25 Signs of Pregnancy

The most obvious indicator of pregnancy is the absence of menstruation. While a late or skipped period is not a definite sign of pregnancy, it indicates that pregnancy is possible, especially when accompanied by symptoms of morning nausea, fatigue, breast tenderness, and frequent urination.

Figure out what the signs of pregnancy or pregnancy symptoms are and how likely they are to mean that you are pregnant. You can ask other people, you can worry in silence, but the best thing is to read through the categories and add up the signs. The more you have the more likely you are to be pregnant.  

On the chart below are 25 of the most common signs of pregnancy and what they mean. You can also click the sign to get more information on each sign of pregnancy. The three categories of pregnancy signs are: possible, probable and positive.  

1. Missed period   (The menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman. While we say that the average menstrual cycle is 28 days long, that is not true for everyone. Sometimes our period is believed to be late when in all actuality we have simply miss calculated. If you have irregular menstrual cycles, but know when you ovulate, look for your period about two weeks after you ovulate. That may help you keep an easier track of your periods. )  
2. Unusual or abnormal period  (  A menstrual cycle that is different in some way than your typical, normal period. This may mean that your period last longer or is shorter. It may be a difference in the amount of flow. Any of these variances may indicate that you are pregnant.)   

3.           Just "feeling" pregnant 

4.           Nausea and Vomiting(   More than 50% of women will complain about nausea and/or vomiting in early pregnancy. Learn what you can do to help yourself. Visit all the other pages of this website. If you were to ask women to name a single pregnancy symptom, morning sickness would be at the top of everyone's list. It is something that fascinates and debilitates us all in a single blow.) 

5. Changes in libido(You and your partner may find your desire for sex increased because for once you do not have to think about birth control. You may find that you are conflicted about sex as your mental images of yourself changes to a more motherly view. Some women find themselves preoccupied by the thought of sex, including dreams and strange fantasies.)      
6. Soreness of the breast   (Early in the first trimester you may notice that your breasts are sore or tender. For some women this is also a sign of an impending period, so it may go unnoticed. You may have a slight tenderness when you touch your breasts or you can have the severe pain whenever you wear a bra. This is one of the reasons that sex in the first trimester is often avoided by some women. Sex in pregnancy is safe, you may just want to avoid having anyone touch your nipples. Your nipples may become larger and darker as your pregnancy progresses. You may also notice small, goose bump or pimple like white areas on your areola. These are normal.      
7. Enlargement of BREAST   (Towards the end of the first trimester or the beginning of the second trimester you may notice that your breasts begin to grow. This is again the tissues inside the breast preparing for nursing. Towards the end of pregnancy you will want to be fitted for a nursing bra to help accommodate the larger breasts.)     

8.           Increased Urination    

9.           Strange cravings     (   While many pregnant women will never even begin to desire something as stereotypical as ice cream and pickles, many do have cravings during pregnancy. Some studies show that up to 68% of women will have a craving at some point during pregnancy. Watch what you're craving, be sure your diet is balanced. Eating a variety every week is one way to do this as opposed to eating the same meals over and over. Keep a food journal if necessary to help keep track of your meals. Be sure to discuss any problems with your nutrition with your doctor or midwife.) 

10.       Fatigue 

11.         Montgomery’s Tubercles(   These are small goose bump like raised areas on the areola of your breast. This is not an additional nipple and is not a problem. This is considered a possible sign of pregnancy.) 

12.       Skin Changes(   So, you think your skin has changed since you've become pregnant? The answer is probably. The integument system goes through several alterations due to both hormonal and mechanical changes. Some of these may have been blown off as old wives tales, while others you may never have heard of before.)  

13.       Stretch Marks(   Stretch marks are something that nearly every pregnant woman will worry about. These colored indentations on the skin, usually found on the abdomen, thighs, breasts and arms are one part of the normal skin changes of pregnancy, but can you prevent stretch marks? Does everyone get them? Skin changes are common in pregnancy from stretch marks to the mask of pregnancy. Find out how to avoid these when you can and deal with them when you can't.) 

14.       Quickening (Fetal Movement)   (   Quickening is defined as the first time you feel your baby move. This is a long anticipated event in every pregnancy. If you are expecting your first baby you can expect to feel your baby for the first time between 18 and 24 weeks gestation. If this is not your first baby you can expect to feel your baby a bit sooner than you felt your first. This is usually said to happen because you know what you're feeling for and your uterus is more stretched out than it was the first time around.) 

15. Colostrums from breast(Colostrums is the first milk your body makes. It will provide your baby with everything he or she needs to start life, including a dose of immunities and protection from jaundice. Towards the end of pregnancy some women may find that their breasts leak this golden colour fluid. Or you may notice that your nipples have a film or caked substance, this is all colostrums. You can use a breast pad if it becomes noticeable or if it makes you feel more comfortable. This is a pre-milk substance that is high in antibodies and works to get the meconium out of your baby's system after birth. It can appear at any point during pregnancy, but is not seen by all women.)         

16.       Enlarged Abdomen(   One of the fun parts of pregnancy is having your pregnant belly show. Being able to be seen as pregnant by the outside world is a fun validation of pregnancy for many women. So when can you expect your pregnant belly to show?) 

17.       Positive Pregnancy test(   Pregnancy testing is not a difficult task. However, it is one that carries a lot of importance to the test taker. This means that you will want to be sure to read all of the instructions before taking the test to ensure that you do it properly and that you don't make simple mistakes. This will help you have the most confidence in your pregnancy test results.   The only way a woman can be completely certain that she is pregnant is to take the following test. The most common means of pregnancy testing is the detection of a certain hormone HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropus) in your urine. You can either go to a doctor or buy a home kit to test the urine yourself. This test is not 100% reliable until at least 2 weeks after the first day of your missed period. A blood test will reveal pregnancy hormones even before your first missed period. An internal examination by your doctor will confirm pregnancy by the 8th week after the first day of your missed period.)  

18.       Change in uterine shape(   The vagina is more lubricated and the clitoris and vagina are more engorged. Many women will become orgasmic or multi-orgasmic for the first time during pregnancy because of this added engorgement.)  

19.       Enlarging Uterus(   Uterus will occasionally have spasms lasting upwards of one minute during orgasms, this is different from contractions.) 

20.       Braxton Hicks Contractions   (   A Braxton Hicks contraction is defined by Taber's Medical dictionary as an intermittent, painless contraction that may occur every 10 to 20 minutes after the first trimester of pregnancy. 

21.       Palpation of the Baby  

22.       Fetal Heart Tones  

23.       Ultra sound(   Have an ultrasound scheduled? Here's what you can expect to learn. Estimate the due date, Detect fetal motion, Determine the stage of pregnancy from the size of the fetal head, abdomen, or femur, Reveal if there is more than one fetus,   Show the amount of amniotic fluid present,  Identify fetal abnormalities 

24.        X-ray Detection