Thursday, September 02, 2010

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Pregnancy

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Pregnancy Symptoms

What are the symptoms of pregnancy that every woman should know? Conceive.com has developed a basic guide to help women everywhere determine if they may be prgnant before going to the store and spenidng good money on a home pregnancy test or making an appointment at the Doctors office. At some point in time, most women feel a little off, and they begin to wonder if they are pregnant.

While the only surefire way to know you are pregnant is to have an ultrasound and see your baby, there are a variety of symptoms you can watch for that may mean you are pregnant. The most important thing to remember is that symptoms vary from woman to woman and some women have no early symptoms. So having these symptoms does not necessarily mean you are pregnant, but it is simply a signal that you should take a pregnancy test.

Of course, the most common symptom is a missed period. If you have regular cycles, then this symptom is usually a reliable one. However, if your cycles are often irregular, then you may have to look for other symptoms.

Other common early pregnancy symptoms include fatigue (severe in some cases) and nausea and vomiting, particularly in the morning. Many women also experience breast (especially nipple) pain, tenderness, and swelling, much like they might experience before their cycle begins. They may also notice darkness in their areolas (the area around the nipple).

Since hormones are fluctuating rapidly during early pregnancy, women often experience headaches and more frequent urination. In addition, they may have strong food cravings and/or aversions. All of these symptoms can occur in varying degrees of intensity and at any time throughout the day.

Although all of these pregnancy symptoms are symptoms women commonly experience during pregnancy, they are also symptoms of numerous common ailments. It is important to pay attention to your monthly cycles, so that you will know if you are late. If you are late, and especially if you exhibit other symptoms, take a pregnancy test as soon as you can. Then notify your doctor of the results. Early prenatal care is crucial to having a safe, healthy pregnancy and baby.