Am I Pregnant?

Some women don’t realize they’re pregnant until they’ve missed a period, and some say they know the minute it happens.

There are a few classic signs that can have you suspecting you’re pregnant even before you do a pregnancy test…

Breast changes

Your breasts may feel tender, sore or even lumpy to touch, your nipples become more sensitive and may deepen in color and the veins in your breasts may look more obvious. Read more in our article tender breasts.

Needing to pee more often

As soon as the embryo starts to produce the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), the blood supply to your pelvic area increases, which can lead to pelvic congestion. Your bladder deals with this by trying to expel even tiny amounts of urine. This is why you might feel like you’re running to the bathroom all the time, but hardly anything is coming out.

Tiredness

Your body is under a huge amount of pressure in early pregnancy, as it has to support your developing baby and all of your vital organs. It’s no surprise that you feel exhausted and can think only of your bed. It can be even more frustrating if no one knows you’re pregnant at work, and you have to hide just how tired you really feel.

Hot tip It might be worth telling one close (and discreet) colleague that you’re pregnant so that they can help you out with your workload, or make excuses for you when everyone is heading for an after-work drink except for you!

Tastes and cravings

Many women experience a slight metallic taste in their mouths as their hormone levels rise. Food may also taste strange and you might find you go off the coffee you’ve always loved. Some women develop food cravings, so if you suddenly find yourself dreaming of hot dogs even though you’re a vegetarian you may be pregnant! Cravings are thought to be your body’s way of making up for a deficiency in certain minerals, but this doesn’t explain why some women are drawn to inedible substances like dirt or washing detergent. Try to control the stranger food cravings (and the high-calorie kind!), but rest assured that most cravings are perfectly fine for your body and baby. Check with your OB-GYN if you’re concerned. Read more about cravings in our article pregnancy food cravings.

Smell

If you can suddenly smell your work colleagues’ perfume (or worse!) it may be an indication that you are pregnant. Most smells will become more acute once you are pregnant, and you may find some smells make you nauseous. Watch gurgle's video to hear how other women's senses were affected during their pregnancies.

Morning sickness

Some people sail through pregnancy with no sickness, but for around 50 percent of women it’s a frustrating part of early pregnancy. It’s not confined to the morning either – it can happen at any time. Studies show that there is a connection between having an empty stomach and feeling nauseous, which is why it is most common when you wake up before you have had breakfast. Go to our article morning sickness: how to beat it for tips on how to combat morning sickness.

Missed period

Although pregnancy is an obvious reason for missing a period, it is not the only one, so don’t assume you’re pregnant until you have taken a pregnancy test. Some women continue to have periods even though they are pregnant – in rare cases this can occur all the way through pregnancy.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.