10 Early Signs You Might Be Pregnant

Your body starts giving hints sooner than you'd think.

Getty Images

Super tender breasts? Check. A sudden aversion to your favorite foods? Check. There are a handful of telltale signs you have a bun in the oven, and they show up sooner than you'd think. Here's exactly what to look out for if you think you might be pregnant.

<p>You know how your breasts tend to get sore before your period? The discomfort is taken up a notch when you're pregnant. "One very common symptom we see is very exquisitely sore and tender breasts," Rosser says. "They're much more sensitive and sore than even with regular periods."</p>
Getty Images
1 of 10
Sore Breasts

Experiencing tender breasts is a common sign that your period is coming — but it could also be an early indication that you're pregnant, especially if it's something that persists or gets worse as time passes. "One very common symptom we see is extremely sore and tender breasts," says Mary L. Rosser, M.D., Ph.D., division director of General Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Montefiore Medical Center. "They're much more sensitive and sore than with regular periods."

Getty Images
2 of 10
Darker Areolas

If it seems like your areolas have gotten a little darker recently, you're not crazy. According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), it's not uncommon for the area around your nipples to change color if you're pregnant — and they might continue darkening as your pregnancy progresses.

Getty Images
3 of 10
Food Aversions

If you're normally obsessed with scrambled eggs but suddenly find yourself wanting to gag anytime you're near them, that could mean pregnancy hormones are kicking in. "You won't necessarily have certain cravings, but you will have aversions to food — and that can happen very early on," Rosser says. The most common? Fried food, eggs, fish, chicken, and red meat.

RELATED: 8 Reasons Your Pregnancy Test Might Be Showing the Wrong Result

Getty Images
4 of 10
Spotting or Light Bleeding

Having a tiny amount blood in your underwear might seem like your period is simply much lighter than usual, but there's also a chance it's due to implantation bleeding. "If you're pregnant, you could experience some bleeding two weeks after fertilization and think it's just a light period. Then, once you get to your next cycle, you'll miss your period," Rosser says.

<p>Another sign that's right in line with what&nbsp;you experience during a typical period? Cramping. And, according to the Cleveland Clinic, it feels exactly the same too. Just note that if the cramping is either on one side of your body or involves severe pain, you should set up an appointment with your doctor to make sure everything is running smoothly.</p>
Getty Images
5 of 10

No matter what you do, you can't seem to shake those awful cramps — and there's a reason for that. They usually go hand in hand with any light spotting or bleeding that occurs while implantation is occurring, says the APA.

Getty Images
6 of 10

There are plenty of reasons you might be feeling super fatigued, but one potential cause could be that you're pregnant. Fatigue tends to occur early on thanks to the rising levels of progesterone in your bloodstream.

RELATED: 7 Things Spotting During Pregnancy Could Mean

Getty Images
7 of 10
Frequent Urination

Your commitment to drinking more water might only be part of the reason why you feel the urge to pee 24/7. According to the APA, the boost in hormones makes you feel like you have to urinate more frequently — and once you get further along and the baby puts pressure on your bladder, it only gets worse.

Getty Images
8 of 10
Mood Swings

When your emotions go from 0 to 100 out of nowhere, you might just assume you're PMSing. But mood swings can also indicate you're expecting. "They can be common and women usually just blow it off thinking it's from their period," Rosser says. "Because of the pregnancy hormones, mood swings tend to start right away."

Getty Images
9 of 10
Missed Period

A missed period is pretty solid proof you have a baby on the way. But according to the Cleveland Clinic, it's best to check things out to be sure — stress and excessive exercise can also mess with your cycle.

RELATED: 8 Pregnancy Myths That Are Total B.S.

<p>Another tell-tale sign you're pregnant is one that's probably the least enjoyable: vomiting. Sometimes it goes along with that nausea and sometimes it doesn't. Whether you vomit or not, you're probably going to experience at least some nausea — experts say that between <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3676933/" target="_blank" data-tracking-id="recirc-text-link">70 and 80 percent</a> of women do.</p>
Getty Images
10 of 10

Feeling sick to your stomach is certainly a sign you could be pregnant. But the term "morning sickness" is misleading — nausea can pop up at any point during the day, and it doesn't always involve throwing up. "Women might not necessarily be vomiting, but they can be extremely nauseated — especially if they don't eat," Rosser says.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below