The earliest signs of pregnancy are not only missed periods. Women can also show other signs, especially during the early stages of pregnancy. So what is the earliest sign of pregnancy? What are pregnancy symptoms after 5 days of sex? Are morning sickness, fatigue, mood swings signs of pregnancy after sex?
Signs of Pregnancy After Sex: Signs That Appear After a Week
The first week of pregnancy is calculated based on the first day of the last menstrual period and the calculation of due date is also based on this date. Your last period will be counted as the first weeks of your pregnancy, even if you haven’t even conceived yet. For that reason, the first few weeks when you haven’t had any symptoms of pregnancy count toward your 40-week pregnancy period.
During this time, you may experience some of the first signs of pregnancy as follows:
1. Vaginal spotting or bleeding – Typical signs of pregnancy after sex
The first sign of pregnancy in some women can be cramping pain or vaginal bleeding. From week 1 to week 4, everything is still happening at the cellular level. The fertilized egg produces a blastocyst (fluid-filled cells) that will develop into organs and other parts of the fetus’s body.
After the egg is fertilized, the blastocyst will move into the uterus and attach to the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus) which is also called implantation. This usually happens on week 4.
This can sometimes result in vaginal bleeding or spotting. This is commonly called implantation bleeding or pregnancy blood and is often confused with normal menstruation, even causing many women to wonder if they are pregnant or not. Here are some signs of implantation bleeding:
- Color: The color of each bleed can be pink, red, or brown.
- Blood: You’ll notice bleeding when you wipe your vagina with a towel, toilet paper, or blood on your underwear.
- Pain: The pain can be mild, moderate, or severe. According to a study of 4,539 pregnant women, 28% of them experienced bleeding and pain.
- Bleeding episodes: Bleeding from implantation can last for 2-3 days.
The best way to address this condition is to avoid smoking, drinking alcohol or not going to places where there is a lot of smoke or using drugs or stimulants because this may make the bleeding worse.
2. Missed period – One of the tips to recognize pregnancy
You will not see your period after conception . Once fertilization and implantation have taken place, your body will begin to produce the hormone hCG (a sex hormone secreted from the developing placenta). This hormone helps the body maintain pregnancy and causes the ovaries to reduce the accumulation of eggs each menstrual cycle.
When detecting signs of pregnancy after sex, the best way is to perform medical tests to know if you are pregnant or not. If your periods are irregular, you may use a urine pregnancy test as a home pregnancy test to check.
Most home pregnancy tests can detect hCG in urine as soon as 5-7 days after a missed period. If still in doubt or if the line seems ambiguous, a serum pregnancy test is more reliable. If the result is positive, see your doctor to confirm if you are pregnant and ask for advice on how to take care of your pregnancy. If you are taking any medications, ask your doctor if they pose any danger to your developing baby.
3. Dull lower abdominal pain – The earliest sign of pregnancy before the period is over
After the egg is fertilized, it moves towards the uterus to implant in the uterine wall. This is the time when lower abdominal pain can occur, which usually occurs between 6-12 days after the egg is fertilized.
Abdominal pain in the first week of pregnancy is often the same as the abdominal pain in the menstrual cycle that some women still experience, so you will need to pay more attention to be able to distinguish between signs of coming period and pregnancy . In fact, this pregnancy sign is often overlooked because many people mistakenly think that because they are tired, they have cramps.
4. Vaginal discharge – Early signs of pregnancy
Is there white discharge in the first week of pregnancy? The answer is yes. In some women, the first sign of pregnancy may be the appearance of white or milky discharge. This is one of the typical pregnancy signs that can make some women feel uncomfortable.
5. Breast changes – A possible sign of successful conception
One of the first signs of pregnancy that you can easily recognize is the change in the breast size and feel. According to the American Pregnancy Association , this sign can appear as little as 1-2 weeks after a successful conception.
After conception, the hormones in a woman’s body change rapidly, making blood flow to the breasts increase, causing pain in the breast area or feeling like the breasts are swollen. In addition, some people feel that their breasts are heavier and the area around the nipples becomes darker.
If your bra is too tight and uncomfortable, wear a slightly larger bra with added non-wired support.
6. Is feeling tired a symptom of pregnancy?
Some women feel tired as early as the first week of pregnancy. This manifestation is related to increased levels of progesterone and other factors including: increased blood production, decreased blood sugar and low blood pressure. Therefore, fatigue after a missed period is often a confusing pregnancy phenomenon.
7. Mood swings – One of the earliest signs of pregnancy
One of the tips to know if you are pregnant is to pay attention to your mood. During pregnancy, the levels of estrogen and progesterone in your body will be high. This can affect your mood making you more emotional or reactive than usual.
Mood swings are common during pregnancy and can lead to feelings of depression, irritability, anxiety, and extreme excitement.
8. Signs of pregnancy after sex: Frequent urination
Frequent urination when you change your eating habits or drink more water than usual may not be the first sign of pregnancy. However, if you don’t make any lifestyle changes and you don’t have urinary tract infection but still urinate more than usual, there’s a good chance your body is sending out a signal that you’re pregnant. This pregnancy usually appears about one to three weeks after conception.
9. The earliest possible sign of pregnancy is heartburn
The change in hormone levels of the body during pregnancy can cause the valve between the stomach and esophagus to relax. This causes stomach acid to back up, leading to heartburn.
If you fall into this situation, you should divide meals, sit up straight after eating to reduce discomfort.
10. Bloating, Constipation
Similar to the symptoms of a period, bloating can be a sign of pregnancy after a week. The cause of this condition may be due to hormonal changes, which slow down the digestive process. As a result, you may experience constipation during the first week of pregnancy . Constipation again makes you feel more bloated.
11. Nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) – The most common sign of pregnancy
Morning sickness (nausea and vomiting) is one of the most recognizable signs of pregnancy after sex, and it can even be the earliest sign of pregnancy before your period is due .
This manifestation can occur at any time, including day and night, but is usually in the morning. Some women may experience morning sickness all day, making the body extremely tired, even exhausted.
This pregnancy sign can make a big impact on your daily life but does not endanger the fetus. Usually, nausea and vomiting will go away within 16-20 weeks of pregnancy.
12. Back pain symptoms are a way to recognize pregnancy
Back pain in the first week of pregnancy is a relatively common question. If you don’t lift heavy loads or have any injuries that affect your back but suddenly experience back pain , think about pregnancy. This is also one of the simple first week pregnancy recognition tips.
The reason is that during pregnancy, the body changes hormones to adapt. At this point, some joints and ligaments have to loosen themselves to be ready to “carry” the fetus and prepare for birth. In many cases, back pain develops with pregnancy. As gestational age increases, a woman’s body weight puts more pressure on her spine, increasing her risk of back pain during pregnancy.
