So You Think You’re Pregnant? A brief discussion of common pregnancy symptoms.
A baby begins life even before he is born – from conception until the
uterus finally pushes him out of his mother’s body. This is the
phenomenon we call pregnancy. It starts when the male sperm unites with
the female egg and develops into an embryo. While several women say
they can already detect pregnancy from the moment of conception, some
see the pregnancy symptoms much later.
As the woman’s body prepares itself for child-bearing, she will notice
several changes. The telltale signs of pregnancy include the following:
Absence of menstruation
This is usually the first sign of pregnancy. Take note, though, that it
should not always be linked with pregnancy symptoms, as missing your
monthly period can also mean some other kind of hormonal imbalance or
condition.
Morning sickness
It would be prudent to note that the pregnancy symptom called “morning
sickness” does not happen only in the mornings. This feeling of
dizziness can happen at any time of the day. The hormonal changes
occurring during pregnancy generally trigger bouts of nausea and
vomiting. Another related symptom would be constant tiredness, which a
possibly pregnant woman experiences even if no physical activity had
been performed (but, then, again, it could also be due to improper
nutrition).
Strong craving for certain foods
The cause of this pregnancy symptom is still undetermined. But pregnant
women have been infamous for requesting/demanding different kinds of
food, owing to uncontrollable appetite urges. On some cases, “strong
craving” is an understatement.
Mood swings and headaches
A woman’s emotions sometimes become slave to the hormonal changes
linked with pregnancy. Quite common are bouts of depression, vagueness,
listlessness and irritability.
Sleepiness
This symptom is not due to fatigue. Women who are pregnant usually long
for sleep early in the evening. Again, blame the hormones.
Frequent urination
As the womb expands to make room for the growing fetus, it bears down
on the urinary bladder, causing constant urges to pass urine. Some
women have also been observed to develop white, creamy vaginal
discharge during pregnancy, while the breasts tend to swell and grow
tender (as the mammary glands brace themselves for breastfeeding).
Not all signs of pregnancy are obvious. But when the above mentioned
symptoms present themselves to you, and you have enough reason to
suspect that you are pregnant, you must consult your doctor at once,
preferably an obstetrician. (An obstetrician specializes in caring for
women while they are pregnant and even after pregnancy.) The doctor
will then run tests to find out whether you ARE pregnant and in which
pregnancy level you are already in. If your doctor bears good news,
that, indeed, a miracle has formed in your womb, congratulations! You
will soon be holding in your arms the greatest gift you will ever
receive.
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