There are several signs that could indicate a pregnancy but there are only two signs that are truly positive of a pregnancy. These positive signs of pregnancy are hearing the fetus's heartbeat and detecting the pregnancy through an ultrasound. These two signs will be confirmed by a doctor early in the pregnancy.
Probable Signs of Pregnancy
Probable signs of pregnancy indicate a pregnancy is very likely but some of these signs could be attributed to something else, such as an illness. Most of these signs are in relation to the uterus and abdomen. The most common sign of a probable pregnancy is a positive pregnancy test. This is only probable because these tests can be wrong. A false positive or false negative can be a result when the test is not taken correctly such as taking the test before missing a period. Other probable signs include an enlarged abdomen and uterus, change in uterine shape, softening of the cervix, palpation of the baby (feeling the fetus) and ballottement (tapping against the uterus through the vagina and causing the fetus to move around the amniotic fluid).
Possible Signs of Pregnancy
Possible signs of pregnancy could be attributed to a pregnancy or a multitude of other reasons. Other reasons could include the woman's period will be arriving shortly, illness and even stress. The Mayo Clinic classifies these signs as classic clues to pregnancy because they are normally the first ones to be noticed by a woman. Possible signs include:
- swollen breasts
- fatigue
- slight vaginal bleeding or cramping
- nausea and/or vomiting
- headaches
- constipation
- mood swings
- food aversions or cravings
- feeling faint or dizzy
- raised basal body temperature (oral temperature taken right after awakening for the day)
Childbirth.org also lists these additional symptoms as possible signs of pregnancy:
- increased urination
- excessive salivation
- missed period
- stretch marks
- spider veins
- quickening (feeling faint fetal movement)
- bluish tinge to vagina and cervix (Chadwick's Sign)
- colostrum from breasts
If a woman does have a positive pregnancy test, she should make an appointment with her doctor to confirm or deny the pregnancy. The best time to take a home pregnancy test is when the woman has already missed her period and first thing in the morning. Home pregnancy tests detect the pregnancy hormone hCG, or Human Chronic Gonadotropin, in the urine. Because of this, it builds up overnight giving an early morning test the most accurate result. If the test is taken before a missed period, it may not be sensitive enough to detect the hormone giving a wrong result.
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