Pregnancy Symptoms Before a Missed Period
Sometimes you might feel just a little bit “off.” Or maybe it’s your intuition that’s kicking in. It might be because —oops!— you forgot to use contraception. Whatever the case, there are times that you might be wondering, “Are there pregnancy symptoms before a missed period?”
If you are worried that you are pregnant, and pregnancy isn’t something you are ready for, you aren’t alone. In fact, nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S. in 2011 were unintended—45 percent of 6.1 million pregnancies. Of all age groups, women age 15-19 have the highest rates of unintended pregnancy.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms
At Thrive St. Louis, we understand that an unplanned pregnancy can be a scary time, and you need answers. There are early pregnancy symptoms that you might recognize before you miss your period, but keep in mind that they are different for every woman. Some symptoms are more easily recognized than others, and it’s possible to have some of these symptom without actually being pregnant. Here are some of them:
- Feeling tired
- Nausea at any time of day or night
- Tender breasts
- Darkening areolas
- Bloating
- Sensitive to certain smells
- Food aversions and/or cravings
- Often need to pee
- Constipation
- Spotting around the time you expect your period
- Cramps similar to those you get with your period
- Less hungry
- Mood swings
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Strange taste in your mouth
- Excessive thirst
- Shortness of breath
- Hot flashes
- Unusual acne, spots, and bumps
- Vivid and weird dreams
- Feeling like you’re coming down with a cold
The Only Sure Way to Know
Even if you have a whole bunch of symptoms on the list, it’s not conclusive. The only sure way to know if you are pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. Come to Thrive St. Louis for a no-cost pregnancy test once you are 28 days or more from the first day of your last period.
Our licensed medical professionals will administer the test for you, and one of our advocates will give you the results. If it’s positive, we’ll offer you an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy is viable and to tell you how far along you are (gestational age).
Viability is important. If a pregnancy is not viable, it will result in miscarriage. You don’t want to have an abortion procedure if it’s not needed.
Also, we recommend testing for STDs, especially if you are considering an abortion. We test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV, Syphilis, Bacterial Vaginosis, and Trichomoniasis. If you have an untreated STD and have an abortion procedure, you can get pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a condition that causes chronic pain and infertility.
We Have the Information You Need
If you’re pregnant, you probably have lots of questions, and we can help you. Our caring, supportive advocates will answer your questions, give you critical, unbiased information, and help you make the best possible decision for you and your future.
Make an appointment to come in so we can be there by your side and help you through this time in your life.
