingNotKidding). 4: Gag-gag goo-gooGot that barf bag handy? As many as 80 percent of pregnant women report nausea and vomiting (also called morning sickness, though it can happen at any time of day) during their first trimester, starting around week 5 or 6. What to know:
When to worry: If you can’t keep any fluids down, you could become dehydrated. Severe, chronic nausea may indicate hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition that affects up to 3 percent of pregnant women. Call your doctor if you’re concerned and home remedies aren’t helping. Tips:
5. Snooze on repeatIf you can hardly keep your eyes open while watching “Outlander,” then you know baby is draining your energy. Fatigue and sleepiness are common complaints during the first trimester. Tips:
6. Pain in the boobDue to the influx of hormones and the fact you’re slowly becoming a walking milk machine, tingling, tender, achy breasts are common during pregnancy. What to know: Breast changes show up most often during weeks 4 to 6 of pregnancy (and then again around week 11), but you may notice your girls get grouchy even earlier. Tips:
7. Beyond-busy bladderAround week 6 you may notice an increase in your bathroom activity due to frequent urination, which can be caused by hormonal changes, pressure on your bladder, and weak pelvic floor muscles. Tips:
8. BloatingSome days you may feel like you’re carrying more than a baby on board… as in a pizza, twins, and some cheesecake. Bloating is caused by hormonal changes, which can slow your digestive system. It can be a sign of early pregnancy, but it can also be a sign of PMS. Some tips to fight the bloat? Drink lots of water, fill up on fiber, eat smaller meals, and chew slowly. 9. Motion potion, pleaseMotion sickness (nausea and dizziness caused by motion, especially in a vehicle) can get worse when you’re pregnant. This is because your body is in hormone overload, which can increase your sensitivity to certain stimuli. Like moving objects. Tips:
10. Headache hellHeadaches are one of the most common issues pregnant women have in the first trimester. What to know:
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11. All the feelsAre Instagram puppies and beer commercials bringing you to tears? Pregnant women are known to have big emotions — and for good reason, since tiny-person-making is kind of a big deal. What to know: Mood swings can be a natural result of all the changes taking place. They can also be caused by the usual culprits (diet, hormones, lack of sleep, lack of exercise). Eating well, sleeping well, and moving well can help stabilize those emotions. When to worry: There’s a difference between mood swings and depression. If you’re having recurrent feelings of hopelessness, death, suicide, worthlessness, anxiety, and apathy toward activities you usually enjoy, you may have depression and should seek support from a trusted friend, therapist, or doctor. 12. High blood pressureThere’s nothing cute about high blood pressure, especially when you have a baby on board. Monitoring your blood pressure is an important part of your prenatal care, since chronic high blood pressure affects the baby and can increase your risk of preeclampsia, a serious medical condition. What to know:
Tip: Breathe, baby, breathe. A 2017 study found that slow breathing exercises could reduce blood pressure. Breathwork doesn’t require as much willpower as changing your diet, so it’s a great place to start if you want to lower your blood pressure naturally. 13. Baby feverIt takes a little heat to cook up a baby. A persistently elevated basal body temperature (BBT) can be a sign of early pregnancy. BBT is your morning body temperature before you hop out of bed. Some factors other than pregnancy that can raise it include: drinking alcohol before bed, jet lag, using an electric blanket, stress, and a cold or infection. 14. Heart all aflutterYour heart is sending a lot of extra blood to your uterus. To get this additional life force fluid flowing, your heart will work as much as 50 percent harder, resulting in an increased heart rate. This can cause occasional heart palpitations, which feel like fluttering or like your heart is beating very fast. 15. Super sleepy beautyHas your tiredness reached the faceplant-in-your-cereal stage? First trimester fatigue can be at its peak around week 9. The good news is, many women experience a surge of energy in their second and third trimesters. 16. Nip flipsAlmost every woman will experience changes in the size and texture of her nipples during pregnancy. These changes can make your nipples sore and sensitive. What to know:
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17. Baby bumps… on your faceYou may look forward to that perfect pregnancy complexion only to end up with a face (or chest or back) full of angry red bumps instead. Pregnancy acne is a not-so-fun symptom common in the first and second trimesters. What to know:
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18. Putting on the poundsToward the end of your first trimester, you may notice you’ve gained some weight — on average 1 to 4 pounds. If your clothes are starting to feel a little snug, it might be time for maternity pants. What to know: The amount of weight you should gain during pregnancy depends on your prepregnancy weight. For a woman had a moderate weight before pregnancy, the general recommendation is 25 to 35 pounds. 19. Rad radianceFinally, a symptom to look forward to! The legendary pregnancy glow is one of the most sought-after symptoms. Hormones get the credit, of course, as well as all that extra blood you have circulating. Some people say the excitement and joy of the pending arrival may also contribute to your brilliant complexion. You glow, girl! 20. All stuffed upA less commonly discussed pregnancy symptom is a stuffy nose, also called pregnancy rhinitis. This condition usually crops up in the second semester and can continue until delivery. What to know: Pregnancy rhinitis is caused by hormones and expanding blood vessels. If you’re blowing your nose a lot, you could irritate the mucus lining, which can cause a bloody nose. Gross? Yes. Harmful? No. Tips:
21. Screaming for ice cream — with a side of picklesAround half of pregnant women report cravings for odd food combinations and/or aversions to foods they normally enjoy. What to know:
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22. Toilet troublesIrregular bowel movements, hard stools, and abdominal pain are symptoms of constipation, a condition that may affect around 75 percent of all pregnant women at some point in their pregnancy. What to know:
23. Feeling faintDizziness and fainting are possible symptoms of pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. Possible causes:
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24. Puffy partsEdema is the medical term for swelling in the feet, legs, and ankles caused by fluid retention. It’s usually harmless, but it can be pretty uncomfortable. What to know:
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When to worry: Pain accompanied by swelling in one leg could be a blood clot and warrants immediate medical attention. 25. Back attackIt’s no secret pregnant women often experience back pain. With your center of gravity thrown off and a watermelon strapped to your belly, your back is working hard to keep up with all the rapid changes. Tips:
26. Sneeze and peesWith all that pressure on your pelvic floor, a little bladder blowout from time to time is perfectly understandable — as well as perfectly awkward. What to know:
Tip: Keep at those Kegels. Pelvic floor exercises are the only practical way to rejuvenate your perineal muscles to pre-baby status. But be careful not to over-Kegel (yes, it’s a thing). 27. That SOBConsidering that they’re front-loaded with a 30-pound beach ball all day every day, it’s no wonder about 70 percent of pregnant women say they experience SOB (shortness of breath — what did you think we meant?). It’s most common in the later stages of pregnancy but can show up in the first trimester when the fetus starts encroaching on your breathing bags. Tips:
28. Heartburn (or hairburn?)Heartburn (aka acid reflux) is a common issue in pregnancy and is caused by stomach acid pushing up into your esophagus. With a growing baby gobbling up interior real estate, it’s understandable that most pregnant women experience the burn to some degree, especially in the last trimester. Tips:
While it’s a beautiful ride to baby town, expect to experience some turbulence along the way — especially in the first few months. Keep in mind that symptoms often smooth out during the second trimester. As your body goes through so many changes, remember to give it the fuel of love and appreciation. After all, you’re embarking on one of the most incredible adventures in life: the magical journey to motherhood! Is 16 days past ovulation too early to test?You can take a pregnancy test 14 to 16 days after ovulation — usually after a missed period — if you're using a urine (at-home) pregnancy test. If you want to use a blood pregnancy test — usually done in a lab or a doctors office — you may be able to test a little earlier.
Can implantation happen at 16dpo?Implantation may happen as early as 5 or 6 days after fertilization or as late as 11 or more DPO.
How many DPO is period due?Your period should then start around 14 or 15 days after ovulation. After ovulation, you may experience various symptoms of PMS, whether or not you're pregnant. If these PMS symptoms disappear at about 10 DPO, you're probably not pregnant and a test may be unnecessary.
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