Home pregnancy tests can usually detect a pregnancy about two weeks after ovulation, which is around the time that your period is due (assuming you have a regular, 28-day cycle) and about four weeks from the first day of your last period. Some tests can even detect pregnancy before a missed period, although accuracy increases closer to the date of your missed period.
But did you know there are also some symptoms that are present in the very first weeks of pregnancy?
If your cycle isn’t regular, or you haven’t been actively testing yourself, these early pregnancy symptoms may be the first signs that you could be pregnant.
So, what are these symptoms in the first weeks of pregnancy – and do you know them?
Early symptoms
For most women, early pregnancy symptoms begin around six weeks into pregnancy, which is eight weeks after the first day of your last period.
Sometimes, however, they can appear earlier. For some women, they start noticing changes around the time that their period is due.
When a fertilized egg implants into the uterus, which is around eight to 10 days after ovulation, you will have persistent pregnancy hormones, and symptoms can begin.
Pregnancy or period?
The early signs of pregnancy often resemble a period which can make things confusing.
Some women experience implantation bleeding when the embryo attaches to the uterus, but this can be mistaken for a light period of spotting. However, in general, implantation bleeding is much lighter than a period.
Other early symptoms include breast swelling or tenderness. This is caused by increased levels of pregnancy hormones but is also a common symptom of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The body releases hormones right after ovulation, when it thinks it may be pregnant, which are similar to the ones that remain when you are pregnant.
Other early signs
In addition to implantation bleeding and tender breasts, these are some of the more common early pregnancy symptoms:
Increased body temperature
Hormones cause an increase in our basal body temperature (the lowest temperature recorded when at rest) right after ovulation and when you are pregnant. Some women track their basal body temperature to see when they are ovulating. If the temperature remains elevated, it can be a sign of pregnancy.
Food aversion or cravings
No one really knows why, but it is common in early pregnancy to become averse to certain foods, or to crave other foods. For some women, they can no longer stand to taste or smell foods that they previously liked, and others have cravings for things that they have never eaten before. These aversions and cravings have no link to what the body needs during pregnancy – it just seems to be random.
A metallic taste
Again, no one really knows why, but some women develop a metallic taste in their mouth during early pregnancy.
Changes in vaginal discharge
Vaginal discharge changes throughout the month as you move through your menstrual cycle, becoming thinner and watery right before ovulation, and thickening up after ovulation. Once you become pregnant, it can become even thicker and tends to stay that way, which is a very normal part of pregnancy.
Taking a test to confirm
It’s important to remember that pregnancy is different for every woman.
Whether your period is late, or you are noticing the early signs of pregnancy, a home pregnancy test is an easy and accurate way to confirm a pregnancy.