When you’re trying to conceive, it’s only natural to want to know if you’re pregnant right away. And this feeling may be amplified if you’ve undergone a fertility treatment like IUI. So, what are some early pregnancy symptoms that women in the two-week wait after IUI might experience? Let’s take a look at some common ones.
Even if a woman isn’t showing any common early signs of pregnancy, she should still take a pregnancy test in a couple of weeks to be sure. This is because many women don’t show any indicators at all, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
As you read through these clues, remember that some of them can also be attributed to PMS. For example, some women who have just undergone IUI may start to worry that they are about to begin their next menstrual cycle, when in reality, their pregnancy symptoms simply resemble PMS. With this in mind, here are the top ten clues that you might be pregnant:
10. Darkening areolas: This one can be hard to catch unless you know your body really well, but if the area around your nipples begins to get darker, it could mean that your body is preparing to feed a baby.
9. Food Cravings: Hormonal changes not only bring on food cravings in a lot of women, but they can also cause changes in eating habits. Just think about what you normally eat during your PMS/period! Many women experience cravings for particular foods when they are first pregnant, but you should be careful here, since cravings can also signal that your body is low on certain nutrients.
8. Backaches: Lower back aches are a common pregnancy symptom, but they can actually start in the early stages of pregnancy and last throughout the entire nine months.
7. Headaches: Many women experience headaches around the time of their period due to hormonal changes. This is a common symptom that can be caused by a number of different things. If you are starting your period, or if you think you may be pregnant, it is important to speak with your doctor to rule out any other potential causes.
6. Sleepiness or Fatigue: Women who are pregnant often feel fatigued, even when they’re not carrying around a nine-pound baby. In fact, fatigue is a very common symptom for women who are at the very beginning of their pregnancies. Pregnant women can help themselves by getting plenty of rest and eating healthy foods.
5. Sore or Heavy Breasts: This change in blood flow can cause symptoms early on in pregnancy, sometimes just a few days after conception. Hormonal changes and the way your blood flows when you’re pregnant can cause this symptom.
4. Cramps: Cramps after IUI can be a symptom of pregnancy, but it’s usually nothing to worry about unless the cramps are really severe. Sometimes cramps happen when the egg first implants into the uterus, and sometimes they’re caused by the uterus beginning to stretch.
3. Nausea: Some women who are newly pregnant don’t necessarily experience morning sickness right away, but if you start to feel queasy when that’s not typical for you, it could be an early sign of pregnancy.
2. Bloating: Now that you’re pregnant, you might as well get used to the fact that your jeans might not fit for a while. Even if you don’t start showing for months, early pregnancy can cause hormonal adjustments that make you feel bloated. The same problem with bloating can translate into an issue with constipation.
1. Difference in Your Period: This may seem like a no-brainer if we’re talking about your period, but sometimes women can mistake spotting for their period because of implantation during early pregnancy. Light spotting is no big deal if it doesn’t last very long, but if your period is much lighter or shorter than normal, go ahead and take a pregnancy test.
Best of luck!
