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Early Signs of Conception

Early signs of conception are easy to detect long before your first missed period by paying careful attention to your body, allowing you to make any necessary lifestyle changes and begin planning your pregnancy almost immediately.

A False Period

Implantation bleeding, which sometimes happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining, can occur as soon as six days after conception. The bleeding is lower in volume, lighter in color, and of shorter duration than a normal period, and usually begins a few days before a period would arrive.

False PMS

Some of the early signs of pregnancy are almost identical to the symptoms of PMS and can occur as early as 10 days after fertilization. If you experience tender swollen breasts, backaches, increased fatigue, and cramping out of sync with your normal menstrual cycle, you may want to invest in a home pregnancy test kit.

Elevated Basal Body Temperature

Many women use their basal body temperatures, or their waking oral temperatures, to figure out when they are ovulating, because body temperature rises slightly after ovulation and remains elevated until the next period. An elevated basal body temperature that continues for more than two weeks can also indicate pregnancy.

Morning Sickness

This scourge of the pregnant woman can start as soon as two weeks after conception. Take heart though, if you are more than eight weeks into your pregnancy and haven't experienced morning sickness yet, it's likely you never will.

Frequent Urination

Most people who have never experienced pregnancy think that a pregnant woman's need to urinate only increases after the fetus becomes large enough to begin putting pressure on her bladder. Unfortunately, this isn't true. Increased urination can occur as soon as six weeks after conception, and is due to the fact that blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy, increasing the amount of fluid that is processed by the kidneys and ends up in the bladder.

Other Signs

The hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can trigger many other symptoms, including darkening of the aureolas, food cravings, food aversions, headaches, constipation, and mood swings.

A Word of Caution

All of these symptoms can be warning signs of an illness or condition other than pregnancy. If you suspect you are pregnant, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible to either begin receiving prenatal care or address any underlying health issues.