Understanding Your Pregnancy Symptoms
Maybe you planned on becoming pregnant. Or perhaps this was never part of the plan. Take a deep breath; you have options, and understanding what’s going on with your body is one of the first steps to creating a plan.
When you’re pregnant, you may experience obvious symptoms. Other times, you may have no indication that you’re pregnant. Pregnancy doesn’t always follow a predictable timeline, but when you do experience symptoms, these are what you can watch out for:
- Missed period
- Tender, swollen breasts
- Nausea with or without vomiting
- Increased urination
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Bloating
- Light spotting
- Cramping
- Constipation
- Food aversions
- Nasal congestion
As these symptoms can often indicate a condition other than pregnancy, the only way to know for sure is to take a pregnancy test.
When is the Best Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?
Pregnancy tests work by detecting human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG. This only develops in a woman’s body during pregnancy, and it can be detected by blood or urine-based pregnancy tests. When used correctly, these pregnancy tests are 99% accurate.
The best time to take a pregnancy test is 2-3 weeks after sexual intercourse, but some at-home tests can detect pregnancy as early as 10 days after conception. Try to take the test first thing in the morning, when your urine is most concentrated.
False positives are possible, but unlikely. This usually happens if you have a condition such as a chemical pregnancy, or if you take the test too early.
Free Pregnancy Tests
If you think you may be pregnant, Care Net Pregnancy Center of Cochise County is here to help. We offer free, medical-grade pregnancy tests in a private setting. Afterward, we can talk to you about receiving a first-trimester ultrasound and reviewing your options at our center. We’re here for you—no strings attached.
