The first sign of pregnancy

Q: My partner and I are trying to get pregnant. What is the first sign of pregnancy?

A: The first symptoms of pregnancy can vary from person to person.

Generally speaking the usual symptoms are missing your period, sore breasts, nausea, feeling tired, feeling the need to urinate often, and food cravings or food aversions. But most of these come a bit later, about four weeks after conception.

For me, the first sign was mild cramps, slight spotting and tender breasts - yes, exactly like PMS! See Very Early Sign of Pregnancy for more information.

The first signs can be different for everyone, and I KNOW, the waiting to find out is the hardest part. You can't take a pregnancy test until the day (or thereabouts) your period should have arrived, which is generally about two weeks after conception. Those two weeks seems incredibly long. Hang in there, and good luck!

Return to Frequently Asked Questions from First Sign of Pregnancy