There are at least seven definite signs that can tell you that you are pregnant. Some women will only experience a few of the signs and some will notice all of the very early signs of pregnancy. From the time of conception, it takes about 5-7 days for the embryo to travel through the Fallopian tube and implant in the uterine lining. At the same time there are hormonal changes occurring that cause the body to react and change. It is these changes that give the very first indication that you could be pregnant.

7 early signs of pregnancy are:

1. Raised Temperature – around the time of ovulation, the body temperature rises slightly and will stay elevated. If the basal temperature remains elevated during the time leading up to and through your normal menstruation time, this is one of the early signs of pregnancy.
2. Slight Blood Discharge – The egg implants in the uterine lining and the bleeding can cause a discharge that should be slight and a light pink or brown. This normally occurs around 5-7 days after ovulation and before a normal period would begin. This will differ from a normal menstruation in that it is light and very short, perhaps just one or two incidents, whereas a normal flow would start lightly, then become heavy and lessen again before stopping. This would take about 3-7 days. The spotting is one of the early signs that you are pregnant.
3. Fatigue – you may find that you are unusually tired, more so than normal and that your sleeping patterns change. This is due to the changes in your hormone levels and will usually correct itself when you adapt to the new levels. It is not uncommon to fall asleep earlier in the evening than is usual for you as one of the early signs to look for.
4. Sensitive nipples and tenderness in the breasts – the rise in hormone levels can affect the breasts very early on and have a feeling of fullness and tenderness quite early on. This also settles down when the body gets used to the change in hormones.
5. Increase in Urination – passing urine more frequently is one of the early signs that you are pregnant. This can happen before a period is missed, and can occur as early as week after ovulation. The hormone “human chorionic gonadotropin” (hCG) produced when the egg implants causes the increase in urination.
6. Morning sickness – nausea can be experienced as one of the first signs of pregnancy and this usually occurs in approximately half of all pregnant women. Even though it is often referred to as “morning sickness” it can occur at any time during the day.
7. No menstrual period – this is the most obvious of the 7 pregnancy signs, but there are always the exceptions. Some women still experience a “period” and can still be pregnant, but the period is much lighter and may last only a day or so, and should be viewed as a potential miscarriage as it is not considered normal. There are other reasons that a period could be missed such as stress or irregularity, but if you are usually regular then it can be a definite sign of pregnancy.

If you have experienced some of these signs, then confirm your pregnancy, either, by going to your doctor or you may first wish to check using a good home pregnancy testing kit. These are usually quite good at picking up the change in hormones within two to four weeks from conception. A blood test is generally more reliable and can tell as early as a week to 10 days from conception. Just remember that home tests while good, are not 100% fool-proof. If you get a negative result and you still think you are pregnant, you may need to see your doctor or wait another week and test again.

Remember before trying for your baby, to prepare your body for pregnancy. Eat well, exercise, and make sure that if you smoke and drink, to stop well before getting pregnant. Being as healthy as you can be is crucial to your baby’s development especially during those first few months. As well as knowing the very early signs of pregnancy, learn everything you can about how to get pregnant, and about having a healthy pregnancy for you baby.