Pregnancy brings about a lot of changes in the body. The signs of being pregnant are essentially the same yet, ironically, vary from woman to woman. Also, there are women who may experience some symptoms within a few days after conception, while others begin to experience and take notice of these signs a few weeks after conception.

A lot of women are actually confused since a lot of the signs of being pregnant are very similar to the symptoms which signal the coming of menstruation. The only tangible yet often unnoticed difference would be higher body temperature in pregnant women.

Perhaps the earliest sign of pregnancy is implantation bleeding which happens six to 12 days after conception. This occurs when the embryo embeds itself to the uterine wall, in which some women may experience spotting and cramping. A missed period is actually the most common pregnancy symptom. Although there are instances when women bleed even during pregnancy, bleeding is usually lighter or shorter than the usual menstruation. If there is any reason to believe that one is indeed pregnant, then a pregnancy test may be used a few days after the expected menstrual date when delayed.

Another one of the earlier signs of pregnancy which may come as early as a week into pregnancy would be nausea and vomiting. A lot of women experience morning sickness although this does not necessarily connote feeling sick in the morning only, but may occur any time of the day, or for some even the entire day. Although the reason behind this is not known, it is helpful to eat small frequent meals throughout the day or eating crackers or corn flakes before rising in the morning. It is also helpful to eat an apple or to drink a glass of milk before going to bed to make it easier it the morning. As early as one to two weeks after conception, breasts may be very tender, swollen or sore. They may also be enlarged and the nipples start to darken in color. At around six to eight weeks, the pregnant woman may start taking more frequent trips to the bathroom to empty their bladders since the uterus puts more pressure into it.

Major hormonal changes are also responsible for fatigue or tiredness during pregnancy due to the high temperature produced by increasing hCG levels which causes pregnant women to be sluggish. Pregnancy hormones are also responsible for slow bowel movement which may later on cause constipation. Being irritable is how the body copes with the many symptoms associated with pregnancy but may be handled by proper exercise and a healthy diet.