Early Pregnancy Symptoms
Early pregnancy symptoms are felt by many women even before they miss their period. However, most of the typical pregnancy symptoms and signs are directly related to the pregnancy hormone hCG, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. Small amounts of hCG enter the blood stream several days after implantation, about 8-10 days after ovulation. Thus, typical pregnancy symptoms typically do not appear until the hCG has reached sufficient levels which is about 1-2 weeks after you miss your period (3-4 weeks after ovulation, or 2-3 weeks after implantation), at a time when the hCG has risen enough. Nothing will really confirm a pregnancy except a positive pregnancy test. A blood pregnancy test can be positive several days after implantation, while a urine pregnancy test is usually not positive until 12-14 days after fertilization or about 7+ days after implantation. The first symptoms and the time of their appearance are listed here:
| Timing | Pregnancy Sign and Symptom |
| Implantation day | Temperature drop (dip) |
| Implantation day | Implantation bleeding or spotting:(a slight staining of a pink or brown color on average 8-10 days after ovulation)) |
| Implantation day | Lower abdominal cramps |
| 10 dpo | A positive blood hCG pregnancy test |
| 14+ dpo | A positive urine pregnancy test (HPT): As early as 10-14 days after ovulation/fertilization or 3-4 days after implantation. The more sensitive the HPT the earlier the pregnancy test will be positive. |
| 15+ dpo | An elevated BBT curve for 15+ days without a menstrual period |
| 15+ dpo | A missed menstrual period (amenorrhea): |
| 2-3 weeks after conception | Nausea |
| 2-3 weeks after conception | Nipple or breast tenderness: 3-4 weeks after conception |
| 3-10 weeks after conception | Fatigue |
| 3-10 weeks after conception | Vomiting |
| 1-2 months after conception | Food cravings |
| usually after 1-2 months | Frequent urination |
| usually 6+ weeks after LMP | Softening of cervix |
| later on | Constipation |
| later on | Lower-back pain |
| After 14 week | Darkening of areola (area around breast nipple) |
| 4-5 weeks after conception | Fetal heartbeat on sonogram |
| 16+ weeks | Fetal movements |
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