How long does it take for pregnancy signs to show?

(February 23, 2010)

The signs of pregnancy differ from woman to woman and the symptoms experienced are different for each pregnancy. The onset of pregnancy symptoms may be prominent within a few days for some women, while others may not have them for several weeks or not at all. However, there are symptoms that are universal and hence, common to most women in the early stages of pregnancy. Here is a listing of some of the most common early pregnancy signs:

•   Implantation Bleeding: It generally occurs between 6 and 12 days after conception and is one of the earliest signs of being pregnant. Implantation bleeding is very light and occurs when the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus. It is also called spotting which is the term for bleeding between periods.

•   Breast Changes: Due to increased levels of hormones after conception within 1 or 2 weeks, the breasts becomes tender and sore. Increased hormonal levels cause an increase in the blood flow to the breast tissue. Your breasts may swell up or become very sensitive to touch as the milk ducts develop. This may be accompanied by itchiness or a burning sensation. The pain eventually assuages as your body makes adjustments to the new increase in hormonal levels.

•   Nausea and Vomiting: The most common sign that women experience within the first few weeks of conception is the morning sickness or nausea, which can actually last all day and night. The effects of nausea vary depending on the pregnancy and usually last for the first trimester, before diminishing.

•   Missed Period: It is the universal sign that a woman is pregnant. It begins early in pregnancy, but it is important that you take a pregnancy test and confirm the results.

•   Food Cravings: Strange food cravings occur during the pregnancy period which last throughout the pregnancy.

•   Frequent Urination: During pregnancy, the blood and fluid levels in your body increase to prepare you for the pregnancy; this results in frequent urination as the kidneys process all the fluids that finally end up in your bladder. This generally happens around six weeks after conception.

•   Darker Areolas: The darker skin around the nipples (known as areolas) gets even darker. The feeling is similar to how your breasts feel just before you start your period. It usually subsides as the pregnancy progresses.

•   Fatigue/Tiredness: Feeling fatigued or tired is a pregnancy symptom that is experienced, especially during the first trimester. Your body produces higher levels of progesterone, which makes you feel sleepy.

•   Backaches & Headaches: Lower backaches because of the softening of supporting ligaments and headaches due to the sudden rise of hormones (progesterone) in your body occur any time in the early stages of pregnancy.

•   Constipation: Pregnancy hormones tend to slow down bowel functions to give maximum absorption time for vitamins and nutrients. This gets worse as the pregnancy progresses.

•   Irritability: Raging hormones are the cause of this. This symptom decreases soon after the pregnancy progresses into the second trimester.

However, you shouldn’t get confused with the symptoms of pseudocyesis (false pregnancy) as you may experience signs of pregnancy, when in fact, you are not pregnant. So, a pregnancy test is recommended before considering the pregnancy condition.

Submitted by P T on February 23, 2010 at 11:00