Pregnancy Symptoms

The major symptoms of pregnancy are:

• Missed period
• Morning sickness
• Breast changes
• Frequent urination
• Bloating
• Food cravings
• Quickening

Missed period

This is usually the first symptom which suggests you might be pregnant. This is not a sure sign that you are pregnant, there can be other causes of a missed period. Some of these are:

• Hormonal imbalance
• Polycystic ovaries
• Infections like tuberculosis
• Problems of the uterus
• Use of oral contraceptive pills and injections
• Breast feeding
• Hyperthyroidism
• Diabetes mellitus
• Sudden weight loss or gain
• Malnutrition
• Stress
• Anorexia nervosa

^ Top

Morning sickness

This is a feeling of nausea and, sometimes, vomiting, especially in the mornings due to pregnancy. It occurs in approx. 50% of all pregnancies and is most marked at 2-12 weeks of pregnancy. It is usually most severe in the mornings, but may occur at any time and maybe precipitated by cooking odors and pungent smells.

^ Top

Breast changes

There will be certain changes in your breasts due to the different hormones in the body. Your breasts will become slightly bigger and might be sore and tender. You might also notice some prominent veins on your breasts. The area around your nipples (areola) will also become darker.

^ Top

Frequent urination

As the uterus grows it presses on your urinary bladder, and decreases the capacity of the bladder. You then feel the urge to urinate frequently. This feeling passes soon, when the uterus grows bigger and goes into your abdomen.

^ Top

Bloating

Your body makes many different hormones when you are pregnant. You might get a feeling of bloating because of these hormones.

^ Top

Food cravings

In early pregnancy, many women get cravings for certain kinds of foods.

^ Top

Quickening

This is a feeling of movement of the baby in your tummy. It usually occurs around 20 weeks of pregnancy, but might be appreciated earlier in women who have borne children earlier.

^ Top

Dr. Rekha Khandelwal  M.S.