Experiencing unexplained morning sickness, constant mood swings or tiredness most of the time? these symptoms might be the indicator of something big coming up: a baby! While the following symptoms are not a straightforward medical indication, they can help you detect potential pregnancy. To begin with, the earliest and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period -meaning your periods do not occur when they are supposed to. However, this is not the only way to detect pregnancy!

You can also look for symptoms such as:

1- Sickness, nausea and/or vomiting

One of the most disturbing symptoms that can indicate pregnancy is nausea and vomiting on a regular basis. This is very common and half of all pregnant women will experience such sickness, starting about 6 weeks after their last period. Be careful though as severe nausea and inability to keep food or fluids can lead to emergency situation. If severe vomiting is occurring, serious complications might arise: do not ignore it and go check with your doctor.

2- Fatigue and emotional upset 

Whilst mood swings can be linked to many events happening in your life, you are more likely to feel tired and upset during the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy. This is extremely common and is actually a normal physical reaction. Why? Because important hormonal changes take place during pregnancy, causing tiredness, mood swings and emotional upset.

3- Breast pain

While pregnant, a woman will feel her breast becoming larger and often tender. She might also notice veins getting more visible on the breast and her nipples getting darker.

4- Frequent urination

Even if this depends on every woman’s body, most women will feel the need to urinate more often while pregnant, especially during the night.

5- Vaginal discharge

Another symptom you might experience during your pregnancy is a vaginal discharge in higher amounts. While this is normal, you should not notice any change in color/odor or irritation. If so, contact your doctor about it.

6- Other symptoms have been commonly observed such as:

• A strange taste in the mouth (described by some women as “metal-like”)

• Cravings. Pregnant women are usually craving new food they did not want before whilst losing interest in other type of food and drinks (fatty and greasy food or coffee.)

• Smell senses also tend to become much more sensitive, with some odors getting very inconvenient or sickening.

Pregnancy is an intimate experience, and each woman will experience it in her own way. However, this list of most commonly described symptoms can help you detect those messages your body is sending you. But don’t forget! While these symptoms might help you find out a pregnancy, these are not clear medical indicators. You will always have to do a pregnancy test and check with your doctor to get a 100% certain answer