Pregnancy Signs Week by Week

Some women claim to know that they’re pregnant from the second the egg is fertilized. Intuition aside, most people don’t start showing signs of pregnancy until the fourth week or so. If getting pregnant is your goal, watch out for a few telltale signs. Take a pregnancy test around the fifth week, and schedule an appointment with your doctor to confirm. Remember that good prenatal care is the key to a healthy pregnancy.

Missed Period

The length of pregnancy is usually calculated from the time of your last period. That means that the first sign of pregnancy is a late or skipped period, usually about four weeks in.

Implantation Bleeding

After the egg is fertilized, it travels to the uterus, where it implants on the wall. During this time, you may experience implantation bleeding, according to What to Expect. Although the bleeding usually happens around the time of your menstrual cycle, during week 4, it shouldn’t be confused with a period, since it is much lighter in color and flow. Not all women experience this sign of pregnancy, so don’t worry if you don’t.

Breast Tenderness

Around week 5 of pregnancy, you’ll experience some changes in your breasts. They’ll feel super tender, thanks to changes in your hormone levels, according to What to Expect. You may also notice that your nipples have darkened, which is also perfectly normal during pregnancy.

Fatigue

Around week 5, you may also begin to experience extreme feelings of exhaustion and fatigue, thanks once again to changes in hormones and because your body is focusing on preparing a healthy womb and placenta to nourish the fetus for the next nine months. Take it easy during this time, according to What to Expect. You’ll start to feel less tired by the start of the second trimester.

Nausea

Nausea, vomiting, morning sickness, whatever you want to call it, is a huge sign of pregnancy. It usually starts in the fifth week. Some women are lucky enough not to experience any nausea or morning sickness, while others are stuck with it throughout their pregnancy. You can tame the nausea by eating small, regular meals, having a snack before getting up in the morning and avoiding triggers, such as strong odors.

Weight Fluctuation

Weight gain is expected throughout your pregnancy and you may see a few extra pounds as early as week 5 or 6. If you have morning sickness, though, you may see a few less pounds, thanks to not being able to keep anything down. By about the 13th week of pregnancy, your weight should level out and you will start to gain, according to WebMD.

Frequent Urge to Pee

Around week 6 of pregnancy, your uterus will begin to grow and can exert pressure on your bladder, causing you to urinate more often. Your kidneys may also start to work extra hard to keep your body waste-free and the pregnancy hormone hCG will start to cause extra blood to flow into your pelvis, according to What to Expect, which can also lead to more frequent urination.

Growing Uterus

Though most women don’t start to show until the end of the first trimester, or later, your uterus will be growing throughout your pregnancy. Around the sixth week, it will be about the size of a grapefruit, according to WebMD. By week 11, it will fill your pelvic area. Around week 13, it will spread up to your abdominal area and feel like a small ball, according to WebMD.