Common Pregnancy Symptoms

Periods can be unpredictable.  If you are one of the lucky women who have regular periods, then you may not even be aware of the immense favor you have been given.  Some women’s periods can be as unpredictable as the weather is in the Lower Mainland this March.  An unpredictable period may not be such a terrible thing all of the time, but if you have been sexually active in the month prior to when your period should arrive, a period’s absence can be a rather terrifying thing, especially if you aren’t feeling prepared to be a parent at this point in your life.

Oftentimes, women don’t realize they are pregnant until they are a few weeks into their pregnancy because symptoms may not be significant enough to notice in the beginning.  To complicate matters, pregnancy symptoms may not be identical for every woman. Pregnancy symptoms can also mimic the symptoms of other causes, like stress or menopause.  Most women are tipped off to a potential pregnancy because they miss their period but a late period could also be the result of hormonal imbalances, growth and changes in the body, diet, travel, anxiety/stress and certain types of birth control.

For this reason it’s sometimes not as easy to figure out if you could be pregnant or not based solely on one or two symptoms.  But here is a list of some of the more common pregnancy symptoms that women may experience:

• Missed period

• Headaches

• Frequent urination

• Fatigue/tiredness

• Vomiting or nausea (“morning sickness”)

• Sore or sensitive breasts

• Weight gain or weight loss

• Dizziness

• Moodiness

If you’ve been sexually active and are concerned you could be pregnant, the best thing to do is to take a pregnancy test or talk to your doctor.  Urine pregnancy tests will pick up the pregnancy hormone in a woman’s body 4 weeks from her LMP (Last Menstrual Period) and blood tests can detect a pregnancy around 3 weeks LMP. 

Depending on your situation, you may feel lost or alone, unsure or confused.   We understand.  This is big.  You’re not alone and you have options!

When you come into our centre, one of our trained Client Advocates will take time to sit and talk with you.  She can help you take a free and confidential pregnancy test and talk honestly with you about your options: abortion, adoption and parenting.  She will give you the support and acceptance that you need to process your thoughts and feelings and sort through all of the information.  You have options and being fully informed about all of them can help you make a decision that is right for you.

We’re About You.

We’re About Choices.

We’re About Truth.

Call, email, text or visit us today.

**The South Fraser Pregnancy Options Centre is not a medical centre and therefore does not advise or provide any medical referrals. This website is intended for general education purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional and/or medical advice.