Am I pregnant? List of pregnancy symptoms

It’s difficult to say when pregnancy symptoms will arrive, simply because our bodies are all so different. Some people say they felt something the moment they became pregnant; others knew a few weeks later. And for a smaller number, pregnancy can arrive as a shock much later on.

Early symptoms of pregnancy might include:

• Missed period
• Sore and swollen breasts
• Fatigue
• Frequent need to urinate
• Mood swings
• Nausea
• Changed sense of taste or smell
• Metallic taste in the mouth
• Decreased or increased appetite
• Lasting stomach ache
• Dizziness due to low blood pressure
• Increased vaginal discharge
• Increased or decreased sex drive
• Headache
• More dreams
• Constipation or bloating
• Shortness of breath

What causes pregnancy symptoms?

A lot of these pregnancy symptoms, such as increased vaginal discharge and mood swings, are due to the many hormonal changes occurring in your body. Others are because your body is growing – a persistent stomach ache could be because your uterus is getting better. It’s unclear why some other symptoms happen – but it could be related to built-in mechanisms of the immune system. For example, a pregnant person might have a stronger sense of smell in order to detect faster whether something is dangerous for the foetus.

How do you know for sure that you’re pregnant?

The tricky thing about many of these early symptoms of pregnancy is that it can be very hard to know for sure that they’re caused by pregnancy: sore breasts, fatigue, mood swings and powerful cravings for sweets could just as easily mean that your period is on the way. And far from everyone feels anything at all in the beginning. So for some people, the first sign of pregnancy may very well be a missed period. And sometimes, you might actually have some spotting when the egg embeds, which (in rare cases) could be mistaken for a period. That could make pregnancy a bit of a surprise fairly late – but this is very uncommon.

All you can do to be certain is to take a pregnancy test, either at home or with your doctor. The tests you can buy from the pharmacy for at-home use are as accurate as the ones you do with a doctor.

What do I do if I really am pregnant?

If you’ve been trying for a baby, then the experience of pregnancy can be absolutely incredible, even if it is also pretty tough sometimes. We have the psychological process that many future parents go through, which often involves conflicting feelings of both joy and uncertainty. And of course, there’s a fairly long list of more or less disruptive pregnancy-related ailments – as well as great tips for how to handle them.. But remember: they pass, and afterwards, you have that little life – and that’s worth everything.

We’ve also gathered up some tips on good things to do and consider early in your pregnancy, like quitting tobacco and alcohol, and scheduling a visit with your doctor or midwife. If your pregnancy is a surprise, it may take a few weeks to absorb the information and determine whether you want to have a baby. But no matter what you decide, it’s always a good idea to contact your healthcare provider for help and support.

Please note that all information above is based on Swedish recommendations.