Early pregnancy symptoms: what they are and when they appear
What are the early symptoms of pregnancy? When do they start? And how to distinguish them from those of PMS?
The first symptoms of pregnancy can be similar to those of premenstrual syndrome and therefore difficult to recognize. Moreover, they vary from woman to woman and from pregnancy to pregnancy.
As a result, some expectant mothers may begin to suspect they are pregnant as early as the first few days after conception , while others may not realize anything until their period has disappeared or even later in the pregnancy .
When do the first symptoms of pregnancy appear?
The first symptoms of pregnancy may begin to appear at the implantation of the embryo , ie 5 to 7 days after conception . In fact, with the implant, the hormone responsible for the first obvious symptoms of pregnancy (called beta hCG ) begins to be produced, such as fatigue, nausea and (subsequently) the missed arrival of the period.
However, remember that conception does not necessarily occur on the same day as sexual intercourse. In fact, sperm can survive from 3 to 5 days in the female body.
Symptoms of pregnancy 5 days after intercourse : are they possible?
Based on what we said above, it would be more correct to talk about symptoms after ovulation or after conception.
Having said that, if intercourse takes place on the day of ovulation it is actually possible to feel the first symptoms 5-7 days later. These symptoms, however, in most cases are imperceptible and in any case almost indistinguishable from those that precede the arrival of menstruation.
What are the early symptoms of pregnancy?
Among the first signs and symptoms of pregnancy we can find:
- System losses
- Abdominal cramps
- Breast and nipple changes
- Tiredness and drowsiness
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Nausea and vomit
- Heachache
- Increased sensitivity to odors
- Cravings or aversion to certain foods
- Metallic taste in the mouth
- Abdominal swelling
- Mood swings
- Absence of the menstrual cycle
- Positive pregnancy test
Some mothers-to-be may experience all of them , others only some , and still others none at all . As we have already said, in fact, pregnancy is a unique experience and therefore it is always good to avoid making too many comparisons with other women.
It is important to underline that the first real symptom common to all expectant mothers is the non-arrival of menstruation 16 days after ascertained ovulation and the simultaneous presence of a high basal temperature which shows no signs of decreasing.
Furthermore, it should be remembered that, while the absence of the menstrual cycle or a positive pregnancy test represent objective data, the other symptoms that accompany the first weeks of pregnancy are often subjective and can be recognized or not depending on one’s personal sensitivity.
For this reason, for women who are more accustomed to listening to their bodies, it will be easier to recognize and interpret them correctly.
1. System leaks
One of the first symptoms of an ongoing pregnancy may be light bleeding, which manifests itself in the form of dark, brownish or pinkish discharge before the period or at the expected date for the arrival of the period. This symptom is called spotting or implantation discharge and indicates that the embryo is nesting in the uterine wall to start developing.
Implantation losses usually appear 1 or 2 weeks after conception , but are not always visible: according to some estimates, in fact, they occur in only 30% of pregnant women . Furthermore, their presence can often go unnoticed or be confused with premenstrual spotting (ie the light bleeding that sometimes precedes the arrival of menstruation).
On the other hand, it is important to remember that the appearance of bleeding can also have other causes, such as broken capillaries , small abrasions or infections .
As a general rule, in the presence of continuous or heavy bleeding outside menstruation , it is always good to consult the gynecologist .
2. Abdominal cramps
The implantation of the embryo can also be accompanied by slight pains in the lower abdomen , which are called “implantation cramps” . Again, however, it is difficult to distinguish this symptom from the normal abdominal cramps that can occur in the premenstrual period .
In case of severe pain , especially if accompanied by bleeding , it is always good to contact your doctor immediately , to rule out the presence of complications.
3. Breast and nipple changes
Breast tenderness and pain are among the most frequent symptoms of the first days of pregnancy and can appear as early as 1 or 2 weeks after conception .
The cause is represented by the increase in estrogen and progesterone , which make the breasts fuller and the nipples more turgid and sensitive . In addition, as the weeks progress, the nipples and areolas will tend to take on a darker color.
Of course, pregnancy isn’t the only reason for more tender, swollen breasts . The same symptoms can be due to taking birth control pills , to some hormonal problem or simply to the oncoming period .
4. Tiredness and drowsiness
Extreme tiredness is one of the symptoms that appears most frequently in the first days of pregnancy: expectant mothers, in fact, can begin to feel it as early as a week after conception . The cause is the increase in progesterone , which can also cause increased drowsiness and, due to the effect on blood circulation, dizziness and fainting .
It goes without saying that feeling exhausted and fatigued can also be a sign of other conditions, such as infections, vitamin deficiency, or excessive stress . If the extreme tiredness persists even after the possible arrival of the period, it is better to investigate with the doctor.
5. Frequent urge to urinate
The “frequent urination” or “pollakiuria” , i.e. the need to urinate often, is one of the typical symptoms of the first weeks of pregnancy. Again, hormones are responsible , which increase blood volume and, consequently, the amount of fluid that must be filtered by the kidneys.
If it’s been more than two weeks since you ovulated and you notice that you need to pee often, it could be a symptom of pregnancy. However, if you experience problems such as difficulty urinating , burning or pain when urinating , it is important to contact your doctor, as it could be a urinary tract infection , such as cystitis .
6. Increased vaginal discharge (white discharge)
The presence of white discharge in early pregnancy is quite common and is called leucorrhoea . This increase in vaginal secretions is a fairly early event , which occurs due to hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy.
Over the nine months, these losses will tend to increase, while maintaining the same characteristics.
White or pale yellow vaginal discharge is usually nothing to worry about, but if it itches or smells bad , it could be a sign of an infection .
7. Nausea and vomiting
Nausea , sometimes accompanied by vomiting , is one of the most typical symptoms of sweet expectation, even if not all expectant mothers suffer from it . The causes are unclear, although they appear to be hormonal in origin .
Typically, nausea begins to occur between the 4th and 8th week of pregnancy . Fortunately, in most cases, it tends to disappear by the end of the first trimester.
Sometimes, nausea and vomiting can be very intense and interfere with normal nutrition: in this case we speak of hyperemesis gravidarum , a condition that must be adequately addressed with the help of your doctor .
8. Headache
Headaches are a fairly common pregnancy symptom in the early weeks of pregnancy and appear to be caused by increased hormone levels and/or blood volume.
It is always good to remember that some medications used frequently to relieve headaches can be dangerous to the developing embryo . For this reason, if you suspect you are pregnant or are trying to become pregnant, it is important not to take any medicines without first seeking the advice of your doctor.
9. Increased sensitivity to odors
The sense of smell tends to become more sensitive during pregnancy, to the point of making some smells unbearable: coffee , wine and even the smell of toothpaste can become extremely nauseating for expectant mothers.
This symptom, called “pregnancy hyperosmia” can appear from the first days of pregnancy and depends on hormonal changes .
10. Cravings or aversion to certain foods
Very often, pregnancy also changes the tastes and food preferences of pregnant women. Some foods can start to cause nausea or disgust , while others, sometimes not particularly welcome before pregnancy, can become the object of an irrepressible desire .
The causes of cravings in pregnancy are still unclear . In part, they could once again be linked to hormonal changes , which in addition to altering the sense of taste and smell can increase the demand for some nutrients , such as carbohydrates.
However, be careful not to confuse cravings with the typical craving for sugar that often accompanies the premenstrual period .
11. Metallic taste in the mouth
Many women report experiencing a strange metallic taste in the early days of pregnancy , which can affect the taste of foods and drinks. Hormones are always responsible, even if the same symptom can also be caused by a simple flu or bad oral hygiene .
12. Abdominal swelling
The feeling of swollen belly is a fairly common ailment in early pregnancy. This condition, however, is very difficult to interpret, being also typical of the premenstrual period .
13. Mood swings
In the first weeks, and more generally in the first trimester of pregnancy , it is very common to suffer from sudden mood swings .
The increased irritability, the feeling of euphoria and the ease with tears depend above all on hormonal changes and tend to resolve with the beginning of the second trimester. Even in this case, however, it is a condition that can occur even before the arrival of menstruation .
14. Absence of menstrual cycle
Conception sets in motion hormonal mechanisms that ensure that menstruation does not occur.
Unlike the other symptoms listed, however, the absence of the cycle is an objective event that is impossible to miss and therefore represents the first important signal that a pregnancy may have occurred.
But be careful: if the period does not arrive, there could also be other reasons.
First of all, it must be remembered that menstruation usually occurs a couple of weeks after ovulation (from 12 to 16 days later, in the absence of conception): consequently, if for some reason the latter occurred late , even menstruation will be postponed .
Additionally, if a woman has irregular periods , hormonal imbalances , or suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome , she may experience several non-ovulatory cycles .
Stress , a change in one’s habits , a strong weight loss or an excessive increase in pears can also alter the menstrual cycle.
In addition, if you have recently stopped taking birth control pills , it may take some time for your body to regain its natural rhythms and your first cycles may therefore be very irregular.
Is it possible to have periods during pregnancy?
In some cases it may happen to observe a slight bleeding or a pseudo-menstruation even in the case of a pregnancy that has just begun.
Generally these are small blood losses and not the usual menstrual flow, which correspond to the so-called implant losses. Therefore, if your periods seem to come but are much lighter than usual, have a different texture , and are brown or pink in color , you may suspect that you are pregnant .
In this case, the advice is to perform a test and, if the result is negative, to repeat it after a week if necessary.
15. Positive pregnancy test
The pregnancy test allows you to understand if the symptoms you are experiencing are actually real or “phantom symptoms”.
But when to take the pregnancy test in order not to get wrong results? In addition to following the instructions for use included in the package, timing is also important: carrying out the test the day after having intercourse , for example, will not give a reliable result .
In fact, let us remember that beta-HCG begins to be produced only at the moment of implantation of the embryo and that it takes a few days for them to become detectable in the urine. A pregnancy test with good sensitivity should therefore be performed no earlier than 12-13 days after ovulation has been ascertained .
To have more certain results and avoid disappointment, however, the advice is to wait for the first day of absence of menstruation and, in case of an irregular cycle , repeat the test after a few days .
Early pregnancy symptoms or PMS? Check your fertile period!
To be pregnant you must have had at least one unprotected intercourse during the fertile period . Therefore, even before checking the symptoms, it is possible to check with our calculator if intercourse took place near ovulation.
Counting only gives an approximate indication and can be useful if and only if you have an extremely regular cycle or if you know the length of your luteal phase (i.e. the period between ovulation and the start of menstruation)
On the other hand, even with a regular cycle, it is still possible to ovulate earlier or later than expected, and for this reason, calculators should never be used to avoid pregnancy .
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.