As your belly grows, so does your uterus. This may cause you to feel some slight pulling, tugging or stretching similar to period cramps.
Early pregnancy cramps are similar to menstrual cramps, but they can occur lower down in the stomach.
“The pain can range from dull and cramping, to sharp and pulling,” she adds. “It's usually felt on both sides of the abdomen and radiates towards the groin area.” Rest assured that, though uncomfortable, round ligament pain is a normal and common cause of cramps during pregnancy.
Headaches and dizziness: Headaches and the feelings of lightheadedness and dizziness are common during early pregnancy. This happens because of both the hormonal changes in your body and your increasing blood volume. Cramping: You can also experience mild, period-like cramps that come and go over a few days.
Do They Feel Like Period Cramps? The sensation itself is similar to period cramps, but is typically not as strong. Many women don't realize they're experiencing implantation cramps because they're due to start their period within the next week; they dismiss their mild cramping as premenstrual symptoms.
It occurs anywhere from six to 12 days after the egg is fertilized. The cramps resemble menstrual cramps, so some women mistake them and the bleeding for the start of their period. The bleeding and cramps, however, are slight.
“The key difference between the two, however, is that with pregnancy, your period doesn't occur.” Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that can accompany pregnancy and are often not experienced with PMS. “The nausea in early pregnancy often resolves after the 12th week of gestation,“ Giles said.
Unfortunately, no matter how much we feel that we may know our bodies, pregnancy cannot be self-diagnosed. The only way to know whether or not you're pregnant is through a pregnancy test.
“Early on in your pregnancy, it's natural to feel some mild cramping in your lower abdomen at infrequent times as your body prepares for your growing baby,” Dr. Nalla said. As your belly grows, so does your uterus. This may cause you to feel some slight pulling, tugging or stretching similar to period cramps.
Cramps in the First and Second Trimesters
As your pregnancy progresses, your uterus will continue to grow and expand. As it does this, you'll likely feel mild to moderate cramping in your lower abdomen or lower back. This may feel like pressure, stretching, or pulling.
Normal Cramps in Early Pregnancy
You may initially experience cramping in your lower abdomen or lower back even before you know you're pregnant.
Women who experience implantation cramps have described them as a prickling, pulling or tingling feeling. You can also differentiate between the two based on timing. Typically, implantation (and any associated cramping), occurs: Six to 12 days after ovulation (the same time when you'd expect to get your period)
Again, it's hard to pin down how long implantation cramps last with so little scientific evidence. But, as Dr. Flanagan explains: “Typically, they are very mild, and the person may experience them for a day or two.
Pseudocyesis, or false pregnancy, is when a person thinks they are pregnant when they are not. People with pseudocyesis have pregnancy symptoms, but tests will confirm there's no pregnancy. Healthcare providers believe psychological and hormonal factors may cause it.
At-home pregnancy tests
The first (and easiest) way to determine if you're pregnant is to take an at-home pregnancy test. These over-the-counter products are quick, accurate, and readily accessible.
Home pregnancy tests can differ in how early they'll detect a pregnancy. In many cases, you might get a positive result from an at-home test as early as 10 days after conception. For a more accurate result, wait until after you've missed your period to take a test.
Early pregnancy bloating and normal bloating feel exactly the same. Your pregnancy bloating may feel slightly more uncomfortable due to the additional symptoms and increased amounts of gas which can worsen gas pains.
Why do I have cramps but no period? Your period may be late or, depending on your other symptoms, you could be pregnant or have one of several other conditions, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometriosis, uterine fibroid or polyps, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
You may feel very tired and have nausea, breasts that feel tender or sore, and heightened sensitivity to smell. You may also notice light spotting (from implantation bleeding). Other common early pregnancy symptoms include mood swings, frequent urination, bloating, food aversions, and excess saliva.
It's common for your mucus to be white, off-white or clear in color. At certain times, especially if implantation has occurred, your discharge might be tinged with pink or brown. If this happens regularly, talk to your healthcare provider as it could be spotting between periods or signs of a problem.