Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Most women know that one of the first signs of pregnancy is delayed period, however, if you have an irregular menstrual cycle, it is very difficult to determine if you have delayed periods. There are some other signs of pregnancy you can look for to find out when to have a home pregnancy test or test.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Recognizing the signs of early pregnancy

1. 

   Signs of bleeding when an egg implants in the uterus. If you notice bleeding or mild bleeding about 6 to 12 days after your period, it could be a sign that a fertilized egg has implanted in the uterine wall.
   • Some women have abdominal pain that looks like they're going to get a menstrual cycle.
   • It is easy to confuse pregnancy with menstruation, especially if you have irregular periods.

2. 

   
   
   Signs of chest pain. Hormonal changes in the body make the breasts swollen and soft. This may appear about one to two weeks after conception. Your breasts will feel heavier and fuller.
   • If your breasts are always soft, look for other signs of pregnancy.
   • Some women even need to increase their bra size after a few weeks of pregnancy. If you have to use a larger bra size, chances are you are pregnant.
   • The nipples also start to become darker due to hormonal changes during pregnancy.

3. 

   
   
   Notice how you feel tired. As the body adjusts to pregnancy, women often feel tired and lethargic. This sensation can appear as early as the first week of conception.
   • The level of the hormone progesterone increases is the cause of your body always tired and sleepy.
   • If you are likely to be pregnant, you should avoid caffeine to combat the feeling of fatigue. There are no studies proving that caffeine is harmful to the body in the first few weeks of pregnancy, but consuming too much of it increases the risk of miscarriage. Although there is no exact dose, on average you should consume no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day.

4. 

   
   
   Nausea. Morning nausea usually appears about two weeks after conception and can last up to eighth week of pregnancy. If you feel nauseous often, you should use a home pregnancy test.
   • Nausea symptoms are often accompanied by a feeling of fear of food. During pregnancy, even your favorite foods can make you nauseous.
   • Pregnant women may experience nausea and vomiting only.
   • You will also notice that you are more sensitive to odors, and feel nauseous even when you smell your favorite scents.

5. 

   Signs of appetite or fear of food. From the very first days of pregnancy, hormonal changes will make you crave certain foods. You may crave foods you didn't like to eat before, while favorites may make you nauseous.
   • You can see a metallic taste in your mouth, which is perfectly normal in the first few days of pregnancy.
   • Many women report that they are afraid of the smell of coffee during pregnancy, although before becoming pregnant they often drink a lot of coffee. If you suddenly feel nauseous when you smell coffee, you may be pregnant.

6. 

   Symptoms of headaches, back pain and frequent urination. These are the typical early signs of pregnancy, appearing due to the hormonal influence in pregnancy, plus increased blood flow in the body and increased kidney function.
   • There are some over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, to relieve headache and back pain symptoms. Another drug is ibuprofen, which is considered safe in early pregnancy, but should not be used without the supervision of a doctor.
   • Instead of medications, use home remedies such as hot showers, heating pads, or massages, etc.
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Part 2 of 2: Pregnancy test

1. 

   Get a pregnancy test when you have two or more early signs of pregnancy. If you find you have two or more signs of early pregnancy, you should have a home pregnancy test. For most pregnancy test strips, you will dip the tip of the test strip in a urine cup, or insert the test strip into the stream of urine. After a few minutes, the test shows the result with a change of color, showing the word "pregnant" or "not pregnant", or giving the result with other icons.
   • Most pregnancy tests will not give completely accurate results until you reach 5 weeks of pregnancy.
   • Each test strip has different instructions for use, so be sure to read the instructions that come with the test strip you are using.
   • Home tests determine pregnancy by looking for the presence of a hormone in pregnancy called HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).

2. 

   Get a pregnancy test again after a week or go to a pregnancy check Although pregnancy tests rarely give false positives, sometimes the result will be false negative if you take the test too early. If you feel like you've been pregnant for a week or two, you should have another pregnancy test.
   • You should get a pregnancy test early in the morning when the urine is thick. Drinking too much water before a pregnancy test can also produce false negative results.
   • A false-positive pregnancy test can happen when a hormone changes in the body during menopause or when you inject the HCG hormone to treat infertility.

3. 

   Make an appointment with your doctor. If you receive a pregnancy result after repeated home pregnancy tests, or show signs of pregnancy despite a negative pregnancy test, you should contact your gynecologist or family doctor. Seeing a doctor for a blood test will result in a pregnancy faster than a home urine test.
   • The sooner a pregnancy is identified, the sooner you will have appropriate measures. These options should be discussed with your doctor.
   • If you are planning to become pregnant and have a baby, your doctor will help you to learn about prenatal health care.
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Advice

• You may experience a few other signs of pregnancy such as mood changes, heartburn, constipation and bloating.

Warning

• Watch for signs of pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is one of the most serious symptoms of pregnancy. Signs of pre-eclampsia include high blood pressure, vision changes, and sudden weight gain.