A baby begins life even before he is born ? from conception until the uterus finally pushes him out of his mother's body. This is the phenomenon we call pregnancy. It starts when the male sperm unites with the female egg and develops into an embryo. While several women say they can already detect pregnancy from the moment of conception, some see the pregnancy symptoms much later.

As the woman's body prepares itself for child-bearing, she will notice several changes. The telltale signs of pregnancy include the following:

Absence of menstruation

This is usually the first sign of pregnancy. Take note, though, that it should not always be linked with pregnancy symptoms, as missing your monthly period can also mean some other kind of hormonal imbalance or condition.

Morning sickness

It would be prudent to note that the pregnancy symptom called "morning sickness" does not happen only in the mornings. This feeling of dizziness can happen at any time of the day. The hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy generally trigger bouts of nausea and vomiting. Another related symptom would be constant tiredness, which a possibly pregnant woman experiences even if no physical activity had been performed (but, then, again, it could also be due to improper nutrition).

Strong craving for certain foods

The cause of this pregnancy symptom is still undetermined. But pregnant women have been infamous for requesting/demanding different kinds of food, owing to uncontrollable appetite urges. On some cases, "strong craving" is an understatement.

Mood swings and headaches

A woman's emotions sometimes become slave to the hormonal changes linked with pregnancy. Quite common are bouts of depression, vagueness, listlessness and irritability.

Sleepiness

This symptom is not due to fatigue. Women who are pregnant usually long for sleep early in the evening. Again, blame the hormones.

Frequent urination

As the womb expands to make room for the growing fetus, it bears down on the urinary bladder, causing constant urges to pass urine. Some women have also been observed to develop white, creamy vaginal discharge during pregnancy, while the breasts tend to swell and grow tender (as the mammary glands brace themselves for breastfeeding).

Not all signs of pregnancy are obvious. But when the above mentioned symptoms present themselves to you, and you have enough reason to suspect that you are pregnant, you must consult your doctor at once, preferably an obstetrician. (An obstetrician specializes in caring for women while they are pregnant and even after pregnancy.) The doctor will then run tests to find out whether you ARE pregnant and in which pregnancy level you are already in. If your doctor bears good news, that, indeed, a miracle has formed in your womb, congratulations! You will soon be holding in your arms the greatest gift you will ever receive.

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Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about pregnancy, please go to: http://pregnancy.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/