My Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms And It Wasn't Nausea: Navigating The Two-Week-Wait

If you are currently monitoring pregnancy symptoms, you are likely in your 'Two-Week Wait' or TWW period. For the unversed, TWW is a popular topic on fertility forums. It refers to the period between ovulation-which is when conception is most likely to occur-and the moment you find out whether you're pregnant. These two weeks can be quite stressful, and you end up calculating every day. Pregnancy calculator, implantation calculator, and pregnancy test calculator are some of the handy tools that women use over and over again during this phase.

During my TWW, I found myself glued to my phone, Googling questions like: When can I take a pregnancy test? Should I track any symptoms? What are the earliest signs of pregnancy? How can I know I'm pregnant at week three? Is back pain a sign of pregnancy? Can you be pregnant without any symptoms? When does implantation occur? The list goes on and on.

Since pregnancy is a hush-hush topic during the early stages, especially before making the big announcement, Google and your doctor remain your best friends. As I hesitated asking early pregnancy symptoms for the 10th time to my gynecologist, I asked Dr. Google a million times. With each passing day, my anxiety peaked, which made me take the first pregnancy test two days earlier than the recommended date (which is usually the first day of a missed period). Luckily, I saw those two pink lines on my very first test.

This journey helped me track and evaluate some of the earliest pregnancy symptoms that even Google fails to mention. Since I was very clear about the concept of ovulation, implantation, and HCG, I was able to draw a clear picture of what I experienced and when.

My first pregnancy symptoms

Based on my personal experience, here are the lesser-known, earliest pregnancy symptoms you might encounter even before receiving a positive pregnancy test:

1. Mild cramping

PMS, period, and pregnancy can all cause lower abdominal cramps. However, during my pregnancy, I noticed a different pattern. Unlike PMS or period cramps, which typically come and go, pregnancy-related cramps tend to linger for longer periods. You may experience them throughout the day.

The intensity also varies. While PMS and menstrual cramps can be sharp, pregnancy-related cramps are generally mild.

So, it can be concluded that these cramps are mild and may bother you day and night for 3-4 days. This usually happens during Week 3 or early Week 4 of your pregnancy if you're counting from your last menstrual period.

Medically speaking, these are implantation cramps, which happen when a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining (this process is known as implantation). Some women may also experience spotting during this phase, known as implantation bleeding; however, I did not. Additionally, as my doctor explained, the uterus expands during this phase, which can also lead to mild cramps.

2. Tiredness

I felt an overwhelming lack of energy, even for basic tasks. This fatigue impacted my daily routines, making it challenging to complete day-to-day activities. Technically, when you are pregnant, progesterone levels increase to support the developing fetus. It is also crucial for preparing the uterine lining for implantation. This sudden rise in progesterone levels can cause tiredness and fatigue.

3. Dizziness

While not intense enough to make you faint (as shown in Bollywood movies), you might experience mild lightheadedness several times a day.

Dizziness and lightheadedness are common during pregnancy, especially in the first and second trimesters, thanks to hormonal changes and fluctuations in blood pressure and blood volume.

4. Dull face

This symptom may vary from woman to woman. While some experience a pregnancy glow, others, like me, may notice dull skin with acne (which seems quite unfair). Even during early pregnancy, my face looked dull and one shade darker than usual.

5. Change in breast size

An increase in breast size is quite evident during early pregnancy and can continue throughout. Due to the hormone fluctuation, your breasts may feel swollen.

When discussed with fellow mothers, they too experienced mild cramping around the lower abdomen area, accompanied by tiredness, lower back pain, and dizziness before their tests turned positive.

It's important to remember that everybody is different. Hormone levels, how your body reacts to these fluctuations, and your overall health can significantly influence how you experience these changes. Therefore, you may or may not experience these symptoms.

Now, let's discuss the more general early signs and symptoms of pregnancy.

Early signs and symptoms of pregnancy

Before diving into the list, I'd like to clarify a few concepts. Your body produces human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) after implantation, which is a key indicator of pregnancy. As the pregnancy progresses, hCG levels double every 48 hours, especially during early pregnancy till the 8th to 10th week. hCG is responsible for most early pregnancy symptoms. As hCG levels increase, your pregnancy symptoms become more prominent.

1. Missed period

A missed period is a classic pregnancy symptom, especially if you have regular cycles. If you do not get a positive result on the first day os a missed period, wait and try again the next morning for 2-3 days.

2. High basal body temperature

When you're pregnant, your basal body temperature may be higher. Basal temperature is the temperature of your body when you're completely at rest. To detect pregnancy and ovulation, women measure their basal body temperature every morning.

3. Nausea

Often referred to as "morning sickness," many women experience nausea, which can occur at any time of the day. Nausea and morning sickness usually develop around weeks 4 to 6 and peak around week 9.

4. Fatigue

Increased levels of the hormone progesterone can cause tiredness and fatigue in early pregnancy.

5. Changes in mood

Significant hormonal changes can lead to emotional ups and downs, which may feel more pronounced during early pregnancy.

6. Painful breast

This symptom overlaps with PMS. You may notice your breasts feeling swollen, tender, or sore. The areolas (skin surrounding the nipples) may also darken.

7. Frequent urination

As the uterus expands and hormones shift, many women find themselves needing to urinate more often.

8. Constipation

Hormones can slow down the digestive system, leading to feelings of bloating or increased gas. It also contributes to constipation.

9. Sensitivity to smell

Heightened sensitivity to smells is another symptom many women report, which is also related to hormonal changes.

10. Increased heart rate

Your blood flow can increase by around 50% during pregnancy, accompanied by drastic hormonal shifts, which can lead to an increased heart rate.

When should you take a test?

If you have been planning a pregnancy, it's understandable that you may feel the urge to take a pregnancy test before your expected period. In my case, I took the test 2 days prior and noticed a faint line. For accuracy, I took the test three more times the following day and followed up with a blood test (beta hCG) as recommended by my doctor.

It's important to note that if you take a pregnancy test early, you might see a faint line, but these results can be misleading.

Experts recommend that if you think you are pregnant, it is best to wait until at least the first day of a missed period to take any pregnancy test. For a more accurate result, take a home pregnancy test 1 week after you first miss a period. This allows sufficient time for your body to produce enough of the hCG hormone for accurate detection.

Afterward, you can visit your doctor for a blood test and other essential tests and scans.

The TWW can be mentally exhausting. It's essential to stay calm and maintain a positive outlook during this phase. If you are trying to conceive, I hope you see the two pink lines soon!

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.