Learning to read the signs you may be pregnant

If you are trying to get pregnant or concerned that you may already be, you may have asked yourself and other people, what are the signs of pregnancy? The answers to this question may be very different depending on who you ask. This is not because someone is trying to mislead you, it is simply because each pregnancy is unique.

Even women who have had multiple pregnancies may have experienced different signs of pregnancy from one child to the next.

• Read how soon you can find out if you are pregnant

• Breast tenderness. Many women experience a soreness, tenderness, or even swelling of their breasts when they become pregnant. However, this can also occur before a menstrual cycle, making it a difficult indicator to interpret.
• Vaginal discharge, including spotting. Again, this can be difficult to separate from the normal symptoms of a menstrual cycle, but this can be a sign of pregnancy. Some women experience implantation bleeding when the fertilized egg implants which resembles spotting.  Read our full article on whether or not pregnancy can occur during menstruation
• Mood swings. As one’s hormones begin to fluctuate to prepare their body to carry a child, you can feel emotional ups and downs, or mood swings.
• Exhaustion. If you are unusually tired, it may be because you are pregnant.
• Digestive changes. Heartburn, acid reflux, and constipation are all common complaints of women who are pregnant. If you notice a change in your normal digestion, it could be an indication that you are pregnant.
• Cramping. Another way that your body gets ready to carry a baby is by enlarging your uterus. This can cause a physical sensation much like the cramps that you have before your period.  Read our full article on whether or not cramping is an early sign of pregnancy
• Nausea or morning sickness. Nausea that comes in waves at any time of the day can be morning sickness. Women have morning sickness because their body is producing an abundance of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which will slow after the first trimester.