Another sign of pregnancy is tender or swollen breasts. This sign of pregnancy usually manifests in the first two to four weeks of pregnancy. If this symptom coincides with the missed period, a woman is likely to want to either do a home pregnancy test or go to her doctor for confirmation of pregnancy or for tests for other possibilities unrelated to pregnancy. As a pregnancy progresses, this sign becomes more pronounced with the breasts enlarging and the area around the nipple darkening and eventually, possible slight leaking of colostrum close to the due date of the baby.

During early pregnancy, another common sign is nausea or “morning sickness”. This sign of pregnancy is not universal, but does occur in up to 80% of pregnant women. Again though, nausea alone, may be a symptom of something else and does not always indicate pregnancy. A woman also may have signs of pregnancy like loss of appetite and then increased appetite, headaches or backaches, and mood swings due to hormonal changes in her body.

Some physical signs of pregnancy that are visible, besides the darkening around the nipple, are thickening of the waist and weight gain, in most cases. Some women can actually go through a complete pregnancy and lose weight if she was grossly overweight when she became pregnant. Around the third month on, another sign of pregnancy will occur. And that is feeling the sensation of “quickening” or “fluttering” when the embryo moves around in the amniotic fluid. Sometimes this feeling is hard to discern although most women are anxiously waiting that first feeling of movement. Later on in the pregnancy this early sign turns into a very noticeable feeling of baby movement of arms and legs and full summersaults in her uterus.

Although most women are well aware of the fact that they are pregnant by the last few months before the birth, on rare occasions, they are not. And perhaps the first sign of pregnancy that the woman notices is contractions of the uterus either with Braxton Hicks contractions which are the practice contractions that the uterus has in order to prepare for labor and birth, or actual labor itself. There have been cases of women going to the hospital with pains in their stomach, only to find out they are in labor and about to give birth without ever knowing they were pregnant. So although there are many signs of pregnancy, not every woman pays attention to them….

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After this initial stage of pregnancy, post ovulation, the Carnegie stages of pregnancy begin. During the first nine weeks of pregnancy all the essential organs and systems of the fetus form, but are not yet able to sustain independent life. The 23 Carnegie Stages of pregnancy describe the internal and external physical characteristics of the embryo during this stage of pregnancy or what is also referred to as the first trimester.

The second trimester or next stage of pregnancy is when the organs and systems continue to develop. The second stage of pregnancy technically begins in week 13. During this stage of pregnancy, the woman usually begins to feel the baby’s movement and starts growing around the middle so that she will need to start wearing maternity clothing. Entering this stage of pregnancy, most fears of miscarriage dissipate and so do many of the earlier symptoms of nausea and fatigue. This stage of pregnancy is generally the most enjoyable. The size of the fetus doesn’t weigh to heavily on the woman’s body so backache and sleep disturbance are rarely issues. And generally, women have lots of energy and feel really good during the second trimester or stage of pregnancy.

The third and final stage of pregnancy, or third trimester, weeks 27 until birth, can start to be more draining. This is the home stretch and a time when a woman begins to prepare for the birth of her baby. Along with the physical changes that are going on, this stage of pregnancy will usually include enrollment in childbirth preparation classes, reading about birth and breast feeding and even packing a bag for the hospital if that is where the birth will take place. If a home birth is planned, then preparations for that need to take place, renting or buying supplies that might include a tub for a water birth. During this last stage of pregnancy, fatigue may become an issue and lots of pressure on the bladder. Also, the uterus will begin preparing for the birth and the woman may be aware of Braxton Hicks contractions, or what are sometimes referred to as false labor. These contractions can be quite strong, but are usually not experienced in any pattern that would indicate real labor.

Finally, the last stage of pregnancy is the birth itself. Throughout pregnancy and labor, it is always important to keep your healthcare provider informed of any changes or concerns you might experience so that she can assess the situation.

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• Signs of Pregnancy