There are no specific symptoms during the first week of pregnancy. For the first month of pregnancy, mothers usually do not realize they are pregnant. The first symptom that expectant mothers notice is missed periods. It should be noted that the beginning of a pregnant woman’s pregnancy is considered from the first day of her last menstrual period.
How to Know if You are Pregnant or Not?
As we know, the first noticeable symptom of pregnancy is the cessation of periods. Apart from this, some other symptoms may be present in some cases. For example:
- Light vaginal bleeding
- Headaches
- Pain in the breast when pressed
- Nausea
- Feeling tired
- Abdominal discomfort or feeling like you have flatulence
- Increased amount of white discharge
- Cramping pains in the lower abdomen like period or menstrual cramps
- Frequent urination
- Aversion to a favorite food or a strong desire for a new food
- A strange taste in the mouth
- Strong sense of smell
It is not possible to say for sure that you are pregnant if you have these symptoms because some of these symptoms appear before menstruation in some cases. For example, breast pain, flatulence, and a strong desire for any food. Many people do not experience any symptoms after becoming pregnant. As a result, conception is delayed.
The most reliable way to know if you are pregnant or not is to take a pregnancy test. You can easily find out whether you are pregnant or not at home with the help of a pregnancy test kit. You can buy these kits from a general drug store or pharmacy. Apart from this, you can also go to a nearby clinic, health center, hospital, or gynecologist’s chamber for a pregnancy test.
How Many Days After Intercourse to Take a Pregnancy Test?
If you have missed a period for a month and had unprotected sex in the past, i.e., sex without using contraception (condom, pill, or injection), you should take a pregnancy test whenever you notice that your period has not started on the due date.
If you don’t know the expected date of your period, you can still know if you’re pregnant by taking a test at least 21 days after unprotected sex. Apart from this, many advanced pregnancy test kits are available these days, with the help of which it is possible to know whether you are pregnant or not as early as nine days after conception.
How Does a Pregnancy Test Work?
Buy a pregnancy test kit/box from your nearest pharmacy or supershop for a home pregnancy test. A pregnancy test can be done by taking a urine sample at any time of the day. Pregnancy test kits/sticks usually show results within a few minutes of urinating on the stick. Each type of test kit is different, so be sure to read the instructions on the box carefully before use.
What to Do if Pregnant?
After confirming pregnancy through a pregnancy test, the first thing you should do is to contact a health worker or, if possible, a gynecologist for a check-up and follow the advice given by the doctor.
During this period of pregnancy, it is generally recommended to follow the following points:
- Take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily for the first 3 months or up to the 12th week of pregnancy. Folic acid is available in tablet form.
- Take 10 micrograms of vitamin D tablets daily.
- Avoid raw or undercooked food during this time due to various risks of infection during pregnancy.
- To maintain the good health of the baby in the womb, avoid smoking, drinking too much tea and coffee, and alcohol.