Pregnancy is a physiological phase in a woman's life that is dominated by hormones. Most of the signs of pregnancy are due to changes in the hormonal profile in the body, and they are not always the same in every woman. But there are other certain signs which are to be looked for as they could be suggestive of serious pathology, says Dr. Bhagya Lakshmi S, Consultant Obstetrics, Gynaecologist & Laparoscopic Surgeon, Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad. Apart from the typical symptoms of pregnancy like missed periods, vomiting, fainting, nausea, etc. there are various other unusual signs that women may get during the early days of pregnancy. If you are planning pregnancy for a long time, you must be watchful of certain early unusual signs of pregnancy that indicate successful conception.
Signs of pregnancy in first month
It is a myth that symptoms of pregnancy show up after several weeks of conception. The most prominent sign that a woman is pregnant is missed period cycle. If your menstruation is regular, missing the date is the first indication of pregnancy. However, missed periods can also occur due to numerous other reasons including hormonal imbalance. Certain symptoms of first trimester of pregnancy like nausea, breast tenderness, fatigue and loss of appetite are usually seen in first trimester of pregnancy. Even these symptoms, when exaggerated are a matter of concern.
Other uncommon symptoms in pregnancy could be bloating, mild uterine cramping, Constipation, Food aversions, nasal congestion leading to a stuffy or runny nose. Mood swings and extreme emotions may also be noted by a few women.
Unusual early pregnancy symptoms
Talking about early unusual signs of pregnancy, it is important for women to not miss anything that they find unusual about their health when planning pregnancy. Below are some unusual pregnancy signs and symptoms told by Dr. Bhagya Lakshmi S.
Severe nausea and vomiting
When vomiting is so severe that it causes dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and weight loss, the condition is called as Hyperemesis Gravidarum and has to be treated. Conditions like Molar pregnancy and multiple gestations have to be ruled out apart from various other medical conditions unrelated to pregnancy that could cause this.
Also Read: Here Are Some Busting Myths About Multiple Pregnancy
Vaginal bleeding
Mild spotting called as implantation bleeding is considered to be normal during the early stages of pregnancy and usually comes down after the initial episode. Prolonged or heavy bleeding needs to be investigated as it could be suggestive of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. Period like crampy pain is usually associated with signs of miscarriage whereas other signs of intraperitoneal bleeding like pain abdomen, dizziness, shoulder tip pain, increased pulse rate, and even shock can be seen in ectopic pregnancy.
Vaginal Discharge and Itching
While some vaginal discharge is normal is pregnancy- profuse discharge, associated with itching could be a sign of sexually transmitted diseases that have to be treated as they can lead to consequences in pregnancy.
Shortness of breath
Pregnant women may feel short of breath especially after walking or climbing stairs, and this is normally due to increased progesterone in pregnancy. But in severe degrees of shortness of breath especially when associated with a rapid pulse, heart palpitations, feeling of dizziness, and chest pain- cardiac and respiratory pathologies have to be ruled out.
Also Read: Gynaecologist Talks About 12 Early Pregnancy Symptoms A Woman Might Experience
Flare-Ups of Chronic Diseases
Women with pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, thyroid issues should note any changes in their condition during pregnancy. This is to be especially done in autoimmune diseases like such as lupus, asthma and IBD, as pregnancy can cause flare-ups. In some cases, a change in the medications need to be done as certain drugs are teratogenic and are contraindicated in pregnancy.
In spite of all this, the majority of women even with the above symptoms, ultimately have a good outcome in their pregnancies provided the issues are identified early and treated appropriately.
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