A delayed or missed period is the most common pregnancy symptom leading a woman to test for pregnancy. When you become pregnant, your next period should be missed. Many women can bleed while they are pregnant, but typically the bleeding will be shorter or lighter than a normal period.

Other Explanations: Excessive weight gain/loss, fatigue, hormonal problems, tension, stress, ceasing to take the birth control pill, illness or breastfeeding.

Swollen or tender breasts is a pregnancy symptom which may begin as early as 1-2 weeks after conception. Women may notice changes in their breasts; they may be tender to the touch, sore, or swollen.

Other Explanations: Hormonal imbalance, birth control pills, impending menstruation (PMS) can also cause your breasts to be swollen or tender.

Around 6-8 weeks after conception, you may find yourself making a few extra trips to the bathroom. Pregnancy causes hormonal changes that cause blood to flow more quickly through the kidney’s, which fills your bladder more frequently.

Other Explanations: Urinary tract infection, diabetes, increasing liquid intake, or taking excessive diuretics.

This well known pregnancy symptom will often show up between 2-8 weeks after conception. Some women are fortunate to not deal with morning sickness at all, while others will feel nauseous for the first Trimester or for some throughout most of their pregnancy.

Other Explanations: Food poisoning, stress, change in hormonal birth control method or other stomach disorders can also cause you to feel queasy.

Feeling fatigued or more tired is a pregnancy symptom which can also start as early as the first week after conception. (A woman’s body in pregnancy undergoes many changes- physically, hormonally and emotionally.  No wonder you are tired.)

Other Explanations: Stress, exhaustion, depression, common cold or flu, or other illnesses can also leave you feeling tired or fatigued.

The unpleasant sensation of dizziness or feeling one may faint.

Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy: sometimes it is common to experience a dull backache throughout one’s pregnancy.

Other Explanations: Impending menstruation, stress, other back problems, and physical or mental strains.

While you may not have a strong desire to eat pickles and ice cream, many women will feel cravings for certain foods when they are pregnant. This can last throughout your entire pregnancy. Some women develop aversions to certain types of food early in pregnancy and this too can last for the next 9 months.