Many of the early signs of pregnancy are brought on by the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Levels of this hormone are low in the days right after implantation, just before a woman misses her period. As a result, while some women at this point report having early pregnancy symptoms, others have none at all. Continue reading to find out more about other missed period causes as well as the earliest signs of pregnancy before a period is missed.
The first signs of pregnancy
The implantation phase of pregnancy occurs when the fertilised egg embeds in the uterine lining. A hormone called hCG, which the body generates in gradually greater amounts in the early stages of pregnancy, is stimulated by implantation.
Progesterone is a different hormone whose production is then stimulated by hCG. The two hormones together lead to early pregnancy. Usually, implantation takes place a few days prior to a missed menstruation. Because of this, hCG levels are still low when a woman anticipates her period. Some women suffer no symptoms at all or only very mild symptoms as a result of these low levels, which they may mistake for something else.
Other typical signs of an early pregnancy include:
- Constipation
- Varying degrees of mild to severe fatigue
- Darker nipples
- Sore, tender, or swollen breasts
- Headaches
- Urination more frequently, which is brought on by hormonal factors rather than pressure on the bladder
- Mood or emotion changes, such as heightened worry, weepiness, or changes in energy
As hCG levels rise in the first trimester, these symptoms frequently get worse. Many women observe that their symptoms get better around the end of the first trimester. Early pregnancy symptoms are brought on by hormonal changes rather than the developing foetus. Further signs of pregnancy could develop as it progresses.
Other symptoms of pregnancy
Between conception and delivery, pregnancy can produce a variety of symptoms, including:
- Inability to move as the foetus grows
- Swelling, particularly in the legs and ankles
- Hip or back pain
- A sharp stomach ache known as "round ligament pain" might strike without warning
- Changes in heart rate or blood pressure
- Breast milk production
- Breast pain or tingling
Other causes of pregnancy symptoms
Early on in pregnancy, symptoms are frequently minimal. Because of this, pregnancy symptoms can be mistaken for everyday aches and pains. As a woman's period approaches, hormonal changes might induce symptoms that also occur during pregnancy, such as breast discomfort and swelling. Before every period, some PMS sufferers can experience these sensations.
Even when she is not pregnant, a woman may occasionally continue to exhibit early pregnancy symptoms. Here are some of the potential causes:
Anxiety related to attempting to conceive: Anxiety can be exacerbated by both trying to conceive and trying to avoid becoming pregnant. Before their periods, some women experience severe mood fluctuations. When these feelings are actually a response to pregnancy anxiety, people could mistakenly attribute them to pregnant hormones.
Chemical pregnancy: A very early pregnancy loss occurs with a chemical pregnancy. When an ultrasound does not reveal a pregnancy, but a home pregnancy test or blood test confirms it, a doctor diagnoses it. Women can fail to recognise when they are pregnant chemically. Fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms can be brought on by a cold, the flu, or some other infection.
Other causes of a missed period
There are a variety of causes for missing periods, including:
Early pregnancy loss: An early pregnancy loss, also known as a chemical pregnancy, can occasionally result in a positive test result followed by a negative result. Sometimes the "late period" is actually an early miscarriage.
Period delay: A woman's period may be postponed by a few days if she ovulates a few days later than usual.
Perimenopause: A woman going through menopause could have fewer periods because she ovulates less regularly. Perimenopause is the term for this phase.
Hormone disorders: Many illnesses can lead to hormonal abnormalities that postpone or even suppress ovulation, causing a missed menstruation.
Malnourishment: Women who are severely underweight or who consume insufficient calories may fail to ovulate, which can result in the cessation of their periods. This is known by the medical term amenorrhea.
Pregnancy test accuracy
A hormone called hCG is measured in a person's blood or urine during pregnancy tests. Beta Hcg Test for Pregnancy at Home in Hyderabad conducted at home and in clinics are reliable. Some manufacturers assert that the accuracy of their blood test at home can reach 99%. When utilized properly, home pregnancy tests from reputed labs like Orange health lab can have a 99% accuracy rate. You can book a blood test lab near me now and expect their experts to reach your location in just an hour.
Five reasons for false-positive pregnancy tests
These are five scenarios that could result in pregnancy test at home giving a false-positive result.
A previous abortion or miscarriage
Another potential cause of a false-positive result for a home urine pregnancy test is a person who takes the test very soon after a miscarriage or an abortion. The body releases hCG once a fertilised egg has implanted into the uterine wall. Normally, hCG may begin to fall as early as 5 days following a medical abortion, although it may continue to be readable for a longer period of time. A false-positive pregnancy test may be the result of someone taking a test during this period.
A partial miscarriage is another possibility. Because of this condition, the uterus may still contain pregnancy-related tissue that is still releasing hCG. If this happens, surgery will be required to remove any leftover pregnant tissue.
Molar conception
A hydatidiform mole, often known as a molar pregnancy, is a disease that develops uterine tumours. The placental tissue does not develop normally, resulting in a malformed placenta and embryo. This may cause a mass of tiny fluid-filled sacs or a cluster of cells to form, which a medical specialist must remove using the dilation and curettage surgery, also known as a D&C.
A full molar pregnancy lacks any embryonic or placental tissue in the developing molars. On the other hand, in a partial molar pregnancy, foetal tissue may be present in the molar development. The hCG levels in a person rise during a molar pregnancy. Hence, a pregnancy test can come up positive.
Evaporation lines
It's crucial for people to adhere to the test's recommendations while performing home pregnancy tests. Within 4-5 minutes of taking the pregnancy test at home and no later than 10–30 minutes following, most tests will invite the user to read the results. Non-digital urine pregnancy tests will display lines or symbols to represent a woman's pregnancy status.
It can appear that the result is a positive pregnancy test if it is read after the advised amount of time has passed. In most instances, this isn't a positive pregnancy test, though; instead, it's an evaporation line left by your urine after the advised window of time for interpreting the test.
Health problems
Several medical illnesses can also increase a person's hCG levels, even in the absence of pregnancy, in addition to gestational trophoblastic diseases like molar pregnancy. They consist of:
- Diseases influencing hormone levels and the pituitary gland
- Ovaries with hCG-producing cysts
- Malignancies of the ovary, bladder, kidney, liver, lung, colon, breast, and stomach
- Phantom hCG occurs when antibodies obstruct the testing kit.
- Urinary tract infections or kidney disease
Medications
By increasing a person's hormone levels in their blood and urine, certain drugs may result in false-positive pregnancy tests. Some weight reduction and infertility therapies may contain synthetic hCG, which might result in falsely positive blood test results. Aspirin, methadone, and carbamazepine among other medications, could possibly have an impact.
