16 Very Early Signs of Pregnancy

These early pregnancy symptoms can show up as early as one week before a missed period.

If you've been trying to conceive, you're likely on the lookout for very early signs of pregnancy, some of which can show up just days after conception. Common early pregnancy symptoms include sore breasts, cramping, nausea, and fatigue.

Of course, many early pregnancy symptoms overlap with common PMS symptoms, leading to confusion and uncertainty. Plus, everyone experiences pregnancy differently.

While some people notice signs as early as one week before their missed period, others don't pick up anything unusual for a few more weeks—and both situations are completely normal. It can also be normal to have no pregnancy symptoms whatsoever.

In general, if you're noticing any early signs of conception, it may be time to take a pregnancy test. Keep reading to learn more about early pregnancy symptoms and what they might mean.

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Sore Breasts

Sore breasts are common in very early pregnancy. Breasts swell and begin to feel sore due to fluctuations in hormones. Your breasts may be extra tender as early as one or two weeks after conception.

You're making so much estrogen and progesterone in early pregnancy that the glands in the breasts start growing.

This pregnancy hormone surge causes breasts to retain more fluids and feel heavy, sore, and typically more sensitive than normal PMS tenderness.

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Many people understandably mistake cramping, pelvic discomfort, and backaches during early pregnancy for PMS symptoms. However, if you're pregnant, these discomforts can occur due to hormonal changes and the growth of the uterus.

In fact, studies show that experiencing cramping after conception can be triggered by implantation—when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. Your uterus may also be stretching a little now (hence the cramps) to prep for its massive expansion over the next nine months.

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Implantation Bleeding

When a fertilized egg implants into the plush lining of the uterus about six to 12 days after conception, you might experience light vaginal spotting. You might mistake this "implantation bleeding" for the start of your period, but it's generally much lighter than menstruation and brown or pink (instead of red) in color.

While this super early sign of pregnancy is harmless (and does not occur for everyone), always let your doctor know if you experience vaginal bleeding when you think you're expecting to rule out other causes.

In the first trimester, bleeding should be evaluated for three things in particular: miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, or certain types of infections.

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Fatigue

During the first few weeks of pregnancy, your body is working extra hard 24/7 to support your growing embryo, and fatigue is a normal response.

The extra progesterone produced after conception causes your basal body temperature to rise, which in turn contributes to a lack of energy.

 Your heart also pumps faster, as it has to deliver extra oxygen to the uterus; this, too, can make you feel tuckered out.

So what should you do? Take prenatal vitamins early on, eat a healthful diet, drink plenty of fluids to keep your blood pressure high enough, and rest when you can.

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Darkening Areolas

Are your nipples and areolas looking darker these days? Pregnancy hormones also affect the activity of melanocytes or cells in the nipples responsible for their color.

Darker-complexioned women may not notice this until later in pregnancy.

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Nausea

While full-blown morning sickness, which affects up to 70% of pregnant people, likely won't strike for a few more weeks, some people experience subtle nausea or motion sickness as an early pregnancy symptom.

Progesterone causes a lot of things to slow down.

That includes your digestive processes, sometimes resulting in constipation or indigestion, too. Since your stomach doesn't empty as quickly as it normally does, it thinks there's too much going on in there and wants to purge in some way—either into the gut or out through the mouth, resulting in nausea.

Nausea also is related to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that can be detected in the blood or urine even before a missed period. The higher the hCG level, the sicker you may feel.

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Bloating

Can't zip up those skinny jeans? Ramped-up levels of progesterone slow down your digestive tract and may make your tummy feel puffier than usual. 

 Bloating typically stops when your period arrives and progesterone levels plummet.

If the bloating doesn't go away—and your period never comes—start watching for that pregnancy test to turn positive.

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Frequent Urination

You might think frequent urination comes later when the growing fetus presses down on your bladder, but an increase in bathroom breaks sometimes starts very early in pregnancy, too.

Not only can the swelling uterus put pressure on your bladder, but the extra blood flow to the kidneys (which begins right away) also causes them to produce more urine.

There's not much to do about this early sign of pregnancy unless the frequent urination is accompanied by burning, urgency, or other signs of infection. (If so, see a health care provider.) Do not cut back on your fluid intake as you need extra fluids to fuel the increasing blood volume needed to support your pregnancy.

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Food Cravings or Aversions

Food cravings and aversions are common during pregnancy. However, very early in pregnancy, you're more likely jonesing for a jumbo bagel than pickles or Rocky Road.

Your overtired body may demand extra carbs now because they're easily metabolized, which helps keep energy levels up.

Additionally, foods you normally love may suddenly gross you out. You can thank hormones for those food aversions.

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Headaches

Increased blood volume may trigger frequent but mild tension headaches. This very early sign of pregnancy can also happen if you aren't drinking enough fluids or if you're anemic, so be sure to get blood work done to rule out the latter.

The good news: Migraines become less frequent as pregnancy progresses. "Fluctuating hormones tend to make headaches worse, and estrogen levels are more stable during [later] pregnancy. 

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Constipation

Is constipation a sign of early pregnancy? You bet! The same pregnancy hormones responsible for bloating are also behind irregularity. Because your digestive tract is slowing down now.Food may not pass through as quickly. This early pregnancy symptom will likely ramp up even more as your pregnancy progresses.

Keeping physically active, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating high-fiber foods can help prevent and treat constipation during pregnancy. If the problem persists, consult with a health care provider for other remedies.

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Mood Swings

 As levels of hCG hormones increase, you're feeling massive amounts of fatigue, which makes you more prone to moodiness.  

And don't forget that stellar combo of headaches, bloating, constipation, and breast pain—need we say more?

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Basal Body Temperature Plateau

Measuring basal body temperature (BBT)—your temperature first thing in the morning—can indicate that you've ovulated. The temperature rises about half a degree when an egg is released, and it remains elevated until you get your period.

So, if you're charting your BBT and notice it hasn't decreased in more than two weeks, it may mean you've got a baby on the way. FYI: You'll need a special digital basal thermometer to do this; it's more precise than normal fever-measuring thermometers.

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Bloody Noses, Congestion, and Postnasal Drip

Bloody noses, congestion, and postnasal drip are also common in early pregnancy, and they're all related to the same causes. 

Increasing blood volume puts more pressure on delicate vessels like the ones in your nose, but hormones are to blame too.

Estrogen, in particular, can make blood vessels dilate, which contributes to swelling of the mucous membranes in your nose. Luckily, much of the discomfort can be relieved by using a simple saline spray, and it should resolve soon after delivery.

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Acne

An increase in acne and other skin changes can also signal early pregnancy. Be careful what medications you use to treat it, though, because not all of them are safe while expecting.

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Vaginal Discharge

In early pregnancy, the cervix builds a mucus plug to block the cervical opening and help protect your baby from infections. You might notice a slight increase in vaginal secretions; the discharge might look white or milky.

Note that vaginal discharge shouldn't smell, burn, or itch. These are signs of infection that require medical treatment.