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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