Signs of Pregnancy

You can see and feel the earliest possible signs of pregnancy very early on even when your tummy is still flat You can catch signs that youre pregnant even when your tummy is still this flat The earliest signs of pregnancy do vary among women but one thing is for certain many women dont need a positive pregnancy test to know when theyre expecting Some of the earliest signs of pregnancy happen before even physical pregnancy symptoms start Dreams of pregnancy or simply a general feeling of something being different have been reported by women through the years baby clothes,baby name,birth control pills,breastfeeding,during pregnancy,early pregnancy test,exercise during pregnancy,getting pregnant,healthy pregnancy,home pregnancy test,how to get pregnant,maternity,miscarriage,pregnancy,pregnancy due date,pregnancy guide,pregnancy nutrition,pregnancy signs,pregnancy weight gain,signs of pregnancy,teenage pregnancy,trying to conceive,trying to get pregnant Many times these deep inner feelings are correct Some of the earliest possible physical pregnancy signs include breast changes nausea and tiredness Following is a more indepth look at the above signs of pregnancy

Pregnancy Dreams

Pregnancy dreams very early in pregnancy sometimes even before are not unheard of There are many reports of extra vivid dreams during early pregnancy that continue through the pregnancy There have even been books written about the significance of pregnancy dreams like Dreaming for Two The Hidden Emotional Life of Expectant Mothers by Sindy Greenberg Elyse Kroll and Hillary Grill

Many times those early and later dreams are thought to be caused by the change in hormones Although its never been scientifically explained there are women who swear that theyve had a dream theyre pregnant or even dreamed of their babys gender before actually finding out from the doctor that theyre expecting See what other parents dream about while pregnant

Some women have what you could call a general feeling They just know that theyre pregnant This is not quite the same as dreams This gut feeling currently has no scientific explanation but many women report it

Breast Changes

Breast changes are almost always the first physical sign women notice when they become pregnant During the very first week of pregnancy your breasts start becoming ready for milk production This breast prep results in soreness darker areola area around the nipple pronounced veins and little bumps that may appear on the areola Because breast changes start so soon this is one of the earliest possible signs of pregnancy Breast changes are an especially significant sign if youre not expecting your period or if you dont normally have any breast changes

Tiredness

Tiredness like breast changes can start early on in pregnancy From the moment you conceive your body begins a process of growth and support for the fetus that is really draining on your body energywise Metabolic changes of any kind can make you tired In literature pregnancy metabolic changes have been compared to the same effects your body may experience if you were constantly climbing a mountain for nine months Thats a lot of work Normally the extreme tiredness of being pregnant will vanish around the 3 month mark Some women are tired all the way though pregnancy though as well Tiredness tends to be a good sign for women who have not been pregnant before because its a tired theyre not used to

Nausea

Another one of the earliest possible signs of pregnancy is nausea Nausea is not the same as breast changes in that almost all women have pregnancy breast changes but not all women feel nausea

Nausea is also caused by pregnancy hormonal changes and can start as soon as the first week of pregnancy Pregnancy nausea is often called morning sickness but can actually occur at any time of the day Nausea during pregnancy can be triggered by foods smells activity or seemingly nothing

Many women experience distaste for unhealthy items during early pregnancy Coffee or cigarettes may make a woman feel sick to their stomach before she officially knows shes pregnant Theres been some research about morning sickness in relation to unhealthy activities but nothing conclusive Many women do report that this is one reason they thought they might be pregnant

If you have breast changes extreme tiredness or nausea and you arent sure why you should make an appointment with your doctor Any of these symptoms ongoing can be a sign of pregnancy but they can also be a sign that something else is wrong If you ever think youre pregnant its wise to visit your health care provider Early prenatal care is important for both your health and the health of your baby

When you become pregnant your body goes through many changes both physically and emotionally referred to by many as pregnancy symptoms Many of these changes are hormonal Some women have nearly every symptom while others breeze through their pregnancy with almost no discomfort

There are several pregnancy symptoms and signs that you can watch for

Missed Period Probably the first sign you experience that tells you that you might be pregnant is a missed period A typical menstrual cycle will last approximately twentyeight days though of course this cycle varies with each woman If your period occurs on a regular basis and you are late you may be pregnant

Tender Breasts While it is very common for a womans breasts to be tender and painful right before her period the discomfort will usually abate a day or two before her period starts If you experience tender breasts and your period is a day or two late you may be pregnant

Fatigue If you suddenly find yourself needing an afternoon nap or you are abnormally tired at the end of the day you may be pregnant

Frequent UrinationAre you suddenly running to the bathroom all day long Pregnancy means an increase in bodily fluids This symptom can show up early

Nausea Morning sickness doesnt necessarily show up just in the morning You may feel nauseous off and on all day long especially if you are hungry This symptom is most likely due to an influx of hormones and it should disappear after the third or fourth month

Food Sensitivity Even before you discover that you are pregnant you may discover that you suddenly have a distinct aversion to certain foods You may feel queasy at the sight or smell of certain foods so try to avoid those foods as much as possible

Implantation BleedingSome women experience light bleeding or spotting around the time that the egg attaches itself to the uterus If you already suspect you are pregnant and you begin to bleed contact your obgyn immediately While this experience may not be anything to worry about you will still need to be checked

Elevated Body TemperatureIf you have been trying to conceive by charting your basal body temperature you may be pregnant if you notice an elevated rate for approximately eighteen days

First Trimester Pregnancy Symptoms

While some of the initial symptoms will continue throughout your first trimester others will disappear Your first trimester is typically from week one to week twelve Some of the most common symptoms during your first trimester are as follows

Your breasts will remain swollen and you may find that youve grown a cup size

Moodiness Dont be surprised if you are happy one minute and down in the dumps the next Place the blame on your hormones and pamper yourself

Nausea Try not to let your tummy get too empty Its better to eat several small meals throughout the day Sometimes munching on crackers and sipping hot tea helps

Nipple ColoringYou may also notice that your nipples and the aureola surrounding your nipples have gotten darker

ConstipationUnfortunately this symptom may follow you throughout your pregnancy To relieve any discomfort try to eat more fresh fruits vegetables and grains The more fiber you can get the better off you will be

IndigestionThis symptom may also be with you during your entire pregnancy especially as the baby grows and pushes on your esophagus Be sure you get any over the counter medication approved by your doctor before you take it

Headaches While there may be several causes for these headaches the increased blood flow may be the culprit If you are suffering severe headaches contact your doctor

Your second trimester begins at week thirteen and ends at week twentysix Common symptoms are as follows

Weight GainYour doctor will monitor your weight gain closely Throughout your pregnancy you should gain about thirty pounds

Itchy SkinSince your tummy is stretching you may find that it is also dry and itchy Use lotion daily Cocoa butter is a common application

SwellingYour feet hands and ankles may swell due to excess fluid

Dark LineThis line may develop and run from your belly button down to your pubic area It will fade after the baby is born

Fetal MovementYou can feel baby move

Third Trimester Symptoms

Your third trimester consists of week twentyseven to week forty Youre almost there Common pregnancy symptoms experienced during the third trimester include

Aches and Pains

One of the most common complaints among pregnant women is backaches The excess weight of your baby can wreak havoc on your body Take care of yourself

Ultrasound Checkup

A pregnancy ultrasound checkup sometimes called a sonogram is used to visualize the inside of the body without invading it Ultrasounds are used during pregnancy to look at the growing baby and the mothers uterus and other organs to monitor health and development An ultrasound machine emits sound waves These waves bounce off the baby and the mother the machine uses the data from the bouncing waves to create an image of the structures The picture is displayed on a video screen and can be captured in a printout or as a video output Getting an ultrasound is painless and easy Generally for a pregnancy ultrasound you will be asked to lie on an exam table Then the doctor nurse or ultrasound technician will put a smooth clear gel on your abdomen This helps the ultrasound to get a better image Once you are ready the person performing the ultrasound will move an ultrasound transducer also known as a wand or a probe over your stomach You will feel the wand moving around but there is no pressure and it is not uncomfortable In all likelihood you will be so excited to see the image of your baby on the ultrasound monitor you may not even notice the wand Ultrasounds do not emit radiation and they are believed to be completely safe for mother and child with no known risks Despite this most medical professionals recommend not having more ultrasounds than are deemed necessary for regular monitoring of your pregnancy A pregnancy ultrasound is a great noninvasive way to monitor the growth and health of your growing baby Some medical professionals routinely use ultrasounds as a tool during regular checkups Other OB care providers prefer to use ultrasounds only if a problem is suspected during pregnancy If your doctor nurse or midwife is scheduling an ultrasound feel free to ask whether it is routine or whether they are looking for something in particular Some of the things your doctor can see from an ultrasound during your first trimester include

1. The babys size and age

2. Whether you are pregnant with multiple babies

3. Whether the baby is developing normally

4. The babys heartbeat

5. Later in your pregnancy ultrasounds may disclose

While a pregnancy ultrasound cannot identify every possible problem with a babys development they are incredibly useful in diagnosing many conditions as well as in reassuring everyone that baby is growing normally

Detailed Ultrasounds

Newer ultrasound technology allows medical professionals to get a very detailed ultrasound image High resolution ultrasounds as well as the new 3D and 4D ultrasounds can give you a really clear picture of your baby almost like having a photograph of your new arrival before baby arrives 3D ultrasounds generate a 3D still image of your baby 4D ultrasounds create a 3D moving image of your baby

Whatever kind of ultrasound you get during your first trimester your baby may look like little more than a peanut to you Rest assured that your healthcare providers can tell a lot by this tiny image Ask them to point out the outline of your baby for you and to show you your babys beating heart

Eligibility for Maternity Leave

To be eligible for maternity leave under FMLA you must have worked for your employer for at least 12 months During those 12 months you must have worked at least 1 250 hours This averages out to 24 hours per week over the course of one year However the hours do not have to be spread out uniformly In addition the twelve months do not have to be consecutive

You must notify your employer at least 30 days in advance if you need FMLA leave If thats not practical for example if your baby is premature you must tell your employer as soon as possible Visit the Compliance Assistance portion of the FMLA web site or contact the Department of Labor to make sure youre following the rules

Returning to Work

In most cases your employer cannot fire you for taking maternity leave under FMLA rules There are some exceptions including the following

If you tell your employer you do not plan to return to work after you have the baby

If there are layoffs at the company and your job is among those affected

If you have used up your FMLA leave time and are not able to return to work

If you have a highly paid salaried job that is considered key to the workings of the company However this applies only in limited circumstances

If you qualify for maternity leave and your employer refuses to grant it you can file a complaint For FMLA violations you have two years from the date of the violation If you can prove your employers action was willful you have three years to file Complaints may be filed with the Secretary of Labor or you can check your phone book for the nearest office of the Wage and Hour Division of the Employment Standards Administration U S Department of Labor and call for more information If your complaint is valid the Department of Labor will usually negotiate with your employer to obtain leave for youYou can also file a lawsuit on your own If you win you may be able to recover your legal costs from your employer Each state has its own regulations about medical leave including maternity leave To find your states maternity leave laws try your states Labor Office Youll find a list of links to of htm state labor offices at the U S Department of Labor site While some states post information on the web others simply offer contact information and youll have to call the office for more information It is worth taking the trouble to find out about maternity leave laws in your state Even if youre not eligible for leave under FMLA you might be eligible under state law

Pregnancy Test

If you are sexually active knowing when to take a pregnancy test is important Generally you should take a pregnancy test if any of the following conditions apply

You have had unprotected sex or have a reason to believe your birth control has failed

You have early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea fatigue and tender breasts

Your period is late by one week or more

Home pregnancy tests can be purchased at any drug store Most tests cost between $6 and $18 although a higher price does not necessarily mean the test is more accurate Some tests are more expensive because they are heavily advertised Others contain more than one test in a package

The EPT pregnancy test First Response pregnancy test and Clear Blue pregnancy test are three of the most popular brands of home pregnancy tests

Taking a Pregnancy Test

Taking a home pregnancy test is surprisingly easy In most cases you should urinate briefly and either hold the test stick under your urine stream or collect urine in a cup before dipping the test strip into the cup

Most tests take only a few minutes to provide the test results Lines or slashes are often used to show the result One is used as a control to determine that the test is working properly The presence of a second line or slash is used to show that you are pregnant

Since instructions can vary according to the brand of test you have purchased read the enclosed pamphlet carefully before you begin your home pregnancy test If you have questions about when to take a pregnancy test visit the manufacturers website or call the customer service hotline

Pregnancy Test Accuracy

Home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate when used correctly To get the most accurate results remember the following tips as youre deciding when to take a pregnancy test

Wait until your period is at least one week late Testing on the first day of your missed period reduces the test accuracy to about 80%

Home pregnancy tests are typically most accurate when taken in the morning

Follow the directions carefully Instructions for completing a pregnancy test can vary according to the brand you have purchased

Avoid reading the results of your test too early or too late If it says to wait three minutes for the results wait three minutes

False Positives and False Negatives

A home pregnancy test works to detect a hormone in the blood called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin HCG However sometimes the test fails to accurately detect this pregnancy hormone When this happens you may get a false positive that says you are pregnant when you are not You could also get a false negative that says you arent pregnant when you really are

Pregnancy test false negative and false positive results are fairly rare Most are caused by impurities in the urine sample failing to read the test instructions using an expired pregnancy test or trying to take the test too early However certain medical conditions and prescription drugs can sometimes affect your pregnancy test results

If you have doubts about the accuracy of your home pregnancy test reread the instructions and try to take another test If youre still not confident youve received an accurate result contact your healthcare provider He she can schedule a blood test to clear up any confusion

How Online Pregnancy Tests Work

An online pregnancy test will ask some of the same questions your OB health professional would ask This information includes the number of days in your menstrual cycle the date your last period began and the date when you had intercourse to calculate the mathematical probability of your pregnancy

Information Needed for an Online Test

The basic information that many of the online tests ask for includes

The average number of days from the first day of one period until the first day of the next period

The date your last period started

The date you think you conceived or the date you had intercourse that you think resulted in conception

What Early Pregnancy Symptoms you have been experiencing These symptoms might include nausea or vomiting odd sensations of the abdomen changes in appetite and fatigue among others

Your stress level

What form of birth control you have been practicing

Test Result Revelations

The online test results will provide you with the odds that you are actually pregnant based on the normal Ovulation process In other words there is only a fourday window around two weeks into the menstrual cycle when most women can conceive By looking at the information you have provided about your menstrual cycle the software can calculate how closely your sexual experience fell in line with the predicted window of ovulation You may also be provided with links to more information about ovulation conception unprotected sex home pregnancy tests and abortion options

The test may also take into account the side effects of your chosen birth control method and its effectiveness For example if you use DepoProvera for birth control one of the side effects is missed periods and some weight gain If your significant other has had a vasectomy the test will calculate your chance of pregnancy as extremely low On the other hand if you are having unprotected sex during the period of ovulation chances are significantly increased that you may be pregnant

Online Test Accuracy

No one can tell you whether you are pregnant without a blood or urine pregnancy test however the online pregnancy test results can tell you whether your intercourse may have coincided with the time when you would have expected to ovulate

Finding an Online Pregnancy Test

Visit Epigee Womens Health or PregnancyInfo net Or do an Internet search on online pregnancy test

What To Do If the Test Says Youre Pregnant

Follow up with a home pregnancy tests Remember even though a home pregnancy test may claim to be accurate as soon as five days prior to your next menstruation date the test will be significantly more accurate if you wait until a week after your missed period If the home pregnancy test shows a negative result but you are still experiencing some of the symptoms of pregnancy wait and take the test again in three days or make an appointment with your health care professional

Miscarriage

No one likes to think about something going wrong during a pregnancy but a miscarriage can occur A miscarriage is defined as a pregnancy that ends spontaneously prior to 20 weeks After 20 weeks a baby that dies is referred to as a stillbirth As many as 50 percent of all pregnancies may end in miscarriage It is hard to determine this statistic and many pregnancy losses occur before a woman realizes she is pregnant Most of these pregnancies end in a fetal death within the first 13 weeks for pregnancy A miscarriage can happen for a number of reasons The most common cause is chromosomal problems or genetic abnormalities In these cases during or soon after conception the fetus fails to develop properly Up to 50% of all early fetal deaths can be linked back to this cause

Other common causes include

1. Diabetes

2. Uterus abnormalities

3. A blow to the stomach

4. Caffeine exceeding 300 mg per day

5. Ectopic or tubal pregnancy meaning a pregnancy in which the fertilized egg is implanted someplace other than the uterus

6. Poor nourishment at conception or during pregnancy

7. Fibroids

8. Placenta problems

9. Poor maternal immune system or elevated hormone levels during pregnancy

10. Environmental pollution

11. Alcohol cigarette or recreational drug use

The symptoms of a miscarriage might include spotting which can lead to heavy vaginal bleeding cramps similar to those experienced during a menstrual period and severe abdominal pain Remember Early Pregnancy Symptoms include light spotting during the first few weeks of pregnancy This type of spotting is no reason for concern but if bleeding increases to the point of soaking a sanitary napkin there may be reason for concern Often they start out as small amounts of bleeding or vague abdominal pains that might then become more intense

Most women who experience an early miscarriage require no treatment You will experience what appears to be a heavy period as the uterus expels its contents However if heavy bleeding continues or an infection is indicated a physician may recommend a D C to remove any tissue from the uterus that it does not naturally expel Once it is determined that a pregnancy isnt growing your health care provider will discuss options with you If this is the first miscarriage a woman has experienced chances are your OB provider will not require any follow up treatments however if this is not the first more tests might be suggested such as an ultrasound of the uterus hysteroscopy or an endometrial biopsy.Physically it takes up to a month for a womans body to recover after a fetal loss OB providers typically recommend waiting until after she has experienced one normal menstrual cycle before attempting to get pregnant again Mentally it may take much longer before a woman feels ready to try again Mourning the loss and concerns over subsequent problems can be overwhelming Losing an unborn baby can wreak havoc on your emotional state You may need to go through a grieving process which is natural Some parents choose to plant a tree or bush in memory of their loss You should take your time as you try to heal emotionally It may help if you seek counseling