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So you think you want a baby

By Sarah Clark

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Am I pregnant?

Some women are so aware of their bodies that they start to think they might be pregnant very soon after conception, just because they 'feel different.' Most women don't notice anything straight away though, and don't pick up on any early pregnancy symptoms until the fertilised egg attaches itself to the wall of the uterus, which happens several days after conception.

Others might not notice anything for weeks, and don't consider the possibility of pregnancy until they miss a period.

Some of the signs you might notice include:

• Tender, swollen breasts. This can feel similar to PMS, so it can be easy to miss. If you're pregnant, your breasts usually become tender to the touch, but although it's similar to how they feel before your period, most women say that the soreness is worse. This is one of the most common early pregnancy signs.
• Darkening of your areolas - the area around your nipples. If you notice that the skin around your nipples has suddenly become darker, congratulations, you may have successfully conceived.
• Needing to go to the loo more often. Another early sign - once an embryo implants and begins producing HCG, you may find yourself going to the bathroom to urinate more often.
• Implantation bleeding or cramping. About eight days after ovulation, you could experience what's called implantation spotting, which is a slight pink or brown staining, as well as some cramping. This is caused by the egg burrowing into your womb lining. You might also notice some spotting around the time you were expecting your period.
• An altered sense of taste. Some women find that their sense of taste changes in strange ways. You could notice that you have a metallic taste in your mouth, or just can't stomach strong flavours that you usually enjoy, like coffee, garlic or some spices. Food cravings can also be a sign of pregnancy. Although it's not a reliable symptom on its own, if cravings are accompanied by some of the other symptoms on this list, check your calendar.
• Fatigue. If you feel absolutely exhausted and for no apparent reason, it could be down to high levels of progesterone. Fatigue is a classic sign of early pregnancy, although not on its own.
• Morning sickness. The classic sign that all women dread. A lot of women don't experience any morning sickness until a few weeks after conception, and some lucky women get away with no morning sickness at all. It is possible that you'll start to feel nauseous or queasy within just a few days of conception, and despite the name, it's not just confined to the mornings. Pregnancy-related nausea can affect you in the morning, noon, or night. Some women experience extreme morning sickness (hyperemesis graivdarum) which is potentially dangerous as their vomiting can become so severe that they can't keep food or liquid down.
• A missed period. Well, this is the obvious one. If your periods are normally pretty regular but this time you're late, get to the chemist and take a pregnancy test. Keep your fingers crossed...