Wondering if you might be pregnant? If you’ve recently had unprotected sex and your period is later than usual, you might be wondering...how do I know for sure?
First things first - do you know your average cycle length (how many days between the start of one period and another)?
If your period is generally regular (for example, always starts around day 28), it’s easier to know when it’s late. If you have an irregular cycle, you might be pregnant or maybe your period is simply later that month.
Next, time to check for other symptoms. Keep in mind though that some of these are very similar to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms.
The most common early signs of pregnancy are
- A missed period
- Needing to pee a lot
- Feeling incredibly tired even after a good sleep
- Having difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
- A painful or tender back
- Growing breasts that are tender to touch
- Mood changes (like feeling easily frustrated by everyday things)
- Increased basal body temperature (BBT)
- Nausea
You might have spotting AND be pregnant
Spotting is a word to describe bleeding (from your vagina) that appears outside of your period. Unlike a period bleed, spotting is very light (there’s not much of it).
It’s quite common for folks to experience some spotting in the early weeks of pregnancy, and as long as it’s light (not heavy), it’s usually nothing to worry about.
Spotting can happen due to hormone changes during early pregnancy and sometimes can happen because of an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy growing somewhere other than your uterus). Other symptoms of ectopic pregnancy usually would be dizziness, pain on one side of your abdomen and / or shoulder pain. Always check with your doctor if you have any concerns.
If you’re pregnant and experience any heavy bleeding, definitely chat to your doctor or other healthcare professional straight away.
Did you find this article helpful?
Download theYourCycle appfor personalised information on everything to do with your cycle. It’s completely free and always will be.
