Are these typical early pregnancy symptoms?

Many early pregnancy symptoms can possibly point to a pregnancy, while many other symptoms are not so clear. Some symptoms may be the result of an impending period or premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In addition, some women have typical early pregnancy symptoms while others do not.

Does everyone have nausea and vomiting?

However, it's wise to keep in mind that not all pregnant women have the same symptoms. Some actually have very little signs of pregnancy. For example, nausea and vomiting are among the most common first pregnancy signs, yet only 1 in 3 pregnant women have some nausea and many women don't have any nausea even though the pregnancy is progressing quite normally. 

According to most data, more than half of all pregnant women suffer from nausea and vomiting during their pregnancy. Since each woman is different, the severity of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy will vary from person to person. You could be pregnant, although being nauseous does not necessarily mean that you are pregnant.

Symptoms differ

Some pregnancy symptoms carry more weight in helping detect a pregnancy than others. While tiredness and nausea can occur early on, they can also signal other conditions besides pregnancy.  It's even possible that symptoms can change with each new pregnancy you have.

Early pregnancy symptoms include:

• Implantation bleeding and cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Missed period
• Breast tenderness
• Heartburn
• Trouble sleeping/insomnia 
• Sickening scents (odors that never used to bother suddenly become nauseating)
• Mood swings and emotional changes
• Frequent or increased urination

Taking a pregnancy test

Of course, the most reliable way to diagnose a pregnancy is to do a pregnancy test. The pregnancy test is usually positive when you miss your period, though sometimes it becomes positive many days later. Over 50% of pregnant women will have a positive pregnancy test within 1-2 days of missing their period. Over 90% of pregnant women will have a positive pregnancy test within 1 week after missing their period. A repeatedly negative pregnancy test more than a week after missing your period usually means that you are not pregnant.

Are you feeling a little queasy? Wondering why your breasts are so tender? What about those crazy mood swings? Could you be pregnant? Take this quiz created by Dr. Amos Grunebaum and see how your answers add up!