Have you and your partner been trying for a baby, or are you thinking of trying to conceive? This exciting time will be spent in anticipation, and you will of course, want to know — what are the very earliest pregnancy signs? Might it be possible to tell if you got pregnant right away, soon after conception? Let's take a look at what happens in your body immediately after you conceive.
What happens right after conception?
Imagine this scenario. You've been using ovulation tests faithfully for a couple of months, and after your test came back positive this cycle, you do your part. Did it work? You're constantly on the look-out for symptoms of conception. The day after your ovulation, you notice a light spotting, a change in your cervical mucus, or you are exceptionally tired. Then, you get Googling: can it really be that you are already having an implantation bleeding [1]?
What does your cervical mucus look like after you conceived? Do pregnancy symptoms start right after an egg was fertilized? [1] Trying to conceive is exciting business! Paying close attention to what is going on with your body is really the only thing you can do to help you guess if you are pregnant this time. The thing is, an implantation bleeding cannot show up until seven to 10 days after your ovulation because your fertilized egg doesn't implant before that time.
It is true that your zygote's cells are rapidly dividing and thus growing in number, but it is not possible to know about this until at least a week after ovulation, when your fertilized egg will implant into your uterus. What can you do during this "dreaded" time of the month the so-called two-week wait, if you're the type of person who simply hates to wait? You can continue taking your folic acid supplement, eating well, and especially staying away from alcohol and being around smokers. You can read about pregnancy symptoms, what you can do to prepare for a healthy pregnancy, and you can... just wait! You'll find out soon enough, even if the wait sucks.
The very earliest pregnancy symptoms
While there is really no such thing as "conception symptoms", many women do have noticeable pregnancy symptoms before their menstrual period was due. Implantation bleeding is, for some, the very earliest such symptom. When your fertilized egg implants into the blood-rich uterine lining, many women swear that you can spot a little.
Not every woman notices this so-called implantation bleeding, but you'll see it between seven and ten days post-ovulation if you get one. Fatigue, really terrible and disabling fatigue, is also a common early pregnancy symptom that some women come down with well before their period was due. Along with that, you may expect mood swings and crying. Or you could be more aggressive and moody than you normally are. These mood and energy shifts during early pregnancy are caused by a changing hormonal balance.
Lower abdominal cramps and bloating can be pregnancy signs, but they can just as easily be symptoms of your approaching period.
READ Implantation Bleeding: A Very Early Pregnancy Sign
What is the most convincing early pregnancy symptom you could have? We vote for morning sickness. Does your early morning coffee suddenly make you gag, or can't you stand the smell of fish, or dusty rooms? Pregnancy nausea and vomiting are hard to confuse with anything else. If it happens a few days before your period is due, you can start getting excited in most cases. Just wait for that pregnancy test to confirm your pregnancy. It's quite possible that you will get a positive pregnancy test a few days before your period was due, by the way. Just in case you can't wait any longer!
- Photo courtesy of 123rf (stock photos)
- Photo courtesy of 123rf (stock photos)