Common Pregnancy Symptoms

• Pregnancy Symptoms No. 1 - A Missed Period

  If your menstruation has always been regular, then missing a period can be the most clear-cut among the pregnancy symptoms. This would mean that a fertilized egg has implanted in your womb.

  However, other factors can trigger Amenorrheoa (absence of menstruation) too, such as stress, fear, fatigue, extreme weight gain or loss, illness, hormonal problems, or even travel. If you're already a mother of an infant whom you're still breastfeeding, your menses may halt. Going off the pill can have the same effect on you.

• Pregnancy Symptoms No. 2 - Tiredness, Fatigue, Sleepiness

  This is not about your ordinary everyday tiredness. This is about an overwhelming sense of fatigue, like you've been bitten by a tsetse fly (a blood-sucking African fly that transmits a potent sleeping sickness) or something, totally beyond your control. It is like the whole world has to stop for you to take a nap.

  Yup, this utter sense of exhaustion can be a very early sign of pregnancy. Your fatigue, tiredness and sleepiness is induced by a higher level of Progesterone in your system after conception.

  The other reason for this early sign of pregnancy is Anaemia (a deficiency of red blood cells). Mild Anaemia in pregnancy is common due to an expansion in blood volume. Your doctor could help you by prescribing some iron tablets and folic acid to supplement your diet.

  Your fatigue can drain you so much that you actually feel a little down. Don't fret, you should feel better by about 12 -16 weeks into pregnancy. Once your body gets adjusted to the hormones and your baby's placenta is formed, you'll have more energy.

  How do you cope? Since your body is signaling you to rest, go ahead and pamper yourself, and get your spouse to do all the chores.

  Honestly, you may need help in chores like food preparation, because the odors of certain food could make you nauseous. This leads us to morning sickness, one of the other signs of pregnancy.

• Pregnancy Symptoms No. 3 - Morning Sickness

  Morning sickness refers to the queasy feeling you usually get in the morning, though it can happen at anytime of the day too. You feel nauseous and sometimes you throw up at the smell of food. About a third to half of the expectant mothers experience this.

  Your sense of smell and taste change. Sometimes you feel the taste of metal in your mouth. All these are caused by changes in your hormonal levels.

  Like your fatigue, this stage will pass. It usually ends by the first trimester and it seldom interferes with proper nutrition enough to hurt your developing foetus.

  To find out more on morning sickness, click here.

• Pregnancy Symptoms No. 4 - Frequent Urination

  Sometimes, even before you realise you've missed your period, you find that you're going to the bathroom more often.

  Frequent urination is triggered by a pregnancy hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), produced after your embryo has implanted in your uterus. Frequent urination appears 6 - 8 weeks after conception.

  Another reason for your frequent trips to the loo is due to an increased volume of body fluids in your body and the improved efficiency of your kidneys to help rid your body more quickly of waste products.

  It is also caused by the pressure your growing uterus is exerting on your bladder.

  If frequent urination happens at night, it'll disturb your sleep and compound your fatigue. There is nothing much you can do about it, except to cut down on drinking coffee and tea which are diuretics (subtances that'll increase the flow of urine).

  Hey, cheer up! There is a benefit here. You're actually getting to exercise more and exercise naturally, by making trips to and from the bathroom!

• Pregnancy Symptoms No. 5 - Breast Tenderness

  You know how your breasts feel like before your menstruation? Well, they'll possibly become increasingly tender to the touch when you're pregnant.

  Besides their heaviness and tingling sensation, you may notice a darkening of the areola (the area surrounding the nipple). Sometimes, you'll see a network of bluish lines appearing under the skin of your breasts as blood supply to them increases.

  This heightened sensitivity that you experience is, again, caused by the Progesterone hormone. Your discomfort should diminish during the second trimester.

  In the meantime, bear with this sign of pregnancy as your hormones prepare your breasts to nurse your baby when he arrives.

• Pregnancy Symptoms No. 6 - Food Cravings and Aversions

  These food cravings and aversions have nothing to do with what you love or hate to eat. You're changing. You may find yourself desiring pasta out of the blue even when you don't like it before. Or, you may find yourself hating the sight and smell of seafood when they're supposed to be your favourite dish. This is a funny sign of pregnancy. I've heard of a woman craving for chalks during pregnancy. Though chalks are cheap, I hope you're not one of them. I hope you'll crave for something more nutritious.

• Other Signs of Pregnancy

  Heatburn, flatulence (gas in the digestive tract), bloating, indigestion, headaches are all probable signs of pregnancy.

• An Emotionally Taxing Sign of Pregnancy - Mood Swings

  Just like your PMT symptoms, you may feel irritable, irrational, weepy, doubtful and fearful at some moments, and at other moments, joyful and elated. Don't worry, your hormones are at play.

  You can make your life easier by taking care of yourself, like avoiding sweet stuff like sugar and chocolate, paying attention to your diet, avoiding drinking too much caffeine and getting a good balance of rest and exercise.

  You'll also feel better talking to someone who cares.

• A Rarer Sign of Pregnancy - Ptyalism

  Ptyalism refers to the excessive flow of saliva. You may feel queasy just by swallowing. This unpleasant symptom is harmless.

  This sign of pregnancy usually go with morning sickness, and it compounds the nausea. Thank God this usually disappears after the first few months.

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