When we miss our periods, we don’t understand what’s wrong? In common man’s language missing periods meant that a girl is pregnant. But this is not the case always. Periods can be missed or delayed because of stress or cyclical changes or some hormonal imbalance. There can be many such reasons.

You must be worried about being pregnant after missing your periods. There are many ways by which you can know that you are pregnant, following signs can indicate that you are having a baby:

If I Missed My Period, Does That Mean I am Pregnant?

Missed periods

This is one of the first signs of pregnancy, but could be misleading. There are many reasons for a missed period such as sudden weight gain or loss, regular usage of contraceptives, stress or overexertion, and eating disorders such as anorexia. Therefore, you should consult a doctor to find that your missed period is a sign of pregnancy.

Spotting

If you notice a few drops of blood after one or two weeks of your last period, this could be implantation bleeding, which is harmless. It occurs because of implantation. Well, this does not happen with every woman. Check with your doctor if you experience any pain or discomfort

Nausea and vomiting

One of the earliest signs to know that you are pregnant is nausea, which will surface as soon as three weeks from conception. It is referred to as morning sickness, though it can occur at any time. Any smell, taste, or even a regular perfume can make you feel nauseous. It is an indication that the hormonal levels are rising, and is a sign that your body is preparing for pregnancy.

Bloating

Gas accompanies a feeling of fullness or bloating. You will also have flatulence, excessive belching, and cramps. Some women may have this symptom very early in their pregnancy due to the rising progesterone levels,which relax the smooth muscle tissue in the gastrointestinal tract affecting the digestion process. you feel full even though you ate less.

Sore breasts and tingly nipples

you will feel that your breasts are heavier and you may experience some pain too. The areolas and nipples will turn darker, and you can notice small spots around the nipples area.

Frequent urination

Another way to tell you are pregnant is if you keep rushing to the washroom every 20-30 minutes. Hormonal changes cause increased blood flow and water retention, making your bladder full. Also, the growing uterus exerts pressure on the bladder causing frequent urination.

Back pain

If your lower back aches just like how it does before and during a period, it could be a sign of pregnancy. there are many women who experience pain all day long and it is not relieved by rest or massage.

Headaches

Headaches can occur during the start of pregnancy or from 3^rd week. But sometimes, they start early. Stress, along with drowsiness, cravings, and physical changes, could lead to headaches. However, they go away with some rest and care.

Irritability or mood swings

You may seem to lose your temper without much provocation!Even if you are not aware, but this all is happening because of pregnancy and hormonal changes. You will feel oversensitive, grumpy, and tearful, all due to hormonal changes.

Food aversions/cravings

If you think you crave for the food you never wanted to eat or rather you have started to ignore the food you loved? The rising level of estrogen is the cause.

Fatigue and sleeplessness

Due to all the physical changes, your body’s sleep cycle may be disturbed, which can help you know you are pregnant.

All these signs may or may not be present. Take a home pregnancy test to confirm.

How to Check Pregnancy At Home?

Home pregnancy tests detect the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your urine. This hormone is produced six days after fertilization and continues to double every two to three days .

While some tests are sensitive enough to give the positive result as early as five days before your next menstrual period, others are not. You should produce enough hCG to yield a positive result. If you get a negative result, you can do a pregnancy test about a week after you miss your periods.

All the instructions are written on the kit. Read carefully and do accordingly. Use the first urine after you wake up, for best results. It may take around ten minutes to get the result. Do not assume that you are not pregnant with one negative result. The hCG hormone production differs for every woman and with each pregnancy. If the result is negative even after multiple home pregnancy tests and you did not have your period, then check with your healthcare provider.

Confirm a positive result with a doctor

If the result of home test is positive, you need to be 100% sure.. You can visit a gynecologist and he/she will guide you accordingly. They will perform a urine test.

If the urine test is positive, to be 101% sure, they will perform blood test also. This will allow taking next step, your doctor will discuss future plan with you, and guiding you about the changes that will occur and care you need to take.

All these can possibly bring good news to you and your family. Trust your doctor; he will give you perfect guidelines. Be healthy and enjoy your new phase of life.