Chapter 46
How to Know You Are Pregnant
Some women are able to tell when they are pregnant. Small changes in their bodies and
feelings of extreme tiredness or nausea during the very early stages alert them to the fact that they
have conceived. Other women experience no noticeable changes and may not even know they
are pregnant.
First Signs
What You May Notice
(a) You will miss your period. This is the most obvious sign of pregnancy but
occasionally a very light and scanty period may occur, which can be confusing.
This happens because the normal female hormonal cycle continues despite the
presence of pregnancy hormones.
(b) Your breasts may become tender and increase in size. The nipple area may also
become more pronounced.
(c) Some women suffer from morning sickness (which may make them throw up);
others have feelings of nausea, which last all day. This can begin very early
during the pregnancy, but usually starts around six weeks and improves after
about twelve to fourteen weeks of pregnancy.
(d) There may also be the need to urinate frequently. This is caused by pressure from
the developing baby, because the uterus sits just above the bladder. You may need
to awake from sleep at night to urinate, or find yourself doing so frequently during
the day. This usually reduces as the baby grows and the uterus moves off the
bladder.^1