How Soon Can You Feel Pregnancy Symptoms

When the strip test has shown a positive result, one would be overwhelmed with the joy of being pregnant. The gestational period has started and soon the pregnancy symptoms will take their own course.

The very thought of a new life springing within the expectant mother, overcomes the minor problems of cramps and pain that she experiences during this phase. These symptoms are experienced two weeks right after conception, that continues and varies with each passing day.

Normally, women wait for their missed periods to confirm the results. It would happen within 2 weeks of conception. Although a blood test and urine test are accurate enough to verify the results within a week, still it is always advised to wait for at least 20 days to get the correct observations.

There is a marked increase in the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) that reaches a figure of 25 mIU/ml during the first and the second week. Presence of this hormone in the blood and urine confirms a pregnancy.

Moreover, the physical and emotional changes that one's body will undergo will also be the effects of secretion of large amounts of hCG and progesterone during this phase.

After one week of conception, the early pregnancy symptoms start gaining prominence. The symptoms will continue throughout the entire first trimester, during which the expectant mother will undergo a series of physio-emotional changes.

• The first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. If one is pregnant, one won't be experiencing menstruation till the birth of the child.
• One will also undergo similar symptoms like PMS that mainly include nausea and vomiting. These are some of the most evident signs of maternity after 1month.

• Breast tenderness, swollen nipples, darker areola are some physical changes, evident during the first and the second week. Weight gain and water retention makes one feel bloated.
• During the second and the third week, the uterine lining expands due to which one may experience cramps all over the lower body, especially in abdomen and legs.

• There's a certain increase in the body temperature that is normally felt during the morning hours pertaining to ovulation.
• Apart from all these, morning sickness, fluctuation in appetite, mood swings, and frequent urination are common symptoms during the first trimester.

• Late pregnancy symptoms become evident during the second and the third trimester. From the 13th week, one would feel heaviness and backaches are most likely to occur.

• The womb expands and one may experience heartburn due to the secretion of acids inside the stomach, during the third trimester. Indigestion, formation of gas inside stomach, and lack of appetite are common during the second and the third trimester.
• One would rapidly gain weight and the uterus will swell during the last few weeks before delivery.

• Breast growth will continue throughout the gestation period and one may also notice regular vaginal discharge during the period of 30th to 40th week.
• The last week is quite crucial and Braxton Hicks contractions gain prominence, followed by labor pain.

Thus, we can see that the pregnancy symptoms start appearing after 2 weeks of conception and exist till the delivery of the child. The early signs like morning sickness gradually disappear with passing days while tiredness, fatigue, and body pain become more prominent later during the second and third trimester.

Thus, the expectant mother's body would undergo a number of symptoms, that would vary in different women, both physically and mentally during maternity.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.