The pregnancy test is the first proof of your pregnancy. But if you have been planning for that conception, you might be wishing to know even before a missed period. Here is how you can identify.‍

Most early signs and symptoms of pregnancy

A missed period. You might be pregnant if your periods are usually regular, and a week or more has passed after the date of your expected menstrual cycle, when you are in your childbearing years.

• Tender breasts: Early pregnancy hormones make your breast swollen and sore. The discomfort usually decreases after a few weeks once you get used to these changes.
• Nausea: Morning sickness, which does not necessarily occur in the morning, often begins one month after you have conceived. However, some women don’t experience nausea at all. Early pregnancy hormones are a reason for this symptom, again.
• Fatigue: The levels of the hormone progesterone increase during early pregnancy — which many times makes you feel sleepy and fatigued easily.‍
• Increased urination: You might find yourself running to pee more than usual. During pregnancy, the amount of blood in your body increases, causing your kidneys to filter more fluid that ends up in your bladder.

Other signs and symptoms of pregnancy‍

A few other signs and symptoms of pregnancy include:

• Aversion from Food: During pregnancy, your sensitivity to certain odours might increase and your sense of taste might change as well. Like other symptoms of pregnancy, these changing food preferences can be a result of hormonal changes.
• Bloating: Early pregnancy hormonal changes can lead to bloating, similar to how you feel at the beginning of a menstrual period.
• Moodiness: The surge of hormones in early pregnancy leads to a range of mood swings from feeling happy to weepy to emotionally drained.
• Light spotting: Sometimes light spotting is one of the first signs of pregnancy. Also known as implantation bleeding, it happens about 10 to 14 days after conception, when the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus. However, not all women have it.
• Cramping: Mild uterine cramping is experienced by a few women at the beginning of pregnancy. ‍
• Constipation: Hormonal changes lead to slowing down of your digestive system, leading to constipation.‍
• Nasal congestion: Changing hormone levels and increased blood production leads the mucous membranes in your nose to swell and dry out. This might lead to a stuffy or runny nose.

Do these symptoms really mean you are pregnant?

Many of these signs and symptoms aren't unique to pregnancy. Some can indicate that you're about to get sick or that your period is starting. There are cases where the woman gets pregnant but does not experience any of these symptoms.

Still, you should take a home pregnancy test or see your practitioner on missing a period or noticing any of these signs. If your home pregnancy test gives a positive result, confirm it with your practitioner.