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Symptoms of Pregnancy

Topic Overview

You may be pregnant if you:

  • Have had sexual intercourse and you have not used any method of birth control.
  • Have missed one or more periods.
  • Have your period, but there is a lot less bleeding than usual.
  • Take birth control pills, but you missed a pill. It is especially risky to miss a pill early in the cycle or pack or to start your new pack a day or two late.
  • Have other symptoms of early pregnancy. Symptoms include:
    • Fatigue.
    • Breast tenderness or enlargement.
    • Nausea or vomiting.
    • Increased urination.
  • Have done a home pregnancy test, and the result was positive.

If you have regular menstrual periods and are sexually active, you can become pregnant, even if you use birth control.

If you think you might be pregnant, do a home pregnancy test. If the result is positive, practice the following good health habits until you see your doctor:

  • Eat a balanced diet.
  • Do not smoke.
  • Do not use alcohol or drugs.
  • Avoid caffeine, or limit your intake to about 1 cup of coffee or tea each day.
  • Do not clean a cat litter box to avoid the risk of toxoplasmosis.
  • Avoid people who are ill.
  • Take a vitamin supplement that contains folic acid or a prenatal vitamin.

Even if the pregnancy test is negative, if you continue to have pregnancy symptoms, it is a good idea to see your doctor to confirm the results. Practice good health habits until you see your doctor.

Related Information

Credits

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Revised June 20, 2011

Last Revised: June 20, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine

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