Could I Be Pregnant?

Women may have all of the common symptoms of pregnancy, none of them or any combination of them. Non-pregnant women may have the symptoms. Different pregnancies in the same woman may cause different symptoms. It can be very confusing and stressful; in fact, stress over whether or not one is pregnant can cause symptoms of pregnancy! So how do you sort it all out?

The most common sign of pregnancy is missing a period (called "amenorrhea"), especially if the woman has been having regular menses prior to missing her period. This occurs because hormones elaborated by the corpus luteum* maintain the uterine lining for implantation of the embryo. While there are many causes of amenorrhea, in women of child-bearing age pregnancy is one of the most common. It is also possible to be pregnant while continuing to menstruate, although this is very rare.

Nausea in pregnancy is commonly known as "morning sickness," despite the fact that it can occur at any time of the day. Most commonly it lasts for a few hours, then recedes. It usually begins at about 4 to 8 weeks gestation (calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period). It is caused by a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, the same hormone measured in pregnancy tests), which usually peaks at about 12 to 14 weeks gestation. Levels of hCG decrease rapidly after their peak, and the nausea generally disappears at the beginning of the second trimester. Rarely, the nausea can continue throughout the pregnancy.

Breast swelling and tenderness is a result of rapid swelling of the blood vessels called vascular engorgement. There may also be a feeling of tingling and heaviness in the breasts. This usually starts at 4 to 8 weeks gestation and is generally more prevalent in first pregnancies. The swelling usually persists throughout the pregnancy, but the tenderness ordinarily improves after several weeks.

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