What are the early signs of pregnancy? When is the best time to get tested or have an ultrasound after possible conception?

Pregnancy is a happiness that can only be felt by women. Its onset is a long-awaited event, accompanied by certain signs. This article will tell you about each of them, and tell you how to correctly determine an “interesting” position without performing a test.

At what time can pregnancy be accurately determined?

The appearance of nausea, fatigue and drowsiness are the first signs of pregnancy, but not every woman experiences them.

There are several ways that can help confirm or deny the birth of a new life in the tummy. Each of them requires the passage of a certain time after the estimated date of conception. Among them are:

  • Doctors recommend taking a blood test to determine pregnancy 1-2 weeks after the expected date of conception. The laboratory test time is 1 day. A positive result can be expected 8-10 days after ovulation or fertilization of the egg.
  • Another way to determine pregnancy is to test your urine. It is best done in the first days of the delay, since a positive result does not always appear even before its onset.
  • A pregnancy test is a popular method among women. It is recommended to do it in the first days of the delay to obtain a more accurate result.


To get true information about pregnancy, it is best to do two tests, but using test strips from different manufacturers.

  • Measuring basal temperature is another way to determine pregnancy. It is produced from the first days of the delay, for several days. In case of a positive result, BT will be higher than standard indicators.
  • An ultrasound will show the presence of pregnancy 2 - 2.5 weeks after the child is conceived. The embryo will be best seen during transvaginal examination.

Echography will help determine pregnancy 10-15 days after fertilization of the egg.


The main symptoms that occur in pregnant women: what to expect? Video

The first signs of pregnancy appear only on days 20-22 of pregnancy, when the fertilized egg has already firmly attached to the wall of the uterus and has begun its development. A girl who expects to be pregnant should monitor her condition and notice all the changes occurring in her body.

Symptoms that occur in pregnant women include:

  • increased basal body temperature
  • delay of “critical” days
  • pain in the lumbar region
  • attacks of nausea
  • fatigue
  • loss of consciousness
  • breast enlargement, nipple sensitivity
  • odor intolerance
  • bloody issues
  • increased saliva production, which was not observed before
  • desire to eat sour, sweet or salty foods

Video: First signs of pregnancy

Increased basal temperature is the first sign of pregnancy

An increase in basal temperature is the first sign of pregnancy. It varies at around 37-37.2 degrees in the first 2-4 weeks after conception.

Doctors associate its appearance with the active production of the hormone progesterone, which occurs during the development of the embryo. At this time, you need to walk more in the fresh air, eat fruits and vitamins necessary for the proper development of the fetus.

Lack of menstruation is the second sign of pregnancy

Delayed menstruation is one of the main indicators of pregnancy in women. If it is accompanied by other symptoms (nausea, odor intolerance, drowsiness, constant desire to lie down, etc.), then the likelihood of an “interesting” situation is very high.

To check your expectations, you need to see a gynecologist or take a test.


Enlargement and change in the appearance of the breasts is the third sign of pregnancy

The breast reacts quite quickly to the birth of life in the uterus. From the very first days, swelling and swelling of the nipples begins to be observed. They become more sensitive, which was not noticed before.

If all this occurs along with other signs, then you should think about going to the hospital to see your local gynecologist. The doctor will conduct an examination and confirm or deny the alleged pregnancy.

Changes in taste preferences are the fourth sign of pregnancy

A radical change in taste preferences is a common situation in pregnant women. Experts associate it with hormonal changes in the body and a lack of iron, which increases more and more as the fetus grows and develops.

To replenish the body with useful substances that are vital for the expectant mother and fetus, it is necessary to use vitamin preparations sold in pharmacies (they contain the entire complex of substances that are necessary for the growth and development of the child).

Under no circumstances should you limit yourself in your desires. If your body requires it, eat even something that you would never try in everyday life (for example, pickles and candy, herring and cookies, cake and tomato juice, etc.).



The only thing you should avoid are foods that can cause harm (for example, sushi, due to the raw fish content).

Frequent urination is the fifth sign of pregnancy

The main reasons for frequent trips to relieve need are changes in hormonal levels in a woman’s body (active production of hCG) and an increase in the size of the uterus, which puts pressure on the bladder.

To reduce the frequency of going to the toilet (especially at night), it is necessary to reduce the consumption of liquids, as well as foods that may contain them.

The body of a pregnant woman, starting from the early stages, functions for two. The kidneys work more actively to cleanse amniotic fluid and blood from fetal waste products. The filtration process occurs due to frequent urination, which worries the woman.


No signs of pregnancy in a pregnant woman. Is it possible?

The absence of signs of pregnancy depends on the characteristics of the body. In some cases, even with a regular cycle and excellent health, girls determine their pregnancy only by the first movement of the baby in the tummy. In order not to torment yourself with guesses and hopes, you should go to a specialist, he will conduct an examination, and everything will become clear.

What signs may indicate pathologies in the early stages of pregnancy? Urgent help

Among the main indicators that indicate pathology of fetal development and pregnancy are:

  • bleeding
  • severe pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar region
  • severe nausea and vomiting
  • fainting

If one of these symptoms appears, you must immediately contact a medical facility!


Determining pregnancy without tests and doctors: tips and reviews

There are several popular ways to determine pregnancy without using a test and without going to the doctor.

  1. Pour 1 tsp into a container with urine. soda. If it sinks to the bottom, there is a pregnancy; if the mixture bubbles up, then the result is negative.
  2. A drop of iodine is dropped into a container with urine; if it is dissolved, the result is negative; if not, the result is positive.

Although these methods have found their supporters, they do not always have 100% correct results. It’s best to go to the doctor, then everything will fall into place.

Video: How to determine pregnancy using improvised means?

You may be assigned to go ultrasonography or take urine tests, which will confirm or deny the fact of pregnancy.

Pregnancy test

You can determine your basal temperature using a mercury or digital thermometer. They do this at the same time (in the morning) while lying in bed, while recording the temperature in the mouth or vagina.

This is done throughout the entire cycle, and it is best to measure directly during menstruation. Keeping a temperature chart for at least three months in a row will give you one hundred percent results.

Traditional methods

Using onions

Place onion heads in two glasses. The first bulb will indicate that you are pregnant, the second - that you are not.

If the feathers of the onion from the first glass grew 4 cm first, then you are pregnant; if it’s the other way around, then the result is negative.

Dreams about fish

Everyone knows the dream that you are fishing, indicates pregnancy. But this is not always a 100% result.

Surely, every woman who is sexually active has at least once in her life asked the question “maybe I’m pregnant?” This issue is especially relevant when menstruation is delayed. We live in a time when this issue can be quickly resolved by going to a gynecologist or simply buying a not-so-expensive pregnancy test. Unfortunately, for various reasons this cannot always be done. Although it sounds strange, this also happens. What to do if you still don’t have a pregnancy test at hand, and there’s no hospital nearby, but you can’t wait to find out the result. For this, there are all the different methods and signs by which pregnancy can theoretically be determined. In this article we will try to reveal some of them.

Determining pregnancy at home without a test

The first thing you can do to determine pregnancy in the early stages at home is to measure your basal body temperature. Basal is the core temperature of the body. This method is more reliable than, say, a pregnancy test. But provided that the woman’s menstrual cycle is regular and there are no inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs.
Basal body temperature (BBT) is also measured to determine the onset of ovulation (favorable days for conception). And, conversely, to determine safe days for sex without contraceptives.

For accurate results, measurements must be taken correctly! Namely: in order to determine pregnancy by BT, the expectant mother should measure it regularly. In this case, the woman will know the features of her cycle. Start taking measurements no earlier than 1-2 days before the start of menstruation. BT is measured every day early in the morning, at the same time, immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed, for several days in a row. A medical thermometer is used for this. Measurements are taken in the rectum. Temperature setting time is 5-10 minutes. During pregnancy, the temperature is above 37 degrees. This indicator can last for several weeks.
You can use another method of measuring BBT: vaginal or oral. But these methods are not standard.

But this method cannot be a 100% guarantee of pregnancy. Since BT can also change due to certain other factors: stress, sexual intercourse, hormonal imbalance, lack of sleep, drinking alcohol on the eve of measurement.


Physiological symptoms of pregnancy

How to determine pregnancy by symptoms? If you listen well to your body, it will definitely tell you the answer to your question. All changes that take place in the body of an already pregnant woman, even in the early stages of pregnancy, are visible to the naked eye. But let’s not forget that no one has yet canceled the physiological characteristics of the female body; everyone has their own. It happens that a woman can feel the joys of pregnancy from the first weeks of conception, while another only after a certain time.
  • The very first symptom that makes you think about pregnancy is the absence of menstruation. Naturally, provided that there were no menstrual irregularities or hormonal diseases before.
  • Soreness, tenderness or enlargement of the breasts and nipples. The same sensations can occur during the premenstrual period. But if one breast hurts, contact a mammologist and have them check you
  • Discharge of colostrum from the breast
  • Malaise and feeling of fatigue, drowsiness
  • Morning sickness, most often in the first trimester of pregnancy
  • Changes in taste and appetite
  • Increase or decrease in sexual desire
  • Increased urination. During pregnancy, the uterus enlarges, and with it the pressure on the bladder.
  • Mucous discharge from the vagina (colorless and odorless). As pregnancy progresses, blood flow to the vagina increases. If there is a change in color, smell, itching or cheesy discharge, we go to the doctor. You most likely have thrush, which should be treated
  • Nagging pain in the lower abdomen, without pain. It is not dangerous, but can cause ectopic pregnancy. If the syndrome continues for several days, you should visit a gynecologist
Of course, you should remember that these are subtle symptoms of the onset of pregnancy. Some of the above symptoms indicate the imminent onset of menstruation. If your symptoms indicate an “interesting situation,” be sure to take the time and go to the doctor for an accurate diagnosis. An early visit to a specialist will help identify the presence (if any) of various problems. And if any are found, minimize them.
!Delayed menstruation can occur not only during pregnancy. For example, this may be due to stress, illness, overheating, taking medications, sudden weight changes, etc.


Traditional methods

Well, let's look at the methods that were used by our grandmothers, who had neither ultrasound nor pregnancy tests. After all, they have the right to be.
  1. Soda test. To do this, you will need a clean container and morning urine, to which you need to add a teaspoon of baking soda. Next we observe the chemical reaction. According to popular belief, if the soda starts to hiss, then there is no pregnancy, and if the soda precipitates, then the result is positive. This is due to the chemical properties of soda and urine. If the acidity is high, the soda will fizz as it reacts, and if the alkalinity is high, the soda will precipitate;
  2. Iodine test. Take a clean sheet of paper, moisten it with morning urine, and after drying, drop a drop of iodine on it. During pregnancy, the spot should change color from brown to purple, and the absence of a positive result will indicate the blue color of the spot;
  3. Another variation on testing with iodine. Place a drop of iodine in a clean container with morning urine. Monitor the behavior of the drop; if it immediately dissolves, there is no pregnancy, but if the drop does not disappear but remains on the surface in the form of a brown spot, there is a possibility of pregnancy;
  4. Wine test. You need to combine morning urine and wine in a 1:1 ratio. There is no pregnancy, if the fluid becomes cloudy and the fluid becomes light, pregnancy is possible;
  5. Pulsation of the navel. While lying on your back, place your hand 7 centimeters below your navel. If you feel a pulsation, after 9 months a new addition to the family is possible;
  6. Dreams. A dream in which there is a fish, and especially if you caught it, indicates the onset of pregnancy.
All these folk methods do not have medical confirmation, and they do not guarantee the correct result. Believe it or not, it's up to you!

Many women do not rush to the gynecological office after unprotected sex, preferring to test home methods for determining pregnancy on themselves. Young girls do not always have money for a quality pharmacy test. Therefore, if there is a delay, an alternative check at home remains the only way to find out “yes” or “no”.

How does the initial process occur during pregnancy?

Ancient methods of determining pregnancy at home are being confirmed by modern medical diagnostics. It works, although science casts doubt on all sorts of dreams, onion sprouting, iodine and soda dissolving in urine.

Until they learned to determine the acid-base reaction of urine and recognize the molecules of human chorionic gonadotropin of the fetal egg, household diagnostics were very popular. “One hundred percent” reliable reagents give false negative and false positive answers, and home methods for determining pregnancy work as they did 100 or 200 years ago.

There are 2 ways to find out what is happening inside a woman’s womb:

  1. Checking the effectiveness of the purchased test system.
  2. Test methods for determining pregnancy at home.
HCG hormone, even the most ultra-sensitive detectors do not always work before the delay. Of course, it is important to carefully read the instructions before using the probe, but this does not exclude errors, since a certain concentration of this substance in the blood and urine is required. But through dreams, they learn about the upcoming replenishment long before conception, and not just after the fact. But how can you determine pregnancy at home after fertilization?

First you need to understand why it is impossible to find out about the “tricks of the liveliest” immediately after an intimate relationship. HCG, also known as human chorionic gonadotropin, is produced after the fertilized egg has implanted in the uterus, completing its long journey through the fallopian tubes in about 7-10 days.

If, during rapid division, an egg with a full set of chromosomes (from the sperm that has poured into it) does not reach its destination, this is an ectopic development of the fetus. How to check for ectopic pregnancy at home? No way!

Important: If, after a delay, there are sharp pains in the lower abdomen (right or left), consult a doctor immediately, such a problem is not something to joke about! This can be unpleasant news when the stripes are phantom, symptoms are not expressed, and ultrasound does not “see” the embryo in the uterus.

Everyone wants to know about the birth of a new life as early as possible. Some women rely on intuition - there is a lot of evidence that expectant mothers know exactly about the moment of conception, even if they used contraceptives.

However, there is no way to observe what happens in the reproductive organs except hypothetically or through computer simulations. We recommend watching a popular science video about how the fusion of an egg and sperm occurs and what happens next. And how to find out about pregnancy at home if there is a delay, it’s worth understanding the details.

How to determine a “miracle” that has occurred by basal temperature

Although physiological processes are studied in school, there are still many important issues in which girls demonstrate ignorance. For example, why is female cyclicity calculated from the first day of menstruation, and not from the day it ends? The fact is that ovulation occurs right in the middle of the cycle - a mature egg leaves the follicle “on a date” with sperm.

And how to check pregnancy at home using this information? It’s very simple - we build a graph of basal temperature, from which we find out whether fertilization has occurred. If you are in the phase of sexual activity, you need to measure your basal temperature with a rectal thermometer every morning, without getting out of bed. Internal processes are practically not affected by external factors, therefore the results of measurements in the vagina or anus are the most accurate.

Why do this? The fact is that during ovulation the temperature rises slightly; if there has been no fertilization, then it returns to normal before menstruation. And when the egg fuses with the sperm, the temperature will remain about a delay and even a little longer, within 37 – 37.2°C.

Tip: Keep a notebook and every day note what your basal temperature was in the morning. These marks will show you when you are ovulating (it’s easier to protect yourself), and use them as a way to independently determine pregnancy.

Train yourself to regularly take such notes; this will help you avoid unwanted fertilization, and therefore avoid abortions and other complications. There is evidence that in certain months it is possible to calculate the most likely gender of the child, so it is worth “trying” with your husband to conceive the “right” child during ovulation.

If there was no conception, all processes return to normal:

  • temperature normalizes;
  • the corpus luteum degrades;
  • the egg dies and is excreted with menstrual blood;
  • the uterine endometrium exfoliates;
  • menstruation is coming;
  • The menstrual cycle begins its countdown.
The fertilized egg moves through the tube into the uterus with active cell doubling. After about a week, the embryo is implanted into the uterine mucosa, and the fetal membrane (future placenta) actively produces the hCG hormone, to which the tests react. An elevated basal temperature is not the only correct indicator; there are other ways to determine pregnancy at home.

Guarantees of reliability of home testing

All pregnancy tests lie if they are used ahead of time - immediately after intercourse or after 2-3 days. But “two-striped friends of girls” will not hide the truth about a month after conception. The difference in the concentration of hCG in the urine and blood, which increases daily. As long as the control hormone is low, up to 10 mME/ml, pharmacy indicators are powerless.

However, it happens that laboratory blood tests and test systems “see” human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine under other circumstances. The fact is that normally a woman’s hormonal background contains molecular compounds similar to the “counterpart” in a minimum concentration – from 0 to 5 mME/ml. If they are mixed with “traces” from a previous pregnancy (after an interruption, miscarriage, frozen or ectopic pregnancy), the test may say: “pregnon” (you are pregnant), although this is not the case.

The situation can be aggravated by the presence of tumor processes in the reproductive organs and treatment for infertility with hormonal drugs. Any indicator will not lie when the concentration of the desired hormone is high – from 25 mU/ml. To exclude a mistake, it is important to undergo an additional medical examination or try on yourself any home method for determining pregnancy.

How to check for pregnancy at home using a pharmacy pregnancy test?

  1. Select the most sensitive sample marked up to 10 mME/ml (there are inkjet and electronic, tablet and strip tests).
  2. When purchasing, check the expiration date (especially when there is no guarantee of compliance with storage conditions, for example, when purchasing at the market).
  3. Carefully read the instructions on how to take a pregnancy test at home.
  4. Go through the test according to all the rules (take morning urine, apply with the indicated side of the case, wait a pause, compare with the control strip or read the answer on the mini-scoreboard).

Pregnancy symptoms

If the result is negative, there may be not only a delay, but also all the symptoms of pregnancy that every girl should know about:
  1. Swelling of the breasts with tenderness of the nipples.
  2. Decreased immunity and susceptibility to colds.
  3. Headaches, dizziness, weakness, fainting.
  4. Increased sense of smell and aversion to certain odors.
  5. Mood swings (emotional imbalance).
  6. Heaviness in the lower abdomen due to an enlarged uterus, frequent urge to urinate and a tendency to constipation.
  7. Food preferences change, there is no appetite (or it increases for no reason).
  8. Increased sexual desire, more vaginal discharge.
  9. Pain in the lower back and lower abdomen.
  10. Nausea and vomiting (more often in the morning).
  11. Apathy, fatigue, drowsiness.
  12. Blocks breathing with increased physical activity.
If you were planning a pregnancy, but it didn’t “strip”, don’t despair. Check everything out with an ultrasound in the medical office, especially when some of the signs are noted. If you have these suspicions on a Friday evening, and you need to wait several days before visiting a doctor, and there is no money for a repeat test, then move on to home methods for determining pregnancy.

Alternative methods of self-diagnosis at home

  1. Watering flowers is an interesting method that has been used since ancient China. Identical plants in a garden bed or in a flower pot are watered with plain water and the urine of a pregnant woman. Flowers perceive the secretion of chorion as a growth hormone and develop more actively than those watered with ordinary water.
  2. Testing urine with soda and iodine - how to do a pregnancy test at home? Soda, like a typical alkali, carefully poured into ordinary urine, quenches its acid reaction, releasing effervescent bubbles. In the urine of a pregnant woman, a teaspoon of soda “silently” sinks to the bottom.
  3. You can also check with iodine - drop iodine with a pipette onto paper moistened with the urine of the expectant mother. If it turns purple or violet - yes, pregnancy, if it turns blue - no. In a glass of urine, a drop of iodine will blur, but in a woman who is expecting a child, it is in no hurry to blur.
  4. You can also check with wine; if you mix it with urine in half, it should remain clean. In ordinary women, wine gives a reaction, the urine will give sediment and become cloudy.
  5. Dreams about fishing and mushroom picking are surefire ways to determine pregnancy at home. Also, if you dream that a woman finds a white rabbit (there will be a girl) or a little goat (there will be a boy), it will be an addition.
  6. Pulsation in the lower abdomen also indicates an interesting situation. And how to determine pregnancy by pulse at home? The embryo stimulates the body to develop a new capillary-venous network in the uterus and vagina. If you lie down before going to bed, relax and place your palms between the pubis and the navel, the pregnant woman will feel a pulsation. People used to say that “a new heart is beating”!
However, you cannot rely entirely on any of these methods for determining pregnancy at home. They must work together. Perhaps tests and folk remedies say: “Yes, you are pregnant!!” Then you should not postpone your visit to the doctor. There you will take a blood test for hCG and undergo ultrasound diagnostics. In the meantime, you can write down your test results and new sensations in a notebook. The children will grow up and there will be something to tell. Happy motherhood!