In general, the first signs and symptoms appear 2 to 3 weeks after the sexual intercourse that led to the pregnancy.
Contrary to what many people believe, there are no symptoms of pregnancy in the first days after fertilization. The first signs appear only when the embryo implants in the uterus, a fact that occurs one to two weeks after sexual intercourse.
From the implantation of the embryo in the uterus until about the 13th week of gestation, the increase in the production of hormones will cause the woman to experience a large number of symptoms. Most appear after 5 or 6 weeks of pregnancy.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PREGNANCY
Vaginal bleeding
Frequency: uncommon.
When it arises: between the 3rd and 4th week of gestation.
The first sign of pregnancy is usually a slight vaginal bleeding. Not all women present this sign and some of those who present do not recognize it as a pregnancy symptom.
When the ovum is fertilized, it transforms into a zygote (first stage of the embryo) and begins to travel through the uterine tube towards the uterus. After 6 to 12 days of travel, the embryo reaches the uterus and implants in its wall, a process called nesting. This implantation can cause small uterine bleeding, which manifests as slight vaginal bleeding.
How is the embryo implantation bleeding?
As implantation bleeding can last up to three days, cause mild abdominal cramping and occur near the time when menstruation is expected, some women interpret it as a weak menstruation and are not suspicious that this is their first sign. of pregnancy.
In most cases, however, implantation bleeding is very inconspicuous, ranging from a dark red to a thin, slightly pink discharge.
So if you are trying to get pregnant and have a different period or flow than usual, be careful, as this can be a sign of early pregnancy.
Is it normal to have bleeding in early pregnancy?
The only vaginal bleeding considered normal in early pregnancy is that which occurs during the implantation of the embryo in the uterus. This bleeding, however, usually appears before the woman knows she is pregnant.
Importantly, implantation of the embryo in the uterus is only one of several causes of vaginal bleeding in pregnancy. More than 20% of pregnant women have some bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Any bleeding that arises after the pregnant woman knows that she is pregnant should be reported to the obstetrician.
Menstrual delay
Frequency: occurs in 100% of cases.
When it arises: around the 4th week.
Since implantation bleeding is not that common, in practice, the first symptom of pregnancy for most women ends up being a delay in menstruation. This is the signal that usually leads women to take the pregnancy test.
Does every pregnant woman have a menstrual delay?
Yes, this sign is universal for all pregnant women. Who is pregnant does not menstruate and who menstruates cannot be pregnant. We explain why in detail in the article: Is it possible to menstruate during pregnancy?
It is important to note, however, that not everyone is easy to recognize a late period. Some women have very irregular menstrual cycles and have periods of anovulation (they do not ovulate for a certain month), making the usual interval between their periods often longer than one or even two months.
In addition, as explained above, episodes of vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy can mimic a menstruation, causing the woman to notice that she is no longer menstruating.
Can menstruation delay and not be pregnancy?اعراض الحمل انسايد
Yes, menstruation can delay for several reasons other than pregnancy, including: stress, infections, change of contraceptive, changes in weight, fatigue, etc.
The very expectation of menstruation, when the woman does not want to get pregnant in any way, but if she neglected to have unprotected sex, can cause a menstrual delay.
If your period has been delayed and you are not sure of the cause, read: 15 causes of delayed menstrual periods .
How many days late can I take the pregnancy test?
Current pharmacy or blood pregnancy tests can already detect a pregnancy in progress after the first day of menstrual delay.
If your menstruation has been delayed and you suspect that you may be pregnant, read: When to do the pregnancy test?
To find out the differences between pregnancy symptoms and menstruation symptoms, access the link: Is it pregnancy or menstruation?
Cramping or abdominal pain
Frequency: common.
When it arises: between the 4th and 5th week.
Abdominal pain is a common sign of pregnancy
In addition to light bleeding, the initial pregnancy can also cause some discomfort in the lower abdomen (belly foot) or a feeling of bloating, closely resembling premenstrual symptoms.
These uncomfortable and cramps, when associated with vaginal bleeding, can very well fool pregnant women, making them think that they menstruated.
Is it normal to have colic in pregnancy?
Yes, it is perfectly normal and colic is expected during pregnancy. In the first trimester, the pain usually originates in the beginning of the growth of the uterus and in hormonal alterations.
Abdominal pain is a symptom that can appear in the first, second, or third trimester of pregnancy. In the first weeks of gestation, it may be more of a sensation of weight or discomfort than a proper colic.
We talk specifically about the causes of abdominal pain in pregnancy in the following article: Main causes of abdominal pain in pregnant women .
Breast pain
Frequency: very common.
When it arises: around the 5th week.
Another typical sign of pregnancy, the increased sensitivity of the breasts can appear early, only two or three weeks after fertilization. Many times, the simple act of touching the breasts or wearing a bra can be quite uncomfortable.
In women who do not have implantation bleeding and have not identified a delay in menstruation, breast pain may be the first pregnancy symptom to be noticed.
To learn about the main causes of breast pain, read: Causes of breast pain .
Breast enlargement
Frequency: very common.
When it arises: around the 5th week.
In addition to sensitivity, the breasts of pregnant women are also usually larger, causing a sensation of swelling.
This increase in breasts occurs due to hormonal alterations that stimulate the development of the mammary glands, preparing them for the lactation period that will come in the coming months.
The increase in the volume of the breasts usually appears 1 or 2 weeks after the pregnant woman observes that they are more sensitive.
Change in the appearance of the breasts
Frequency: very common.
When it arises: around the 5th to 6th week.
In addition to the increase in volume and pain, the hormones produced in pregnancy also cause the breasts of pregnant women to change their appearance. It is common to have darkening of the nipples and the appearance of veins around the breasts. These changes last until the end of lactation.
Another clear change in the appearance of the breasts is the appearance of Montgomery's tubercles, small nodules located in the areolas. These nodules are glands that produce secretions that keep the areola and nipple lubricated. As the breast grows throughout pregnancy, the tubercles become more and more visible.
Nausea and vomiting
Frequency: very common.
When it arises: around the 5th to 6th week.
Nausea is a pregnancy symptom that can appear in the first few weeks
Nausea and vomiting are classic symptoms of pregnancy. Up to 70% of pregnant women feel dizzy in the first trimester.
In some cases, the nausea is so severe that the woman cannot even feed herself. In severe breasts, which require medical support, they are part of a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum.
When does morning sickness appear?
Nausea usually appears after the sixth week of gestation. However, there are women who present these symptoms as early as the 4th or 5th week.
How long does pregnancy dizziness take to pass?
Nausea and vomiting are typical symptoms of the first trimester of pregnancy and tend to disappear in the second trimester. In most cases, dizziness improves after the 12th week and 90% of pregnant women no longer have any degree of nausea by the 18th week.
Why do pregnant women feel dizzy?
The causes of nausea during pregnancy are not fully understood. However, this symptom appears to be linked to the production of the HCG hormone, commonly referred to as the pregnancy hormone, which begins to be produced in large quantities when the embryo implants in the uterus.
To learn more about dizziness in pregnancy, access the link: Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy .
Constipation
Frequency: common.
When it arises: generally in the 5th to 6th week.
Increased production of the hormone progesterone in pregnancy causes some organs and tissues in the body to become "looser" or "relaxed." This occurs to facilitate the great volume expansion of the uterus to come.
Among these organs are the intestines, which, due to their reduced ability to contract, have more difficulty maintaining normal intestinal transit, resulting in constipation.
To learn more about constipation, read: Constipation .
Abdominal swelling
Frequency: common.
When it arises: around the 5th to 6th week.
You swore up until last week you could fit into those super fair jeans, and now all of a sudden the pants don't zip around your belly anymore.
This can occur because, even when the fetus is still too small to expand the uterus, some women have some swelling in the abdominal region, which occurs in preparation of the body to support uterine growth.
This swelling is another symptom that can be confused with premenstrual symptoms.
To know the main causes of abdominal bloating, access the link: Causes of abdominal bloating .
Tiredness and excessive sleep
Frequency: very common.
When it arises: 5th to 6th week.
Pregnant sleepy
A feeling of tiredness out of proportion to your daily activities is a very common pregnancy symptom. If you already have a strenuous routine during the day, it can become exhausting early in the pregnancy.
Increased sleep is also very common. Your body signals that it needs to rest more often. You may start wanting to go to bed earlier and have more difficulty waking up in the morning than usual. During the day, a good nap seems to be all you want the most.
Why do pregnant women feel so sleepy and tired?
Tiredness and sleep in pregnancy occur due to hormonal alterations, mainly progesterone, which acts directly on the central nervous system and on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
Tiredness is a symptom of early pregnancy that usually disappears in the second trimester. However, it returns at the end of the pregnancy, when the baby is already large and heavy.
To learn more about tiredness and excess sleep in pregnancy, read: Tiredness and Sleep in Pregnancy .
Frequent urination
Frequency: very common.
When it arises: from the 5th or 6th week.
After about six weeks of pregnancy, the pregnant woman begins to feel like urinating more often. These trips to the bathroom can even occur during the early morning, hampering the pregnant woman's sleep.
Why does the pregnant woman urinate frequently?
In the first weeks, increased urination occurs due to the reduction of the bladder's ability to empty completely, due to the relaxation caused by the pregnancy hormones. At the end of pregnancy, the very large fetus compresses the bladder, reducing its storage capacity and causing small volumes to already trigger the will to urinate.
Increased urinary frequency is a symptom of pregnancy that appears early, occurs in almost 100% of pregnant women and that, unfortunately, lasts until the end of pregnancy.
It is important to note that if the increased urinary frequency is accompanied by darker urine and / or burning to urinate, a urinary infection may be the cause.
To read about UTI in pregnancy, go to UTI in Pregnancy .
Food desires
Frequency: common.
When it arises: from the 6th week.
Desire for special foods is a symptom that usually appears in the second month of pregnancy.
The desire for certain foods in the first weeks of gestation is one of the most clichéd symptoms of pregnancy. These strange desires can even make vegetarian women feel like eating hamburgers.
In the same way that they acquire these desires, pregnant women can also have aversions to certain foods and / or smells. That Japanese restaurant you adore can, during pregnancy, make you nauseous just walking through the door.
Why do pregnant women feel desires?
We do not know exactly why the food cravings of pregnancy. They probably arise due to emotional disturbances and increases in hormones, mainly progesterone and HCG.
Why do some pregnant women feel like eating strange things, such as brick, ice, or dirt?
The desire to eat substances that are not culturally considered food is called picador or pica. When those strange desires crop up in pregnancy, this can be a sign of micronutrient deficiencies, such as iron, zinc, or selenium.
Changes in taste and smell
Frequency: common.
When it arises: around the 6th week.
In addition to having food cravings and aversions, palate change is another very common symptom in pregnancy.
Sweets can be too sweet, the coffee you love turns out to taste weird, and during the day you may feel a taste of metal in your mouth for no apparent reason.
Aversion to strong odors
Frequency: common.
When it arises: around the 6th week.
Just as some foods cause dizziness in the first weeks of pregnancy, strong yet pleasant smells, such as perfume or food, can make you feel dizzy. Bad or very strong odors such as cigarette smoke, gasoline, alcohol, cleaning products, etc., have the same effect.
A common pregnancy symptom is increased sensitivity to smell. The pregnant woman reports the sensation of having developed a super sense of smell. The smells that went unnoticed or did not bother, now become unbearable.
Frequent removal of gases
Frequency: common.
When it arises: around the 6th week.
Some women experience an increase in intestinal gas in the first weeks of pregnancy. This can be an embarrassing symptom in cases where the pregnant woman needs to be trapped for hours in an office or room with other people.
What are the symptoms of gas in pregnancy?
Excess gas in pregnancy manifests itself regularly: there is an increased need to burp and release flatus (fart), a feeling of distended abdomen, a sensation of gas moving in the intestines and abdominal cramps.
To learn more about intestinal gas, read: Intestinal Gases .
Dizziness
Frequency: common.
When it arises: from the 6th week.
Dizziness is one of those classic pregnancy symptoms that appear in all movies when the character becomes pregnant.
Pregnancy hormones cause various alterations in a woman's body that can actually cause dizziness; These include a drop in blood pressure, a reduction in blood sugar levels, anemia, an increased respiratory rate (which can lead to hyperventilation during physical exertion), insufficient nutrition due to nausea, etc.
To learn more about vertigos, read: Vertigo - Causes and Symptoms .
Variations of humor
Frequency: common.
When it arises: around the 6th week.
Another pregnancy symptom that everyone has seen in movies. The pregnant woman may even cry when she watches a television commercial. Small things can gain disproportionate relevance.
Sudden mood swings are also common. The pregnant woman can go from an allergy to sadness or sympathy to outbursts of a bad mood with close people from one hour to another. There are cases of pregnant women who even asked for dismissal from employment.
Headache
Frequency: uncommon.
When it arises: around the 8th week.
Hormonal changes, the relaxation of blood vessels and changes in cerebral blood flow explain why some pregnant women develop headaches during pregnancy. Stress and fatigue also contribute. Headache is a symptom that usually appears in the first weeks of pregnancy.
To read about migraine: Migraine - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment .
Vaginal discharge
Frequency: common .
When it arises: from the 8th week.
The appearance of vaginal discharge or intensification of its usual discharge are normal symptoms in pregnancy. Usually the flow becomes more intense in the second trimester of pregnancy, but some pregnant women notice the flow from the beginning of the pregnancy.
How is the normal flow of pregnancy?
The natural vaginal discharge is stimulated by estrogen and may have its volume increased in periods when there is greater hormonal stimulation, such as in cases of pregnancy.
In general, this discharge is equal to the physiological discharge that some women have, being thick, milky or transparent and odorless.
For information on vaginal discharge: Types of Vaginal Secretion: White, Yellow, Brown, etc.
Acne
Frequency: uncommon.
When it arises: from the 10th week.
Hormonal changes can cause some pregnant women to develop acne or develop acne that they already had before.
In women, acne is closely related to imbalances of sex hormones that cause an increase in skin oiliness. Acne in pregnancy can be mild or severe and appear at any time during pregnancy.
To learn more about nails and pimples, access the link: Acne - Comedones and pimples .
CAN I KNOW IF I AM PREGNANT THROUGH THE SYMPTOMS?
The diagnosis of pregnancy through symptoms was made in the old days, when there were no pregnancy tests or ultrasonography.
As the initial symptoms are very nonspecific and only become obvious after months of gestation, it is not easy or makes more sense to diagnose a pregnancy in this way. This does not mean, however, that recognizing the early symptoms is not important.
The early signs and symptoms of pregnancy serve as a stimulus for women to take a pregnancy test, be it the pharmacy pregnancy test or the blood test for the pregnancy hormone beta-hCG . Some women resort to home pregnancy tests when they suspect they are pregnant, but these, in addition to being unreliable, can still do wrong, as we explained in the article: Do home pregnancy tests work?
The sooner the patient knows that she is pregnant, the sooner she can start her prenatal treatment.In this way, you can take beneficial measures for the fetus, such as controlling blood glucose, improving diet, using supplements - such as folic acid and iron - monitor blood pressure, easily treat infections, and avoid the consumption of alcohol or drugs that are potentially harmful to the baby in the first trimester of pregnancy.
It is important to note that pregnancy symptoms are not the same for all women. In addition, the same mother may have completely different symptoms in the second pregnancy than in the first. And even when these signals are repeated, they can vary in intensity, frequency, time of emergence and duration.
Another fact that should be highlighted is the fact that many of the initial symptoms of pregnancy can be similar to the premenstrual complaints that you are used to. It is very common for women who are not pregnant to mistake premenstrual symptoms for those of a possible early pregnancy.
Curiously, the opposite is also true, since many pregnant women do not appreciate the first symptoms and will only discover that they are pregnant there at the end of the first trimester, when the signs become too obvious to be ignored (read: Is it Pregnancy or Menstruation? to better understand the differences between early signs of pregnancy and premenstrual symptoms).
For more information about pregnancy, access our text file on the subject through the following link: Pregnancy .
