Pregnancy begins with the coming together of a sperm and a mature egg. This happens during the ovulatory phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle. The first
pregnancy symptoms begin when the fertilized egg makes its way into the uterus, from the fallopian tube. Once in the uterus, around a week to ten days after conception, the zygote begins to embed itself in the uterine wall in a process called implantation. This results in mild abdominal cramping and spotting or streaking. These are the first signs of pregnancy. Many women do not even recognize these symptoms as they are similar to the symptoms experienced just before the onset of a menstrual period. It is only on missing a menstrual period that they realize that they could be pregnant.
Other
pregnancy symptoms and signs begin only after successful implantation. Almost
all pregnancy symptoms and signs are triggered by the hormonal changes that the body witnesses as a result of the pregnancy. Most of the
early pregnancy symptoms and signs are triggered by the release of the pregnancy hormone hCG, whose presence in the bloodstream or urine confirms a pregnancy. This hormone is responsible for nausea and vomiting, two of the most detested pregnancy symptoms. Most women experience these symptoms early in the morning, for the first trimester of their pregnancy term. However, it is not unheard of for a woman to feel nauseous throughout the day, for the entire pregnancy term. A surge in progesterone and estrogen levels is responsible for an increase in blood flow to the pelvic region. This, in turn, results in an increased urge to urinate frequently. Many women experience food cravings as well as food aversions while pregnant because of the increased hormone production. Breast tenderness and enhanced breast size are also pregnancy related symptoms. Mood swings, fatigue and headaches are also triggered by hormonal changes experienced during pregnancy.
Dizziness during pregnancy could also be included as a symptom but is not considered as a primary pregnancy symptom. Many women are known to feel lightheaded or dizzy because of the other changes that take place in their bodies. As the uterus expands, it exerts pressure on major blood vessels. This restricts the flow of blood to the head resulting in dizzy spells. In addition, a decreased flow of blood to the legs could also lead to weakness in the limbs, resulting in unsteadiness. A fall in blood sugar levels is another
cause of dizziness and
fainting spells during pregnancy.
Submitted by N on March 31, 2011 at 11:27
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