Signs of Pregnancy

Watching for Signs of Pregnancy

The signs of pregnancy can be divided into three groups - possible, probable, and positive.

Possible signs of pregnancy are the first to occur, most in the first weeks. While they are associated with pregnancy, they can all be caused by other factors. A missed period (amenorrhea, absence of menstruation) is the sign most commonly associated with pregnancy, but it can have a number of other causes, including illness, fatigue, and hormonal imbalances. And remember that some women may have a very light period or some spotting when the fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining. So if you suspect pregnancy but aren't sure because there was a little bleeding, best to play it safe and have a test.

Morning sickness - at any time of day - is another of the typical signs of pregnancy that might be something else as well: disease, infection, or food poisoning. Tender, swollen breasts can mean pregnancy or PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Frequent urination could be from baby hormones, or could mean a urinary tract infection or diabetes. There are many other reasons why you may feel the overwhelming fatigue that often accompanies early pregnancy.

Probable signs of pregnancy tend to appear a little later. Some, such as the softening or your uterus and cervix, may be visible only to your medical practitioner. But even this could be caused by a late period, so is not proof in itself. Enlargement of your uterus and abdomen could be due to a tumor, fibroids, or a baby. And those fluttery, butterfly-type of sensations down low in your abdomen could be fetal movements, or they could be gas.

If you have only one or two of the possible or probable signs of pregnancy, you may or may not be pregnant. If you've missed a period, are throwing up every morning, and are running to the bathroom every twenty minutes, chances are the pregnancy test will come back positive.

But clinically speaking, there are just three positive signs of pregnancy that could have no other explanation. The first is visualization of the embryo or gestational sac through ultrasound. This can be done as early as four to six weeks after conception. There's also no mistaking the fetal heartbeat, which can be detected around twelve weeks. Finally, there's no other explanation for fetal movements strong enough to be felt through the abdomen. It's a sure sign that those movements will soon be seen, not simply felt!

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