Pregnancy Week by Week

Pregnancy Symptoms

Pregnancy symptoms may be easily misleading. Some women experience many of these symptoms, while others experience very few. The more of the following symptoms you have, the more likely it is that you are pregnant.

There are three types of symptoms of pregnancy: possible, probable and certain.

Possible Symptoms of Pregnancy

Lack of menstruation is usually a sign, but it may be due to fatigue, stress, fear of pregnancy, changes in program or medication, hormonal imbalance, excessive weight gain or weight loss, quitting birthcontrol pills, breastfeeding or menopause.
Morning sickness is felt between 2 and 8 weeks after conception, but again it may also be due to blood pressure, food poisoning or a disease.
Frequent urination usually begins within 6-8 weeks after conception, but may be caused by infection of the urinary tract, blood or diabetes.
Increased sensitivity of breast, swelling and itching can occur in only a few days after conception. However all this may be due to birth control pills or menstruation.
Change in the color of the vagina and cervix tissue appears in the first quarter, and may be also due to menstruation.
Darkening of the area around the nipple and small protrusion around it occur in the first quarter, but may be the result of a hormonal imbalance or a previous pregnancy.
In the first quarter, some blue and pink stripes under the skin of the breasts and abdomen appears, which may also be due to hormonal imbalance or a previous pregnancy.
Excessive appetite is also experienced in the first quarter. This may be due, however, to a poor diet, stress or menstruation.
Darkening of the line between the umbilicus and pubis appears in the fourth or fifth month, but you may also have a hormonal imbalance or it may be caused by a previous pregnancy.

Probable symptoms of pregnancy

The uterus and cervix soften after 2 to 8 weeks after conception, but the cause may also be delayed menstruation.
The abdomen and the uterus increase 8 to 12 weeks after conception. The cause may be, however, a tumor or a fibroid.
Intermittent painless contractions appear early and increase in frequency as the pregnancy progresses, but they may be just the contractions of the intestines.
The fetus begins to move after 16 to 22 weeks of pregnancy, but the sensation can be determined by the concentration of gas in the stomach or bowel contractions.

Certain symptoms of pregnancy

Seeing the embryo, which can be done with ultrasound at 4-6 weeks after conception.
Fetal heart starts beating after 10 to 20 weeks after conception.
Fetal movements can be felt after 16 weeks.

Currently, the easiest way to confirm a pregnancy is by taking pregnancy tests, which are more accurate now than before and much easier to use.

These tests like urine test, detect the pregnancy on the basis of this hormone in urine. Their accuracy is restricted to about 14 days after conception, and the result appears in just five minutes. If done properly, they are 100% accurate, with the advantage that they can be done at home and the results also appear immediately.

If the test is positive, do not delay for the consultation with a doctor because medical supervision is essential for the healthy development of the fetus. If the rest if negative, an appointment is recommended anyway to find out why the cycle is delayed.

Urine tests are taken in the laboratory, where the doctor can detect the same hormone in a period of 7 to 10 days after conception. The test is done by qualified personnel, which guarantees a higher chance of being properly interpreted.