It often happens that pregnancy comes as a big surprise to women. With the frantic pace in which modern ladies live, there is simply no time to stop for a minute and listen to yourself. Whether the baby is wanted or not, it's important to know how to tell if you're pregnant without testing. The body itself will tell you what has changed, the main thing is to catch these changes.

Description

Initially, more than 150 thousand immature eggs are formed in the female body, and some of them reach “combat readiness” by the time of puberty. Of the total number, about 450 eggs mature.

In women of childbearing age, every month at the time of ovulation, one egg leaves the ovary and moves to abdominal cavity, from where it enters the fallopian tubes, where it meets the sperm.

As a result of this meeting, fertilization occurs. From this moment pregnancy begins, the egg turns into ovum and already carries the future embryo. Over the next week, the egg will move through the tubes to the uterus, where it will attach to its walls and begin to mature. This happens approximately 8 days after conception.

Read about whether you should get a flu shot during pregnancy in our article.

For women dreaming of pregnancy, it is very important to be able to calculate the day of ovulation; for most, it falls in the middle of the cycle.

Symptoms

The first trimester is the most difficult period for many pregnant women; at this time, all the unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy appear, such as toxicosis and psycho-emotional surges, provoked by changes at the hormonal level.

Important! It is necessary to know how the first signs of pregnancy appear from the first day of conception and throughout the first trimester in order to identify an “interesting situation” in time and have time to prepare for replenishment.

Experienced women know when the first signs of pregnancy appear and what they are, and therefore determine their condition themselves and almost immediately. For those experiencing this for the first time, it may be helpful to review the list of symptoms and early signs.

1. Constant weakness, increased fatigue, drowsiness and dizziness - such signs appear from the very first days, they indicate a change in hormonal levels. It is too early to talk about pregnancy if such a condition was preceded by strong psychological or physical stress or stress.
2. Temperature 37-37.5 C° - a constant increase in temperature to the specified limits can be one of the first signs of pregnancy in the early stages. The immune system perceives the fertilized egg as a foreign body until it takes hold in the uterus. But it can also be a signal of an inflammatory process or infection.
3. Changes in the mammary glands - swelling, enlargement, increased sensitivity, pain on palpation.
4. Aching pain in the lower abdomen, tingling - such manifestations accompany the release of the fertilized egg from the fallopian tubes into the uterus. This process is also sometimes accompanied by scanty bleeding.
5. Toxicosis - namely nausea, sensitivity to strong odors, vomiting. For some women, such symptoms appear from the first weeks, for some they do not appear at all until childbirth, but for most only closer to the middle of the first trimester.
6. Increased or lack of appetite - everything is individual, some people start eating for two from the first days, while others lose their appetite for a while.
7. Weight gain – in the early stages, due to metabolic disorders and fluid retention, swelling may occur, resulting in several extra pounds.
8. Heightened senses - many pregnant women experience a heightened sense of smell and vision, and changes in taste preferences.
9. Mood swings - due to changes in hormonal levels, mood swings are observed, sometimes tears flow like a river, sometimes you can’t stop laughing, sometimes everything around you irritates you - this is normal, and there is no escape from it.
10. Constant drowsiness - in the early stages, a woman’s body spends a lot of energy preparing the body for bearing a child, because of this, increased fatigue often occurs and pulls one to sleep throughout the day. For many, this symptom persists until childbirth.
11. Frequent urination - the uterus grows and begins to put pressure on other organs, including the bladder, which is why women begin to run to the toilet more often. This manifestation is typical for more late dates, in the first days after conception this should not happen and can indicate various problems with the genitourinary system.
12. Absence of menstruation - if your period does not come on the due day, and on the following days too, then with a high probability we can talk about successful conception. However, there are often cases when in the first month, or even several, women continued to have menstruation.
13. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract - pregnant women experience problems with the functioning of the intestines, this could be diarrhea, constipation or flatulence.
14. Lower back pain – women often complain of nagging pain in the back, shooting pain.
15. Vaginal discharge is an increase in transparent mucous discharge, only odorless and colorless; any others will be symptoms of completely different conditions, for example, inflammation or infections.

How to determine pregnancy

There are many ways to determine pregnancy even before your period is missed. Pharmacy tests will not always help in this matter; they are focused on the reaction with the hCG hormone, which begins to be produced from the very first day of conception, however, it should be understood that all organisms are different, and this hormone will not always be in the required quantity. The test will not react, but in the meantime the pregnancy has already occurred and the little man is developing.

From the first days, pregnancy is difficult to detect using an ultrasound; a blood test for the same hCG will be more reliable, because it increases in the blood already on the second day.

If it is not possible to visit a gynecologist or simply due to lack of time, then in this case you can resort to traditional methods, which will help you understand that you are pregnant without using tests or visiting doctors.

General state

It is difficult to say at what week you can understand that you are pregnant - it all depends on the characteristics of the body and the woman’s experience. The gynecologist will tell you which signs can be considered reliable and which ones may give hope in vain.

Basal temperature

This method will not be able to immediately indicate the presence or absence of pregnancy; it is necessary to measure basal temperature every morning for several days in order to ultimately clearly see the changes.

In the evening, you need to prepare everything for the measurement procedure - a notepad, pen and thermometer. Any one will do - mercury or electronic. This is done so that after waking up the woman does not get out of bed; it is best not to even change position - this will ensure the most reliable results.

Interesting to know! The method will help you understand that you are pregnant without resorting to tests. It is enough to insert the thermometer into the vagina or anus and wait 7-8 minutes. You cannot move during this time.

Based on the results obtained, conclusions can be drawn. The temperature changes depending on the phase of the cycle; at the beginning of the cycle it will remain at 36.5-36.7 C°, closer to the moment of ovulation and during it - 37 C°. If pregnancy has occurred, the temperature will remain elevated, but if not, it will drop to previous levels.

Important! In order for the results to be correct and reliable, it is important to follow all instructions!

Traditional methods

Since ancient times, women have learned to determine pregnancy at home, some of the methods have come down to us. Doctors consider such methods controversial and unreliable, but the experience of previous generations shows the opposite.

1. Soda
   To do this, you need to collect your morning urine in a transparent container and add a teaspoon of soda there. If hissing occurs and the soda dissolves, then there is no pregnancy, but if it settles to the bottom, most likely there is.
2. Iodine
   The test is carried out in the same way as with soda. Add 1 drop of iodine into a jar of morning urine. If it immediately dissolves and divides into several smaller drops, there is no pregnancy, but if in the first seconds it remains on the surface, maintaining integrity, there is probably a pregnancy.
3. Potassium permangantsovka
   Prepare a weak solution light pink color, diluting manganese in warm water. After this, urine is added to the jar - if flakes appear and the color of the water does not change, then it is time to prepare for motherhood, and if the liquid brightens to a transparent yellow color - the answer is negative.

A woman, feeling slightly unwell, is sometimes in doubt: are these signs the first symptoms of pregnancy? To make sure of this, you need to clearly know how pregnancy develops, what symptoms are typical for the early stages, and how pregnancy can be determined using modern methods.

The mature female reproductive cell exits the fallopian tube from the ovary. Under favorable conditions, fertilization takes place with the most active sperm. Moreover, fertilization may take a little longer. Sometimes this takes several days, since sperm move at a speed of about 2 cm/hour.

From the time of fertilization, the zygote begins to divide. From each cell, two new ones are formed. The separation procedure is very fast. Already by the second month of pregnancy, the embryo has all the main life-support organs.

In this case, the zygote not only divides. She needs to find a place where she can attach to the wall and continue to grow without lacking nutrients. Therefore, the fertilized female reproductive cell continues to move along the fallopian tube, gradually approaching the uterus. This journey lasts approximately 1-2 weeks. Only after implantation of the embryo can one claim pregnancy.

While the female reproductive cell travels through the fallopian tube, the female body is carefully preparing for pregnancy.

As a result, hormonal levels change, which has a significant impact on blood composition and chemical reactions.

At this time, the woman begins to feel the first symptoms, which allow her to judge the onset of pregnancy. They can be described as possible, since at this stage of pregnancy they have not yet been confirmed.

• Unusual vaginal discharge . Their color may change slightly. Often the discharge becomes more abundant and whitish. This happens due to increased production of progesterone. When the discharge causes itching, smells unpleasant and resembles a curd mass, you need to test for the presence of thrush. Candidiasis can sometimes cause miscarriage. Yellow discharge is a sign of a sexually transmitted infection. Brown discharge may indicate a frozen pregnancy. In some cases, early periods are a sign of pregnancy.
• Pain in the pelvic area. In early pregnancy, the stomach usually hurts during implantation of the fertilized egg. A slight tingling sensation may be felt on the side where the egg is attached. Prolonged and nagging pain is an alarming sign during early pregnancy, which indicates the possibility of separation of the egg from the wall of the uterus. If urgent measures are not taken, a miscarriage is possible.
• Change taste A. This sign of pregnancy appears after a delay in menstruation. Previously favorite foods cause attacks of nausea and disgust. These signs are evidence of the beginning early toxicosis and hormonal changes. The body undergoes individual adaptation. Some women may not feel the urge to vomit, and for some, the sight and smell of food makes them feel nauseous.
• Chest pain. Discomfort due to swelling mammary glands. The areolas of the nipple are the most sensitive. Women often complain that pain is caused by simply touching the nipple. It is a rather dubious sign of pregnancy. Even in the same girl with her first pregnancy, the symptoms may be severe pain in the mammary gland, and the symptoms of the second pregnancy, on the contrary, are an absolute absence of pain.
• Allergy. Allergies can last from the beginning of pregnancy, moreover, to those substances or products to which there was no allergy before.
• Frequent urination. The enlargement of the zygote significantly affects the organs located near the uterus, including the bladder. Therefore, frequent urination is noted already from the 4th week and continues until the 14th week. In addition, the bladder also begins to respond to a smaller amount of fluid due to the rush of blood to the pelvis.
• Changes in the functioning of the digestive system. Possible increased flatulence, bloating, constipation and diarrhea.
• Decreased vascular tone. In this case, blood pressure decreases, and the woman complains of headaches, dizziness and weakness. Hypotension also negatively affects the fetus, since it does not receive the required amount of nutrients and oxygen.

The list of the above signs of pregnancy can be supplemented with external symptoms.

Can be improved appearance with the help of a balanced diet with a high content of vegetables and fruits in the menu.

Reliable early symptoms of conception

Probable symptoms are changes that occur in the reproductive system.

But even during the presence of possible signs, accurate facts are required to reliably recognize pregnancy. Among them: ultrasound, hCG examination, pregnancy test.

The easiest way to find out about conception is to take a pregnancy test. Conception leads to a gradual increase in hCG in the urine and blood. This fact was used during the creation of special strips that show excess levels of human chorionic gonadotropin. A very bright second line on the test may be a sign that you are carrying twins. If you have kidney disease, the body's immune response to allergies, or excessive fluid intake, the test may give an incorrect result. Therefore, it is advised to repeat the procedure in a few days.

A home test cannot replace a medical diagnosis. Human chorionic gonadotropin contains beta and alpha hCG. The occurrence of conception can be judged by an increase in beta-hCG levels. Therefore, already 10-12 days after the time of possible conception, a blood test for hCG will dispel your suspicions.

Every two days there is a twofold increase in hormone levels. This dynamics is observed up to 8-11 weeks. Afterwards the indicator gradually begins to decrease. It is recommended to perform an ultrasound simultaneously with the blood test.

If a simple ultrasound can determine pregnancy 14-21 days after the delay, then transvaginal ultrasound, by inserting a special sensor into the vagina, shows the result on 12-14 days.

Traditional methods for determining pregnancy

There are also traditional ways to determine it in the early stages of pregnancy. And pregnancy tests are included, which, by the way, are also related to urine. For example, it needs to be boiled. Immediately after boiling, the urine must be poured into a glass container. It is believed that in this case, white flakes are observed in the urine of a pregnant woman.

You can also moisten a cloth or piece of paper with urine and drop a little iodine. When does iodine become purple, then the woman is pregnant, when it’s blue, then she’s not.

You can also tell fortunes for pregnancy. Why do you need 2 bulbs: the first one predicts pregnancy, the second one - its absence. Place the bulbs in glasses of water and see which one germinates the fastest.

As is clear, determining pregnancy in the early stages using folk methods is a thankless task. With the same success, you can tell fortunes using coffee grounds or cards. The reliability of any of them is no more than 50%. Given that we have only 2 options, this reliability is clearly insufficient.

The first signs of multiple conception

You can recognize multiple conceptions by taking into account the first signs.

While ultrasound is a fairly accurate method for determining a normal pregnancy, the device cannot “see” twins in the early stages. Therefore, it is possible to confidently guarantee twins only at 6-7 weeks, when the heartbeat of the embryos can be determined.

Conclusion

In order for the pregnancy to proceed without any risks and successfully end with the birth of a healthy child, after identifying the first signs of conception, you must definitely register with the clinic in the gynecological consultation department.

Our ancestors believed that pregnancy was the natural state of a woman. The ability to procreate was considered the main female task. Hence the requirements for female beauty– wide hips, large breasts. Actually, these were the main standards when choosing a bride. Nowadays, everything is somewhat different, including the canons of beauty for the fair half. But the natural desire of every girl to become a mother has not disappeared.

Each person’s body is individual, but there are still general signs (symptoms) by which the expectant mother can recognize whether she is pregnant or not, even at an early stage. Actually, all these signs can be called conditional, since any of them only signals some changes in your body. But you shouldn’t ignore them at all. We will look at all these symptoms in a little more detail.

Primary signs of pregnancy

Delayed menstruation

The most common sign of pregnancy. But it is possible to notice it only if your cycle is regular, without failures. If this occurs, you should consult a specialist. However, there are cases when a delay in menstruation is not observed in some cases even during the first trimester. Therefore, listen more carefully to your body.

Nausea and vomiting (daily level)

One of the first signs to look for Special attention. Such a reaction can be to anything - appearance, smells, or even the mention of certain products, actions, etc. can cause a sharp attack of nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting. Gynecologists call this reaction of the body toxicosis.

Increased sense of smell

In this position, the woman reacts very sharply to various odors. Sometimes it happens that smells that recently delighted you, for some unknown reason, begin to irritate and cause a negative reaction in the body. At the same time, even a weak trail is acutely felt, which may not be noticeable to others.

Frequent mood swings, excessive irritability

Very often, women begin to conflict, seemingly for no reason. But the explanation for this is simple - pregnancy tends to change character and not always in better side. This is due to hormonal levels that change during pregnancy. Listen to yourself, maybe it's time to visit a gynecologist.

Chronic fatigue and drowsiness

This can also include dizziness. A woman can be in this state both during the first trimester and until childbirth. In addition, this feeling haunts women no matter how long the sleep was.

Special and sudden (regardless of the time of day, standard wishes, etc.) gastronomic preferences

Due to pregnancy, a woman's tastes in food may change. For example, an addiction to pickles or tomatoes appears, a sudden desire to taste sweets or, conversely, spicy dishes, etc. Very often this is accompanied by increased appetite. Thus, the body tries to replenish the vitamin balance. And for this reason, you shouldn’t deny yourself, but still, to be sure, consult with your doctor, and at the same time discuss the acceptable norms.

Pain in the lower abdomen and/or lower back

This symptom does not appear often, but if it happens, you should consult a doctor, perhaps your body is signaling that you are at risk of miscarriage.

Constipation

Strange as it may seem, this is also a sign of a miracle that has happened. This reaction of the body is possible due to an increase in progesterone levels. As a result, the digestive tract slows down, which causes constipation.

Increased urge to urinate

This is due to the growth of the uterus, which begins to put pressure on the bladder.

Minor bleeding

This symptom may appear within a couple of weeks after conception. It is short-term in nature - only a couple of hours.

Changes in the mammary glands (breasts)

This manifests itself already from the second week of an interesting situation. Moreover, these are not its only changes - increased sensitivity (sometimes even light contact with clothing causes pain), slight enlargement, as well as changes in the color of the nipples (they become a little darker). One of the signs can also be called the appearance of colostrum. To check for its presence it is quite simple - lightly press down on the nipple and it should appear. In this case, there should be no spontaneous release. Otherwise, you should seek advice from a specialist.

General malaise and snoring

Very often during pregnancy, expectant mothers experience sensations very similar to the onset of a cold - nasal congestion, slight fever, etc. These are light “jokes” of hormones. Regarding snoring - it appears due to higher level progesterone. Under its action, the mucous membranes become more flexible and soft, which causes vibrations in the diaphragm. Therefore, before taking cold medications, check yourself for pregnancy, for example, with a test from a pharmacy.

Weight changes

This symptom is not too pronounced, but with a more careful attitude to your own weight, you can notice a slight increase in it.

Change in sexual appetite

This can manifest itself in different ways. So, for example, in some cases, representatives of the fair half develop an unprecedented sexual appetite, in other situations the effect is exactly the opposite - complete apathy and even hostility. Therefore, be more attentive to your own feelings, perhaps this is a signal of a miracle that has happened.

Appearance of pigmentation

This symptom is also due to changes in hormonal levels. Spots of all shapes and sizes appear on the face or other parts of the body. They may resemble freckles or birthmarks. The appearance of such spots is a sure sign hormonal changes in organism.

Diagnosis of pregnancy at home

If you have one of the described symptoms, this is a reason to seriously think about whether you are pregnant. It is not always possible to see a gynecologist immediately (for example, on weekends). Home remedies can help here.

Method No. 1 - pregnancy test

The simplest and most painless way to determine pregnancy is a test (there are a great many of them in pharmacy chains). But it is worth remembering that the vast majority of these rapid tests give the most accurate results during morning urination. Therefore, take care of this purchase in advance. To get a more accurate result, do two or more tests with a short break (two to three days is quite sufficient). Such tests are relevant for a period of 4-5 weeks. There are tests for determining pregnancy at an earlier stage (3-4 weeks), but the price segment is unreasonably high.

Method No. 2 - temperature measurement

This method can rightfully be called the most accessible, but at the same time unpleasant. Since in this case we are talking about measuring basal temperature (measured through the rectum, anal way). If the temperature is 37 degrees (in rare cases and higher) - there is a high probability of pregnancy. In this case, you need to know the characteristics of your body. Therefore, experts recommend creating a kind of calendar schedule in advance (2-3 months before the expected conception), in which it is necessary to record daily data.

Both of the methods described above can help determine the onset of pregnancy in the earliest stages, but mistakes also happen. In any case, if you have any suspicions, contact a specialized specialist.

Traditional methods of determining pregnancy

Our grandmothers did not have the opportunity to diagnose pregnancy using laboratory methods. Available methods were used for this. We will introduce you to some of them. They are completely harmless, which is probably why they are still popular today.

One of these methods is to determine pregnancy using a drop of iodine. To do this, take your morning urine into a small vessel (a jar, for example) and add one drop of iodine. In a free position, the drop will immediately spread and dissolve. But in case of pregnancy, a drop of iodine will remain completely intact on the surface for some time.

There is another method for determining early pregnancy using iodine. It is necessary to dip a piece of cotton cloth into the morning urine; it should be clean and preferably white. Then drop iodine onto the fabric/paper and watch the reaction - if a purple color appears, then there is a high probability of pregnancy, if the color turns blue, then this probability is excluded.

Soda

This method is based on changing acid-base balance in the body of a pregnant woman. As with iodine, you will need a small container of morning urine. Add 1 tsp. soda and watch the reaction. If pregnancy occurs, the soda will freely fall as sediment to the bottom of the vessel. In its normal state, it reacts, hisses strongly and forms bubbles.

Boiling

This method also involves manipulation of urine, but in this case it should be boiled. Fallen white flakes indicate pregnancy.

Wine

Mix wine and urine in equal proportions and look at the result. If the mixture remains clear, there is a high probability that you are pregnant, otherwise the liquid will quickly become cloudy and a curdled effect will occur. The only condition is that the wine must be natural.

Pulse

In this case, the pulse is measured not at the wrist, as is customary, but in the lower abdomen. Attach your fingers right hand(pads to the stomach) in the navel area (2-3 cm below it) and listen. Under normal conditions, you will not hear any beating. But in a pregnant woman, blood circulation in this area is activated and a slight pulsation appears.

Why is it so necessary for an expectant mother to see a doctor?

Everything described above is the primary signs of pregnancy. Some of them appear already 4-7 days after conception. But in fairness, it is worth noting that any of the signs may turn out to be a symptom of completely different changes, for example, a serious illness (this applies not only to the gynecological area). Therefore, we kindly ask you to immediately consult a doctor if you experience any symptoms. This will help avoid many troubles. Including timely preparation for future motherhood.

Medical diagnosis

Experts diagnose pregnancy in three main ways. Each of them determines the presence of pregnancy starting from 4-5 weeks (in some cases earlier). To recreate the complete picture, it is recommended to use all three methods.

Examination by a gynecologist

A gynecologist is able to determine pregnancy at an early stage with a standard examination, but at the very earliest stages it is very difficult to do this, since the enlargement of the uterus is insignificant. This method will help if your pregnancy is at least four weeks old. If in doubt, the doctor may prescribe additional examination.

Ultrasound (ultrasound examination)

Perhaps the most reliable and accurate method. In addition, it helps not only to determine the pregnancy itself, to establish more precise dates, but also the condition of the fetus (embryo). But it is advisable to start such diagnostics no earlier than 4 weeks. Since at an earlier stage pregnancy can only be determined using the vaginal method (sensor), which can cause a miscarriage.

At 4-6 weeks, you can see heartbeats and diagnose diseases (if they occur) in this direction. At 7-9 weeks it is determined motor activity fetus Next (week 10-12) clarification of the due date, checking the placenta, etc. for diagnosing genetic diseases, etc. Despite the assurances of skeptics, the ultrasound procedure is completely harmless to both the fetus and the expectant mother and has nothing to do with x-rays.

HCG (chronic human gonadotropin) analysis

This is a blood test that shows the presence of this hormone in the blood. About the same thing, only it is determined in urine by a pharmacy test. But unlike the test, the hCG analysis is more accurate and is able to determine pregnancy at a very early stage. Of course, exceptions (errors) occur, but this is often due to the use of certain medications at the time of diagnosis or certain diseases. To ensure the reliability of the analysis, experts recommend repeating it in a couple of days.

Why is it important to diagnose pregnancy early in medical institutions?

If you are interested in having a healthy baby, medical supervision is simply necessary throughout the entire period of pregnancy. Skeptics may notice that our mothers and grandmothers did not conduct medical supervision at all and gave birth to healthy babies. But was it really like that? How many deaths among women giving birth are not made public? How many children were born with birth defects and how many of them did not survive? Not to mention such dangers as ectopic or frozen pregnancy. All this makes you think about whether you should let everything take its course and trust Mother Nature.

Regarding home diagnostics, it does not cause harm, but at the same time it is not a 100% guarantee of truthfulness. In any case, we strongly recommend visiting a specialist at the slightest suspicion of pregnancy and then throughout the entire period be sure to conduct regular examinations so as not to have disastrous consequences. Remember the health of your baby, like your own, is in your hands and responsibility for it lies entirely on your shoulders.