For many women, becoming pregnant means suffering through bouts of morning sickness, growing out of their favorite jeans and giving in to cravings for foods like pickles and ice cream; however, this is not the case for all women. Some women inexplicably show few signs that they are expecting and, in some cases, may not show any signs at all. For these women, motherhood sneaks up and catches them unaware, leaving them no time to paint that nursery before adding to their families.
Reasons for No Signs
While it may seem next to impossible for someone to go through nine months of child carrying without noticing, it is quite possible, as every woman’s body reacts differently to pregnancy. Even though the signs of pregnancy are unmistakable in some, they are incredibly subtle in others, as these women’s bodies react differently to the state of pregnancy. Everything from build differences to differences in hormone levels can be to blame for this failure to show pregnancy signs.
Bleeding During Pregnancy
For many women, a period is a monthly reminder that they are not with a child. These women assume that if they get their period they must not be pregnant. In truth, there are an assortment of reasons why someone might continue to exhibit bleeding similar to menstrual bleeding during a pregnancy. Bleeding during early pregnancy can be due to the implantation of the embryo, which occurs somewhere between six and 12 days after conception. Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy can also be the result of cervix damage during intercourse, as a pregnant woman’s cervix is more sensitive and prone to injury, reports American Pregnancy.org.
No Baby Movement
Women whose babies carry on high levels of physical activity in the womb often wonder how moms-to-be can miss these telltale baby movements. While some women can feel, or even see, these movements easily, in some women, these movements are harder to detect. This difficulty in detecting fetal movement can be due to the fact that the woman is larger in size, or simply to the fact that the child is not very active in utero.
Failure to “Show”
Although most women become visibly pregnant during mid to late pregnancy, some never develop the characteristic pregnant bump. This lack of bump is particularly common in full figured women, or on women who are long waisted, as the baby can stretch up and down instead of out; however, even slender women can fail to develop this bump if their uterus is positioned in an uncommon way.
Negative Pregnancy Test
Many women who believe they might be pregnant head off to the store in search of proof one way or another. While at-home pregnancy tests are largely reliable, they are not foolproof. These tests are designed to detect pregnancy-indicating hormones within the woman’s body. Depending upon the degree to which a woman develops these hormones, a test may not be able to detect their presence.
Dangers of Signless Pregnancies
Women who do not realize that they are pregnant until late in their pregnancies, or even upon the birth of their child, run the risk of exposing their child to an assortment of things that women generally avoid when pregnant, such as alcohol or cigarette smoke. Additionally, failure to get regular prenatal care can lead to a child born with undiagnosed problems that perhaps could have been treated had they been detected.
