Symptoms of pregnancy in the first days: find out what they are!

Have you had unprotected intercourse and are wondering if you are pregnant? Have you undergone MAP treatment and are you anxious to find out if your embryo or embryos have taken root? Or have you already had the test confirmed and would you like to know what are the first signs of an ongoing pregnancy and when do they start?

Whatever the reason you are reading this article, we have prepared for you a list of symptoms that can herald or accompany the expectation of a child in the first days after conception.

But be careful: remember that apart from the absence of menstruation, most of the symptoms of pregnancy begin to manifest themselves clearly no earlier than 6 weeks , starting counting from the date of the last menstruation.

Not sure what week you are? Use our pregnancy weeks calculator to find out now!

If you have undergone assisted reproduction treatment, find out here how to use our calculator in case of ART.

Symptoms of pregnancy: first days

Some mothers say they had the “feeling” of being pregnant from the first days after conception. Very often, these are women used to listening to their bodies and therefore able to perceive those small signals that can herald pregnancy, differentiating them from those that accompany the arrival of the period.

On the other hand, it is important to underline that at the beginning of pregnancy it is very difficult to distinguish the symptoms of pregnancy in progress from those of premenstrual syndrome . For the most part, in fact, these are not very specific symptoms or so mild that they are not recognizable.

In any case, if you are also curious about them, we have prepared for you a list of the most frequent symptoms in the early days of pregnancy (i.e. before the delay in menstruation ), specifying when they appear and what they are caused by.

If you want to know more about each individual symptom, click on the title or image.

1. Stomach pain (implantation cramps)

Early pregnancy symptoms  may include a stomach ache similar to the one that precedes the arrival of menstruation . Some women already feel it 5-7 days after ovulation (and therefore between the third and fourth week of pregnancy ).

The sensation can be described as abdominal cramps or as real pain , which can affect the belly or lower abdomen. In some cases, it can also be felt as  back pain in the lumbar region .

The cause is due to the nesting of the embryo inside the uterus, which “digs” a small niche in the mucous membrane where it can implant itself and draw its nourishment to grow. Of course, however, stomach pain can also be due to reasons other than pregnancy, such as the arrival of the period.

2. Spotting or implantation discharge (false menstruation)

Another early symptom of pregnancy could be the presence of light bleeding which to the less attentive eye could be mistaken for menstruation. Unlike the normal cycle, however, implant spotting is much less blood flow and lasts less.

Like implantation cramps, this bleeding is due to implantation of the embryo and occurs approximately 10 to 14 days after conception. Be careful though: they don’t always show up, but only in 30% of pregnant women .

3. Breast tenderness

Having tight and sore breasts is common in the premenstrual phase, but it is also one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. Even just wearing a bra can be uncomfortable.

4. Fatigue

Tiredness is another symptom of pregnancy typical of the early days: in fact, it can appear as early as a week after conception . It can present in the form of drowsiness, weakness or exhaustion and is caused by the increase in progesterone. In some cases , dizziness or fainting may also occur .

Of course, these disorders can also be due to causes other than pregnancy.

5. Metallic taste in the mouth

It is always caused by hormonal changes and can appear in the very first days of pregnancy . The sensation is that of wearing orthodontic appliances or holding a coin in your mouth.

6. Need to urinate often (frequent urination)

The frequent urge to pee is a common symptom in the first weeks , but also in late pregnancy. In the beginning it is caused by the increase in blood volume. However, as the pregnancy progresses, it returns due to the pressure that the baby exerts on the bladder.

Frequent urination is not a sure sign of pregnancy: for example, it could be due to a urinary infection .

7. Nausea with or without vomiting

It would appear to be caused by the beta hCG hormone . The malaise very often begins around the sixth week of pregnancy , but in some cases it can appear as early as 14 days after conception .

Nausea and vomiting can also have other causes and are not necessarily a sign of pregnancy.

8. Feeling feverish

At the beginning of pregnancy, the body temperature rises by a few tenths of a degree , due to the increase in progesterone .

Not all women are able to notice it, but the most sensitive ones could feel this rise as a sort of “fever fever” .

9. Other symptoms

In addition to those already mentioned, other symptoms that could appear before the menstrual delay are:

• swollen belly
• white leaks
• increased sensitivity to odors
• increased salivation
• aversion to some foods
• cravings
• heachache

Even in these cases, these are non-specific symptoms, which may indicate the presence of conditions other than being pregnant.

Symptoms of pregnancy in the first days: what is important to know

The pregnancy symptoms that precede the missed arrival of menstruation are variable and often not very recognizable. In addition, in this delicate period, it is easy to be influenced and feel the so-called phantom symptoms, i.e. sensations related to one’s emotional state and not to an actual pregnancy.

That’s why we want to leave you with a piece of advice, actually three!

• Before thinking about the symptoms, wait at least 10 days after you conceived . Usually, it’s hard to feel anything else (unless implantation is leaking).
• Even though it’s difficult, try not to focus too much on your body to catch every little sign of pregnancy. They may feel like new sensations and are actually PMS symptoms you’ve never noticed before.
• If you suspect you may be pregnant, you are probably eager to purchase a home pregnancy test . Remember that to get a reliable result, it is always better to wait until the first day of your period delay . This way, you will avoid the risk of false negatives .