First signs of pregnancy before missed period
Often pregnant women do not notice changes in the first days after conception. But if you listen to yourself, signs are revealed that cause discomfort and allow you to determine pregnancy without a test. Somewhere there is a tingling sensation, a tug, or you constantly want to eat and lie down. But the inconvenience is more than compensated for 9 months later by the birth of a dear little man.
Change in basal temperature
According to gynecologists, the method can be trusted if the rules of the procedure are followed. It is more reliable to determine the temperature in the rectum. Alternatively, in the mouth or vagina. The first days of menstruation are within the normal range - 36.6°C. During ovulation it rises to 37–37.2°C, and upon completion it decreases to normal. If pregnancy has occurred, the thermometer will show the same as during ovulation.
Measurement Recommendations:
- in the evening they make sure that when waking up in the morning, a notepad and pen are at hand;
- upon waking up, without getting out of bed and without making sudden movements, take measurements for 5–8 minutes;
- record data, time, date.
- To definitely confirm conception, the temperature scale values are recorded in a notebook for several days in a row.
The result will be accurate if there is no inflammation in the pelvis.
Swelling of the mammary glands
The onset of pregnancy is characterized by enlargement and increased sensitivity of the mammary glands. When pressed, a small amount of fluid flows out of the nipples. This is due to changes in the concentration of hormones that trigger the preparation of all systems for childbirth and lactation from the first hours after conception.
You should not completely trust the signs, as the breasts swell and become painful even before the menstrual cycle. In underweight women involved in strength sports, such changes are not observed in the early stages of pregnancy.
Nagging pain in the abdomen
If you listen to yourself in the mornings and evenings, you can feel a slight nagging pain and a feeling of fullness in your abdomen.
Negative symptoms arise due to the movement and attachment of the egg to the uterus, the increased volume of which is felt 7-14 days after fertilization.
Heartburn
A burning sensation behind the sternum worries women during short periods due to progesterone. The hormone relaxes the valve that prevents stomach contents from refluxing into the esophagus.
If changes in the gastrointestinal tract did not bother you before conception, the symptom is classified as a satellite of an interesting position.
Irritability
Attempts by the pregnant woman’s psyche to understand what happened result in nervousness, anger, and hysterics. Scientists say that this condition is natural and does not require adjustment. A woman must accept herself as changed, realize her role in procreation.
Various hypotheses are put forward to explain the ongoing metamorphoses of character.
It is assumed that pregnant women are irritated by the return to childhood, when there is no need to control emotions, or to the primitive instincts needed to protect themselves and the child from a hostile world.
Increased appetite
Neuropeptide Y, which acts as a neurotransmitter, is to blame for the feeling of hunger. Its production increases during pregnancy, obesity and is responsible for nutritional activity.
From the first days, pregnant women accumulate “strategic reserves” for the formation of the fetus, childbirth and feeding the unborn child.
Early periods are accompanied by both an increase and a decrease in appetite due to a lack of folic acid or high levels of progesterone. Hormones inhibit digestion.
Sensitivity to odors
If everyday perfume has become unpleasant, an aversion to the smell of your beloved dog has formed, which means pregnancy has occurred.
Nature has endowed women with this function for survival in extreme conditions. The slow reaction and absent-mindedness were compensated by a keen sense of smell, which helps to recognize danger.
Darkening of the nipples
Nipples and areolas change color due to a lack of B vitamins and genetic predisposition.
The darkening of these areas depends on hormones. The intensely produced melanin is primarily concentrated on the chest.
This symptom is observed in 95% of pregnant women, starting from the fifth week.
The state of the body as the main identifier for determining pregnancy
Conceiving a child is only a reason that entails the consequences of hormonal and physiological changes in the body. We are talking not only about changes in figure and skin, but also about clear signs of changes inside the body. Such chronic conditions with an episodic pattern of occurrence include:
- dizziness and temporary confusion;
- temperature increase, up to 37.5 °C;
- nasal congestion;
- increase in breast volume;
- heaviness in the lower back (similar to kidney failure);
- nausea and exacerbated gag reflexes;
- aggravation of taste buds;
- changeable mood;
- drowsiness;
- chronic fatigue;
- manifestation of pigment spots and papillomas (sometimes starting from the third month of pregnancy);
- more frequent urge to go to the toilet.
So, the first sign is a headache. It occurs due to a sharp surge in hormonal levels. Sometimes, in 20% of cases, despite the onset of pregnancy, such pain can be accompanied by menstruation. The reason for this is the hormonal background that has not yet filled the entire body. Moreover, headaches can be so specific that even painkillers will be useless.
Painkillers after pregnancy can only be prescribed by the attending physician.
As for body temperature changes, everything is much simpler. This occurs because the developing embryo is still at the stage of implantation into the walls of the uterus. Therefore, even in the first trimester, an increase in temperature of one degree is considered normal.
These signs of pregnancy are accompanied by nasal congestion. This is caused by the increased blood supply to organs, which includes the mucous membrane. The latter swells very quickly, creating serious problems for the young mother in the first 6 months of pregnancy.
An even more accurate indication of pregnancy in the first 3-5 weeks is an increase in breast size. This is a natural manifestation of the onset of lactation and the body’s preparation for this process. Side processes of such changes are swelling of the breasts, as well as a change in the color of the nipples towards a darker shade.
How to find out about pregnancy using medical methods
The most reliable ways to determine pregnancy without a test are medical ones. When visiting the antenatal clinic, the gynecologist collects anamnesis, conducts an examination, and sends you to the laboratory to donate blood for the hCG hormone. Starting from the seventh day, the fact of conception is determined by the results of ultrasound.
Examination by a gynecologist
An experienced doctor confirms indirect signs of a woman’s pregnancy during examination without instrumental examination or the results of a blood test for hormones, starting 4–5 weeks after conception.
A change in the taste of food is the first sign of pregnancy without visiting a doctor or using tests
In the very first days of pregnancy, when there is not yet that full feeling of the first trimester, some “ritual” tastes (breakfast with coffee and pastries) take on a different meaning. A substitution of the established opinion may occur when the taste of a particular product turns out to be unpleasant.
And finally, it is worth noting the formation of toxicosis. This happens at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, when hormonal levels take over. Nausea, in the vast majority of women, is present from 6 to 10 weeks.
In healthy, active women with increased physical activity who missed all the first signs of pregnancy, toxicosis can manifest itself especially pronouncedly, causing significant discomfort and a morally stressful situation. Vomiting several times a day, for several days, is a direct cause of hospitalization.
Traditional methods of determining pregnancy in the early stages
The reliability of traditional methods for determining pregnancy without a test is questionable. The validity of the results of homemade methods and signs based on subjective sensations has not been confirmed by science. Nevertheless, expectant mothers willingly use them.
Dreams
Pregnancy can be determined by the signs sent by the subconscious.
Towards the conception of a woman dreams:
- live fish swimming in a pond;
- sorting through cereals;
- pecking chickens from eggs;
- storks sitting in a nest;
- harvesting;
- mushrooms, pomegranate, cabbage.
A night dream with kittens, where the dreamer feeds the animals milk, is a good sign that promises an early pregnancy.
Ring over belly
A ring suspended from a woman's hair is placed above her stomach. If the object is actively moving, the result is positive. This method also determines the gender of the unborn child. Movements from side to side predict the birth of a boy, rotations in a circle predict the birth of a girl.
Planting onions
Plant an onion in two jars of water. One of the containers is marked. It is used to determine the result of the experiment. Next, they wait for the green feathers to reach a given height. If the onion grows faster in a jar with a mark, pregnancy is likely.
By the latch
The latch is lowered into a basin with fresh urine and left for 3–4 hours. Then the urine is drained and the latch is removed. You can congratulate a woman on her pregnancy if there is an imprint of the object on the bottom.
With dandelion leaves
Plucked leaves of a dandelion growing in the shade are placed in a suitable container and filled with urine. After 10 minutes, look for reddish swellings on the leaves, confirming pregnancy. If no changes occur, extend the time to half an hour. It makes no sense to keep the plant in biological fluid for longer.
For wheat and barley seeds
The test came to Russia from ancient Egypt, where women poured urine on barley and wheat grains, wanting to determine pregnancy. Sprouted barley predicted the birth of a boy, wheat - the appearance of a daughter. Urine with a high concentration of hormones actually has stimulating properties.
By fault
An express method for determining pregnancy using wine has been known since the 16th century. Alcohol and morning urine are combined in equal parts. If the liquid in the glass is clear, the result is positive. The lack of conception in a woman is confirmed by cloudiness of the wine with urine.
By pulse
During pregnancy, blood supply to the pelvis increases, which creates pulsation. It can be felt if you place your fingertips 4–5 cm below the navel. Before the experiment, lie down on a flat surface and relax.
With flowers
They learn about changes in the level of the hCG hormone in urine by watering flowers in a flower bed with female urine. If after 3 days the plants revived and began to look better, conception has occurred.
How was pregnancy previously determined?
In ancient times, women were practically no different from modern representatives of the fair sex. Of course, they also loved, suffered and hoped to produce an heir as soon as possible. In this case, the place of birth did not play any role - each nation had its own methods for determining pregnancy.
- Jewish women preferred to walk on tall grass - if after this there was a deep footprint, then this certainly indicated the onset of pregnancy.
- In Ancient Egypt, a woman was given a drink - it was prepared from the herb bududu-ka, infused with the milk of a woman who was breastfeeding her son. If the test subject felt sick and vomited, this meant that conception had occurred.
- In Ancient Greece, before going to bed, a woman drank a drink made from wine and honey; if at night her stomach began to hurt in the navel area, this guaranteed pregnancy. Honey and anise were also used for these purposes.
- Another typically Greek method: rub a red stone in front of the eyes of a woman who suspects herself of being pregnant. If dust gets into your eyes, you may be pregnant, but if not, then it’s not time yet.
- Italian women had to make a fire and warm themselves around it, adding myrrh and frankincense. If in the morning a woman smelled of incense and myrrh, this indicated that she would soon become a mother. Another way that Italians could determine the onset of pregnancy was to mix morning urine with wine in a 1:1 ratio. If the resulting liquid becomes transparent, it means that the baby will be born soon.
- But Hippocrates identified the expectant mother by... her eyes. According to his theory, a pregnant woman's iris darkens.
Very often, women use folk remedies not only to determine pregnancy, but also to speed it up.
The veracity of online pregnancy tests
The principle of online tests is to analyze the answers of women who suspect pregnancy to questions asked by the system and display the result in percentage terms. The services claim that the accuracy of determining conception by this method is 91%.
If it is impossible to determine pregnancy using more reliable methods, you can use the proposed service. But you shouldn't trust her 100%.
Judging by user reviews, giving the same answers to questions several times produces different results, and the questions themselves seem crazy to women.
Signs of pregnancy with 100% guarantee without leaving home
Topping this list is aching pain in the abdomen, which is reflective, affecting the surrounding organs and the lumbar spine. As soon as such sensations become more distinct, this can only mean one thing - the process of the embryo emerging from the fallopian tubes has begun.
This process, immediately before implantation of the embryo into the walls of the uterus, is accompanied by a total deterioration in well-being and aching pain, which can intensify from any careless movement.
If a gag reflex is added to the above sign, indicating the beginning of the development of a gag reflex, you can be 100% sure that pregnancy will occur.
Of course, nausea can be a sign of food poisoning, but if it persists against one painful background for 3-4 days.
Additionally, it is worth noting that, almost from the first day of pregnancy, fatigue increases. Most do not even get to the first delay; they begin to get very tired while maintaining the same schedule and daily routine. Fatigue can accompany immediately until the birth itself. But, as the mothers themselves note, in the second trimester there is a slight relief, but it lasts no more than 3 weeks.
The next point is the frequency of urination. Even a slightly increasing uterus in size has an effect on the bladder through the sympathetic nervous system. Consequently, the urge to urinate doubles in frequency, and the pregnant woman begins to visit the toilet more often. These signs accompany a woman in two cases:
- at the very beginning of pregnancy, in the first stages of changes;
- a duplicating process at the end of pregnancy, when the uterus reaches a critical mass along with the baby.
Possible errors of home methods
Home methods for confirming the fact of pregnancy are the accumulated experience of many generations, acquired as a result of numerous experiments and observations.
Scientifically, their effectiveness has not been confirmed. Women use folk methods for entertainment or to maintain secrecy. The results of homemade tests often match the pharmacy ones, although their accuracy is estimated at 50%.
The popularity of improvised means lies in the fact that you do not need to spend money or leave the house. Traditional methods are harmless and do not harm pregnancy or a woman’s health.
Should you trust traditional methods?
Not all women make their assumptions based only on visual signs; many even pay attention to dreams. Usually, during pregnancy, you always dream about fish, that the woman catches it, buys it, cooks it, or eats it. Another sign of pregnancy according to the dream book is swimming in clean water.
But of course, solving dreams is just a hope for quick motherhood, and not reliable facts. This is similar to fortune telling. It is best to rely on proven methods rather than indulge yourself in illusions.
Despite the high accuracy of some folk methods and remedies, they cannot be trusted 100%. Only a doctor can determine whether fertilization has occurred or not. Often women use all folk methods not to obtain a true result, but in order to gain at least the slightest hope that they will become mothers.
The onset of menstruation can be most accurately detected after a missed period. During this period, significant hormonal changes occur in a woman’s body.
How to determine pregnancy without a test and a doctor: basal temperature
Many believe that by measuring the basal (rectal) temperature (BT) during a delay and seeing 37 degrees on the bar, you can confidently stamp “pregnant”. Basal temperature
is the temperature measured by a woman in the rectum every morning in bed. However, for a more accurate check, you should create your own calendar in which you will record the thermometer readings. Take measurements every morning without getting out of bed.
Having drawn a graph, you will notice that a couple of days before ovulation the temperature drops to almost 36.0 degrees, and then sharply rises to 37.2 and remains until the menstruation. If menstruation has not arrived, and the thermometer still reads 37-odd, then there is a high probability of pregnancy.
The method of measuring BT is used in combination with other methods - donating blood for hCG, ultrasound monitoring and others.
You may find this article useful on a related topic about what pregnant women should not do, or you are interested in how to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy, as well as how to cure cough during pregnancy. Good advice awaits you in the article on how to cleanse the intestines at home and how to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth - follow the links. You will learn a lot from the article, which describes acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis.
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Iodine as an indicator of pregnancy
There are several ways to find out if you are pregnant at home without a test.
For them you need to use iodine. All of them are simple and quite reliable, if you rely on reviews of pregnant women on forums. The first method involves creating a homemade pregnancy test. To do this, you need to soak clean white paper with urine and then draw a strip of iodine on it. This can be done with a cotton swab. If the stripe is colored purple, it means you are pregnant.
Another experiment can be done using iodine. You need to pour a little iodine into a glass of urine. If there was no conception in this cycle, then the droplet instantly spreads into the liquid. If you are already pregnant, then iodine adheres to the surface like a film.
How to determine pregnancy at home without a test?
Not every woman has the opportunity to immediately go to the hospital, have an ultrasound, or donate blood. This is especially true for residents of villages, city outskirts and gardening communities, when even the pharmacy is a long way away! Therefore, if you suspect an interesting situation, you have to invent how to determine pregnancy yourself without a test.
Often, fears and doubts take a girl by surprise - in a young man’s apartment (shouldn’t we send him for a test?), at five in the morning on Sunday (pharmacies are closed, and her favorite gynecologist is generally on vacation), at a family feast. The more she is in the dark, the more she will start to panic. There are many ideas on how to determine pregnancy without a test at home. But the most popular way is to analyze symptoms. Listen to your body and it will tell you everything.
Early signs of pregnancy:
- Change in usual libido (you don’t want sex at all or, on the contrary, desires overwhelm you with double force).
- Frequent urination without internal discomfort.
- Delayed menstruation.
- Shifts in emotional state. The appearance of unreasonable irritability, anger, nervousness, tearfulness, apathy.
- The breasts become extremely sensitive, swollen, and touching them is painful.
- Nausea, vomiting. The answer to the typical question “How to determine a second pregnancy without a test?” lies precisely in recognizing the classic early signs. A woman who has given birth, who once experienced all the delights of toxicosis and hormonal surges, can no longer confuse them with anything.
- A slight pain (pulling, mild) in the lower abdomen.
- Mucous vaginal discharge that is odorless and colorless.
- Change of taste preferences. Did you want something salty in the middle of the night, dreamed of a cake the size of a tower, do you dream of strawberries with cucumbers for a bite? Urgently see a gynecologist!
Another question (quite relevant) is whether it is possible to determine pregnancy without a test reliably and accurately?
After all, some of the symptoms can indicate both ordinary poisoning and ordinary hormonal imbalance. The same delay in menstruation is a no-no, and it will arise out of the blue with a regular cycle, the cause may be stress and acclimatization. Emotional outbursts are often caused by PMS (premenstrual syndrome), but everyone is able to fantasize about changing taste preferences “for company.”
"Grandmother's" methods
Today, a large number of different ancient methods are being retold that previously helped our ancestors determine whether a woman was pregnant or not.
By urine
In early pregnancy, if there is any suspicion, you need to take urine, heat it and pour it into a glass container. If a woman is in an interesting position, flakes and cloudy sediment should appear in the urine. Of course, during the test an unpleasant and pungent odor will appear, but this method is one of the most popular among our grandmothers.
By pulse
Traditional methods include measuring the pulse in the abdomen:
- you need to lie on your back and completely relax;
- just below the navel (5-6 cm) feel the pulse;
- if pulsation is felt, then there is pregnancy;
- provided that there is no pulse in the area, the woman is not pregnant.
Taste of metal
According to popular wisdom, the expectant mother develops a persistent metallic taste in her mouth. This phenomenon is typical for the first weeks after fertilization, thanks to which the fact of conception can be determined.
All these methods are very interesting, but they will in no way help confirm or refute pregnancy.
