Ahhhhh the joys of being pregnant --- a heightened sense of taste and smell, a glow emanating from your skin and person, being able to eat all those strange combinations of foods you’ve never tried and maybe never have wanted to try. But let’s say that you are not sure if you are pregnant. Maybe you missed a period or you feel a bit of nausea in the morning and you aren’t sure it is time to take a pregnancy test or schedule an appointment with your doctor. What symptoms or signs would indicate a high likelihood of being pregnant? What should you be paying attention to?

Some common symptoms experienced in early pregnancy are:

1. If you have missed a menstrual period during a month, it may be a sign that you are pregnant. You may then get a pregnancy test to confirm.
2. Morning sickness – a feeling of nausea and vomiting sensation - and drowsiness, may be the early stages of pregnancy.
3. Another sign of pregnancy may be increased sensitivity of the breast and nipples. Slight darkening of the areola around the breast nipples may also indicate pregnancy.
4. You may find small amounts of spotting. These spots are different from the normal menses and can indicate pregnancy.
5. You may notice that your body temperature may shoot up past the due date of your menstrual cycle. This may be another early pregnancy symptom.
6. You may also feel a bit of constipation during your early pregnancy period.

These are not the only signs of early pregnancy; rather there are many more signs and symptoms that point towards the possibility of your being pregnant. Enhanced sense of smell, irritation to certain food products like milk, curd etc., fatigue, anxiety, a feeling of depression, burning sensation throughout the body (feeling extremely hot), and changes in complexion are also some of the early signs of pregnancy. All these symptoms vary, depending upon your body type - some women may feel very hungry while there may be others who do not feel like eating anything. The most important thing to remember is to take really great care of yourself (both physically and mentally) from the very beginning so that you give birth to a healthy child.

Article by: Michelle O’Connor, Different Stages of Pregnancy