Pregnancy

If pregnancy is a possibility, some questions may arise concerning what signs to look for. Fortunately, this question can be answered prpmptly with an over-the-counter pregnancy test or a medical examination with your Health Care Provider.

A woman may have some or all of the signs and symptoms of early pregnancy and not be pregnant. Or you may have only a few of them and be pregnant. Congratulations! In fact, positive proof of your pregnancy is your baby's heartbeat, audible through a stethoscope approximately 10 to 12 weeks into your pregnancy.

Signs and Symptoms of Possible Pregnancy: (the following was taken from charts in the book, What to Expect When You're Expecting).

• Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) will usually appear throughout the entire pregnancy. Some other reasons for the absence of menstruation are fatigue, stress, hormonal imbalance or illness, extreme weight gain or loss, discontinuation of birth control, and breastfeeding.
• Morning sickness can usually occur at any time of the day and may begin 2 to 8 weeks after conception. Some other sources of nausea are food poisoning, tension, infection, and a variety of diseases.
• Frequent urination can occur 6 to 8 weeks after conception. Some other stimuli of frequent urination are urinary tract infections, diuretics, tension, and diabetes.
• Tingling, tender, swollen breasts may occur as early as a few days after conception. Some other possible causes may include birth control pills and impending menstruation.
• Change in color of vaginal and cervical tissue* may occur in the first trimester. Other possible causes of this can be impending menstruation.
• Darkening of areola (area around nipple) and elevation of tiny glands around nipple usually occur in the first trimester. Other possible causes are hormonal imbalance or effect of prior pregnancy.
• Blue and pink lines under skin on breasts and later on abdomen usually occur in the first trimester. Other possible causes are hormonal imbalance or effect of prior pregnancy.
• Food Cravings usually occur in the first trimester. Some other possible causes are poor diet, stress, imagination, or impending menstruation.
• Darkening of line from navel to pubis usually occurs during month 4 or 5 of pregnancy. Other possible causes can be hormonal imbalance or effect of prior pregnancy.

Signs of Probable Pregnancy: (the following information was taken from charts in the book, What to Expect When You're Expecting).

• Softening of uterus and cervix* usually appears 2 to 8 weeks after conception. Another possible cause is a delayed menstrual period.
• Enlarging uterus* and abdomen may appear 8 to 12 weeks into pregnancy. Other possible causes are tumors or fibroids.
• Intermittent painless contractions may occur early in pregnancy, increasing in frequency as pregnancy advances. Another possibel cause is bowel contractions.
• Fetal movements can occur in the first 16 to 22 weeks. Other possibel causes are gas and bowel contractions.

Signs of Positive Pregnancy: (the following information was taken from charts in the book, What to Expect When You're Expecting).

• Visualization of embryo or gestational sac through ultrasound* appears as early as 4 to 6 weeks after conception.
• Fetal heartbeat* is first detected between weeks 10 and 20.**
• Fetal movements felt through abdomen* after 16 weeks.

*Signs of pregnancy looked for in medical examination.

** Depending on device used.