Signs of Pregnancy and When to Take a Test

Many women experience times when they wonder if they might be pregnant based on what their body is telling them. This can be an incredibly nerve-wracking time, especially if the woman is not trying to conceive. There are many signs of pregnancy to look out for to help you decide whether to take a pregnancy test, and we will cover those here. It is also important to remember that one negative result does not necessarily mean that you are not pregnant. Sometimes, women may test too early, thus getting a negative result.

You Missed a Period

Typically, if you get your period around the same time each month and then suddenly your period is late, that could be a pregnancy sign. Sometimes women can have irregular periods for other reasons, but if you are typically regular, this is definitely something to pay attention to as you could be in the early weeks of pregnancy. It is definitely a good idea to keep a calendar handy and pay attention to the timing of your menstrual cycle for this reason. Home pregnancy tests can be expensive, so it’s not necessary to invest in one if your period is just a couple of days late. But, if you have reason to believe you may be pregnant because of a lack of birth control, you may not want to wait too long to take an at-home test.

You are Experiencing Fatigue

If you are feeling particularly exhausted, the signs of fatigue could be a pregnancy symptom. There are many reasons you could feel tired– lack of sleep or just environmental factors such as young children wearing you out. But, if your circumstances have not recently changed, and you feel incredibly tired or more exhausted than usual, this too could be a potential pregnancy symptom.

You Have Tender or Swollen Breasts

Another one of the first signs of pregnancy is changes in your breasts, either swollen or tender. It’s possible that you get some breast tenderness along with your period cycle, in which case this is likely not related to pregnancy. But, if these are new symptoms that you don’t typically experience, they could be early pregnancy symptoms, and your body is alerting you to the changes happening. Many women feel some discomfort in their breasts very early on in their pregnancy, and this could be a sign that you should not ignore.

You Have Cramps (Mild or Moderate)

Cramps or cramping can be one of the more complicated symptoms of pregnancy since a majority of women experience cramping with or before their period arrives for the month. If you start to experience cramps, feel free to wait a couple of days and see if it is, in fact, your period. If, after a few days, your period does not arrive, and it is late, this might actually be a sign of your uterus expanding, meaning it might be time to take a pregnancy test.

You Feel Emotional or Sensitive

Like the majority of the pregnancy signs that have already been addressed, feeling extra emotional or sensitive or even some mood swings might be mistaken for a period symptom. Just like with your monthly cycle, if you are, in fact, pregnant, your hormonal changes might be intense right now, and you may be experiencing some more extreme emotions than you typically have. It’s possible that you experience this on a monthly basis, but again, if you are moody and no period comes… it might be time to get an at-home pregnancy test.

You Have Had Nausea or Vomiting

Nausea or vomiting tend to be common early pregnancy signs, while they aren’t incredibly common with menstrual cycles. If you begin to feel nauseous or experience vomiting and know that it is not a stomach bug, this is likely a pregnancy symptom. If it’s a 24-hour bug, then it likely is not indicative of pregnancy. You might be experiencing morning sickness, in which you wake up and feel nauseous in the morning, but it tends to subside after you eat something. Whether it persists or not will be something to pay attention to.

You may also experience some food aversions, which could be a pregnancy sign as well. Perhaps you see, smell or taste food that you typically enjoy, when all of a sudden it just makes you feel completely sick even just at the thought of it. This could very well be a pregnancy symptom and a clue that it is time to take an at-home pregnancy test.

Don’t Wait to Visit a Doctor

It is important to keep in mind that not everyone experiences all (or any!) of these symptoms. Although we discussed many of the early signs of pregnancy, it’s possible that you experience very few of these symptoms. The more important thing to do is to listen to your body and make sure you are taking care of yourself. If you do find that you are experiencing multiple signs of pregnancy, don’t wait too long before either taking an at-home pregnancy test or, better yet, making an appointment with an OB-GYN to take a test in their office.

There are usually very quick and only consist of a urine sample where they can check and see if you are, in fact, pregnant. Tests at the gynecologist or obstetrician’s office do tend to be more accurate than an at-home test, so if you truly believe you may be pregnant, it is important to find out for sure.

Discuss Your Pregnancy Options

Another reason to take a pregnancy test sooner rather than later is the ability to explore your options. If you are in a situation where you do not want to be pregnant, termination is easier in the beginning than it will be later on. If you would like to explore all of your options, including the option of adoption, you can call us at 1-888-OPENARMS.

We can provide counseling and have you meet with a counselor either virtually or in-person to make sure you are aware of all your pregnancy options. There are several options available to you, but the first step is finding out if you are actually pregnant.