From Tracee Cornforth,
Your Guide to Women's Health.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

While the signs and symptoms of early pregnancy listed on the previous page are the most common, other symptoms can, and often do, occur in pregnancy. Other pregnancy symptoms include:

• Headaches – Headaches that occur during pregnancy are often intense and caused by increased hormone levels.

• Mood swings – Don’t think you’re crazy if you suddenly develop atypical mood swings or if you are unusually emotional during pregnancy, these are very normal reactions during pregnancy. Many times, pregnant women burst into tears for reasons that are unclear to anyone, including the pregnant woman. Another symptom caused by increased hormone levels.

• Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy – Caused by the circulatory system as dilation of the blood vessels occur. Low blood sugar, early in pregnancy, also triggers these symptoms.

• Increased basal body temperature or BBT – Your basal body temperature is your temperature immediately upon rising in the morning. BBT normally increases during ovulation and decreases when menstruation occurs. However, when pregnancy takes place increased basal body temperature continues after menstruation is late. BBT is a good indicator of pregnancy for women who have used it, either to prevent pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant.

• Constipation – Food digests slower than usual during pregnancy due to increased progesterone production. Slower digestion sometimes causes constipation during pregnancy.

I have one or more of these symptoms, does that mean I am pregnant?

Not necessarily, sometimes these signs and symptoms mean that you’re sick or that menstruation is about to begin. Another point to remember is that while these symptoms are common during pregnancy, sometimes none of these symptoms occurs.

If you experience the signs and symptoms of pregnancy, buy a home pregnancy test and see your doctor – either to begin prenatal care and confirm your pregnancy or to determine the cause of your symptoms if you’re not pregnant.

Tip: Keep track of your periods. Mark the first day, as well as the last day, of your period on a calendar – day one of the menstrual cycle is the day your period starts and is the basis for determining due dates during pregnancy.

Source: MayoClinic.com, Early Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy: Things You Might Notice Before You Start Prenatal Care, accessed 07/23/06