Missing Your Period is Only One Sign of Pregnancy
Missing your period is one of the most obvious signs of pregnancy, but there are a whole host of others. Some, like morning sickness, are also obvious, but there are many that aren’t quite so noticeable. The following are five signs of pregnancy that most women miss.
Increased Fatigue
From the moment you conceive, your body goes into overdrive, pouring all of its energy into helping the embryo grow and develop into a fetus. Even before you miss your period, you may be feeling increased fatigue. With the normal hustle and bustle of every day life, this is one early pregnancy indicator that is easy to miss.
Spotting or Cramping
Spotting and cramps are very well known to most women, and they are easy to pass off as a sign of your impending period. Spotting or cramps, however, can also be a very early indication of pregnancy. Known as implantation bleeding, spotting or cramping can accompany the attachment of the egg to the lining of the uterus. It usually happens between seven and fourteen days after conception. 20 to 30 percent of women are likely to see and miss this as an early pregnancy sign.
Increased Basal Body Temperature
The basal body temperature (BBT) is the temperature of your body when it is at rest. If you have been charting your BBT to help you ovulate, then you might notice if your BBT remains elevated for more than two weeks. Most women, however, never notice an increase in their BBT, which will remain elevated throughout their pregnancy.
Increased Urination
Most women don’t track how often they go to the bathroom, therefore many will not notice that they are urinating more often than before. This is another early sign of conception. After the embryo becomes implanted in the uterus, it produces a pregnancy hormone called hCG which alters your muscle tone and may result in you feeling the need to urinate more often.