Am I Pregnant? Test Your Early Pregnancy IQ

Missed menstrual period is most often the first sign of pregnancy. Sometimes a woman who is pregnant may still experience some bleeding or spotting around the time of the expected period. When it occurs, this is so called “implantation bleeding.”

Elevations in estrogen that occur early in pregnancy are thought to slow the emptying of the stomach and may be related to the development of nausea.

Some women may experience feelings of abdominal enlargement or bloating, but there is usually only a small amount of weight gain in the first trimester of pregnancy. In this early stage of pregnancy, a weight gain of about one pound per month is typical.

A woman in the early stages of pregnancy may feel she has to urinate frequently, especially at nighttime, and she may leak urine with a cough, sneeze, or laugh. The increased desire to urinate may have both physical and hormonal causes. Once the embryo has implanted in the uterus, it begins to produce the hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is believed to stimulate frequent urination.

Fatigue and tiredness are symptoms experienced by many women in the early stages of pregnancy. The cause of this fatigue has not been fully determined, but it is believed to be related to rising levels of the hormone progesterone.

A persistently elevated basal body temperature (the oral temperature measured first thing in the morning, before arising from bed) is another characteristic sign of early pregnancy. Persistence of the elevated basal body temperature beyond the time of the expected menstrual period is another sign of early pregnancy.

Some women may develop a so-called “mask of pregnancy” in the first trimester, referring to a darkening of the skin on the forehead, bridge of the nose, upper lip, or cheeks. The darkened skin is typically present on both sides of the face. Doctors refer to this condition as melasma or chloasma, and it is more common in darker-skinned women than those with lighter skin.

Women may notice a dark line going down from the middle of the central abdomen area to the pubic area (known as the linea nigra, not the café au lait line). The linea nigra typically disappears in the months following delivery of the baby.

Feelings of breast swelling, tenderness, or pain are also commonly associated with early pregnancy. These symptoms are sometimes similar to the sensations in the breasts in the days before an expected menstrual period. Women may also describe a feeling of heaviness or fullness in the breasts. These symptoms can begin in some women as early as one to two weeks after conception.

In a 2004 study, researchers tested the accuracy of 18 HPTs sold in retail stores. They found that only one brand consistently detected the low levels of hCG usually present on the first day of the missed period. This was the First Response® Early Result Pregnancy Test. The other tests missed up to 85% of pregnancies on the first day of the missed period. Most tests accurately confirmed pregnancies one week after the missed period.

Passing pink, gray, or white material from the vagina that does not look like a blood clot could be a sign of a serious condition. The woman who is pregnant should take the material to the hospital.

These symptoms are symptoms of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, which can occur 6 to 8 weeks after the last normal menstrual period, but may occur later during the pregnancy. Medical attention should be sought should a woman feels she is pregnant and experiencing these symptoms.

Women may notice a deepening of the color of the area surrounding the nipple, called the areola. Some degree of darkening of the areola persists after pregnancy in many women.

Fetal movement may be perceived after 20 weeks for new mothers.

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