Knowing the Early Signs of Pregnancy Can Reduce Pregnancy Jitters

The idea of pregnancy can be exiting news to some and a dreadful announcement to others. Pregnancy can be the result of a couples hopeful efforts or the culmination of a one-night stand. Unfortunately, the body does not differentiate in the choices that a woman makes and regardless of how she got herself in this situation, nature will take its course. Typically, when a woman has unprotected intercourse during the 12-16 day of her menstrual cycle, her body is prepared to conceive. So, if you have found yourself in just this situation and you are anxiously awaiting the news about this glorious possibility or if you are someone who is counting the days to determine the results of a bad decision, it is important to understand the early signs of pregnancy so that you can identify the answer to your question, "Am I pregnant"?

The Most Common Early Sign of Pregnancy

The earliest sign of pregnancy is generally considered the missed menstrual cycle. While this is not the only reason that a woman would miss her cycle, it can be quite alarming if there is cause to worry about being pregnant. A woman's menstrual cycle can also be delayed or entirely absent due to excessive weight gain or loss, an increase of tension and stress in her life, a hormonal imbalance or hormonal problem, discontinuing a prior method of birth control whether it be the shot, patch or pill. Don't ring the alarms if your period is a few days late; at this point you have three options; wait it out, visit your doctor or other medical professional or visit a local drug store, grocery store or pharmacy and purchase an at-home pregnancy test.

Another early sign of pregnancy is the nausea and vomiting that many women experience during pregnancy. Also referred to as morning sickness, this morning, evening or all day experience is not one is not one of the more enjoyable early signs of pregnancy. However, just because you wake up vomiting and sick to your stomach does not mean that you're pregnant. If your period is late and you wake up in this condition, it might be cause for further investigation. Keep in mind that vomiting and nausea are also signs of the flu, food poisoning, stress and a variety of other health concerns depending on the severity and length of the vomiting. So, keep a level head and evaluate the situation realistically. In this situation, you have the same three options as stated above, wait it out, visit a doctor or other medical professional or take a home pregnancy test.

If the early signs of pregnancy you are experiencing, have disrupted your ability to think clearly or function properly, you may want to review the three basic options available to you. If the unknown is driving you crazy, quite literally, the wait it out theory is not the one for you. If professional medical guidance is important, call your doctor and set up an appointment as soon as possible. If an at-home pregnancy test is more what you are looking for, they are not very expensive and can provide peace within 3-5 minutes. The most beneficial aspect of the take-at-home test is that you can do it any time or day, anywhere and the results are private. In the event that this is not information you want to share, these tests gives you time to process the news, whether good or bad, and then decide exactly whom you want to share it with.