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Pregnancy Symptoms

Pregnancy Symptoms 101
Pregnancy Symptoms by Trimester

(Editor's note: Think you might be pregnant? Take our free online pregnancy test, buy an early-detection pregnancy test, or come participate in our online community!)

Different women experience pregnancy in different ways. Pregnancy symptoms may vary in intensity and duration - and some women may not experience some common pregnancy symptoms at all.

Following implantation of the egg, however, the body undergoes many changes, and the levels of several hormones increase drastically. Pregnancy symptoms typically do not appear until 1-2 weeks after you miss your period - and fetal movement is not typically detected until 16 weeks post-conception. Earliest symptoms include:

  • Implantation bleeding 8-10 days after ovulation.
  • An elevated BBT temperatures for 18 days.
  • A missed menstrual period.
  • Even before your missed period, you can test for pregnancy with early detection pregnancy tests that allow you to determine a positive result as early as 7-10 days past ovulation.

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The First Trimester: Week 1 - Week 12

  • Lower abdominal cramps.
  • Food cravings.
  • Nausea or "Morning sickness" - 3-10 weeks after conception.
  • Tender, swollen breasts - 3-4 weeks after conception.
  • Your nipples and the area around the nipples get darker and wider.
  • Frequent urination.
  • Fatigue and tiredness - 3-10 weeks after conception.
  • You may have heartburn and constipation - along with headaches.
  • Mood swings.

Other Early Symptoms of Pregnancy in Detail

Cravings for Particular Foods
Desiring particular or unusual types of food is a well known pregnancy symptom. About 85 percent of women report at least one food craving during pregnancy.

Implantation Cramping and Spotting
Following ovulation by 8 days, women may experience cramping and slight spotting - caused by the recent implantation of the egg in the uterine lining.

Frequent Urination
Following implantation, frequent urination is a common symptom.

Fatigue, Headaches, and Heartburn - and Morning Sickness
For many women, early symptoms of pregnancy can be a bit perturbing. Fatigue is common, as are headaches and heartburn. And then there is morning sickness - the second most well know pregnancy symptoms after "food cravings". Increases in progesterone can also cause feelings of tiredness.

Basal Body Temperature
If you are charting your Basal Body Temperature, and your BBT remains high - and continues to remain high for 15 days or more without a period - this is a clear symptom of pregnancy.

hCG Testing
Home Pregnancy Tests are available online and at your drugstore. A positive result will confirm your suspicions! Some FDA approved tests (available online) allow you to determine pregnancy as early as 7-10 days past ovulation.

The Second Trimester: Week 13 - Week 26

Here is what you can expect to experience during your second trimester.

  • Weight gain - and, after 16 weeks, fetal movement!
  • Dryness of the skin on the stomach. Feelings of tightness.
  • Breasts become larger.
  • Continued heartburn and constipation.
  • Edema - or the swelling of your ankles, hands, feet, and face.
  • A dark line may appear between your belly and pubic regions.

    See Also > Ovulation-Calculator's Top Ten Signs of Pregnancy

Related Topics

Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy Test FAQ

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Comments

I have been having unprotected sex for the last 7 months now and have no gotten prego, usually my bf pulls out but sometimes he doesn't and is just like u never get prego anyways. I am allergic to condoms so i was on the pill but got off about 4-5 months ago because i was getting very sick from it and i already know that i have a slim to no chance of getting prego.
Just in case i always track my period and my fertail days, then finally on september 10th 4 days after my period i had unprotected sex not paying attention to my fertail days. I just figured whatever, because at one time i did want a baby and tried to concive but it never worked out, then i decided it was better that way........
Now my period was due on Sept 27th. It is now Oct 11th Sunday 2:08am, and still no period. So as it stands i am 14 days late, not even a little blood! Usually i over look this but then around 7pm on Friday out of no where i got this pain, and it's hard to explain but it's right under my tummy. It was about 10 times worse then a period cramp, my mother said it was prolly just trapped gas, now the pain has gone down a little but, it hurts when someone pushes on it, it hurts when i try to pee or do number 2 from like the pushing. And I pee close to 18 or more times a day it is insane. When i was 3 days late for my period i took a home prego test but it was negative which is another reason why i overlooked this, as well I feel sick, but not like morning sickness i feel nauseea throughout the day but never acually puke.
I am 18 years old and i do have plans for collage, i just want some opinions on it thank you.

Maginarygurl - Oct 10, 2009
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i have sickness at any time food smell avoid back pain period time is 13 this month iam pergant or not

Anonymous - Oct 09, 2009
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Hello, my last period was the 24th of Aug. and I was due to start anywhere between the 22-26th of Sept. and my period never came. I've had sex with my husband several times within that time frame as we are trying to conceive. I'm usually pretty on it with my periods and my cycles are about 28-33 days in length, with my periods lasting about 4-5 days altogether. I'm having some weird symptoms now which include: tender breasts, cramping in my lower abdomen and sides just over my ovaries and I've been having mood swings and weepier than usual by a long shot. I haven't taken a home pregnancy test yet as sometimes, due to stress, my body wigs out and I skip a period but this hasn't happened for a long, long time now. I want to be pregnant so badly but its almost as if I am not even allowing myself to hope seeing as my body likes playing tricks on me. Please, someone give me some advice. I'm definitely desperate to know...and scared to at the same time.

Sincerely,
Penny B.

Penny B. - Oct 08, 2009
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Hallo,
For the last five days now, I've had stomach cramps, bloating and slight spotting. I finished my period 2 weeks ago.

Anonymous - Oct 06, 2009
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my last period was started on 15/09/09...after 20/09 till 28/09 i have regular intercourse from last 3 days iam nausea/Vomiting, pain in my abdominal, heart burn, acidity too....is this is a symtoms of pregancy as my periods is due on 15th oct...Is the symtoms of pregancy starts even before the menstural period

shikha - Oct 05, 2009
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Hi.
I had been on the depo off and on since I had my son October 9th of 2007. My last shot was May 20th of 2009. I began using the pill in August and stopped after the last pill. My period came September 12th. I had unprotected sex September 21st, 23rd, and 26th. Lately my temp has been really high. I find myself tired with headaches from time to time. Also Ive been craving onions . . . Ive been spotting off and on this past week and Im just wondering if I am pregnant or not. Im not trying to conceive but I looked up my ovulation period and it was the 23rd thru the 26th and Ive been experiences some syptoms. I should know being a mom but I am unsure because Ive had alot of false pregnancies and a miscarriage. Please help me out. Thanks Smile

Anonymous - Sep 30, 2009
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I had been on birthcontrol for about a week and had unprotected sex with my boyfriend using the pull out method and then the next day was over three hours late taking my pill then lost the pack. I got my "period" exactly a week early but it only lasted three days and usually I need about eight pads a day while all together in those three days I used only five !
-I've been having some sort of cravings, not super bad though.
-Frequent headaches (more then usual)
-My temperature is staying high
-Certain foods make me sick and things I use to love I hate.
-I've been getting really queasy lately and dizzy spells now and again.
-My breasts are swollen and swore to the touch but no color change (i've had breast reduction so does that change anything?)

I took a home pregnancy test when my period is or was due to start Friday and came back not pregnant? What's going on with my body? Am I pregnant?

Anonymous - Sep 29, 2009
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i have had heaps of symtoms such as ; craving, morning sickness, head-aches, back pains and being moody .
I missed my period which was due a week ago . 2 days ago i found a hole in the condom we used that night ! But i felt sick already from the week before that when we didnt use protection .. am i pregnant ? my family is stressing out as they have noticed these symtoms and it was not an intensional pregnancy . Please help me ! i need to know right away !!!!

Anonymous - Sep 24, 2009
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Hi.
its been a month but my period never happend, and a month before i had intercourse, is it a sign of pegnancy??
what is it?

Anonymous - Sep 24, 2009
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I have symptoms of pregnancy like sickness, moodswings, lower back pain, food cravings, headaces, etc. Its been about a month and a half since intercourse. I had bleeding but for like 2 or 3 days. And i took a home test and it said not pregnant. What am i to do?

Anonymous - Sep 24, 2009
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First Day of Last Period:
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Note that you are most likely to get pregnant if you time your lovemaking to occur on the days right before - and on - your ovulation date. Keep in mind that the projected ovulation date above is simply a “best guess” estimate based on your cycle date information. The most accurate way to pinpoint your most fertile time is through the use of urine-based ovulation tests or with a fertility monitor. We have partnered with Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com, the Internet’s leading supplier of preconception products since 2001, to offer low-cost, FDA-approved pregnancy and ovulation tests – with free same-day shipping.

 

Now that you’ve calculated your ovulation date using our ovulation calculator, we have a number of other helpful tools you can use to help increase your chances of conceiving.

 

  • Create your own personalized ovulation calendar! You can even provide an email address so that you receive email alerts of your most fertile days, when you can begin testing for pregnancy, and more.
     

  • Create your own personalized fertility chart! This is a highly accurate way to pinpoint your ovulation date that relies primarily on basal temperature charting. (Visit Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com for an accurate, inexpensive basal thermometer.)
     

  • Connect with others at our online community! If you have questions about trying-to-conceive – or if you just want to vent a bit – we have a wonderful, vibrant community of people who’d just love to hear from you.

Find your most fertile time.
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