How long before knowing you are pregnant

Can I be pregnant but still have a period? I am trying to get pregnant, is there anything I could do or should be doing while trying? What about feeling sick in the early stages of pregnancy? My senses of taste and smell are all over the place, could this be an early pregnancy symptom too? What about tender breasts? I feel as if my breasts are more sensitive. I have to go to the toilet more often — is that a sign? Further information Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: Show references.

Information you can trust from NCT When it comes to content, our aim is simple: every parent should have access to information they can trust. Share this. Related articles. NCT Antenatal course Find out more. NCT Antenatal refresher course Find out more. Implantation bleeding typically occurs 10 to 14 days after conception, which is just before or right around the time your period is due. But implantation bleeding is a light flow, which may start and stop over a couple days.

Your period, on the other hand, may start off light in flow and in color but after a couple days becomes heavier, changes to a crimson red color and lasts up to a week or so. While cramps and lower-abdominal pain can signal a coming period, they can also be a sign of egg implantation.

Implantation cramps can occur with or without spotting or bleeding, and may feel different from period cramps. For example, you might feel mild to moderate prickling, pulling or tingling that comes and goes over a few days. But menstrual cramps can often feel like a throbbing or dull ache, and typically start a day or two before your period. Of course, you could be running hot for other reasons, but if it lasts more than a few weeks, pregnancy may be the explanation.

This change in hormones can contribute to many symptoms, including breast tenderness. Oftentimes, increased breast tenderness, swelling or tingling start to become noticeable a few days before a missed period. You may also experience nipple soreness. In fact, fatigue may set in as soon as one week after conception.

This is thanks to those sudden changes in hormone levels, particularly increasing progesterone. Certainly, your drinking habits play a big role in how many times you pee in a day.

However, pregnancy increases the amount of blood in your body, which gives your kidneys more fluid to filter and more waste to get rid of.

Morning sickness might be the most well-known of all pregnancy symptoms, taking the form of food aversion or nausea, and even vomiting for some. A missed or late period is often the first sign for many people, especially if you have a predictable cycle. Other physical symptoms that could indicate a pregnancy include cramping, back ache, nausea, headaches, fatigue, heightened or sensitive smell, mood swings, and bloating.

During this time, you may also experience "implantation bleeding," which is a light spotting of blood that can occur when the fertilized egg implants itself into the lining of your uterus.

It can happen around 6 to 8 days after conception, but not everyone experiences the spotting. If you are tracking and charting your fertility and symptoms using natural family planning methods and basal body temperature BBT readings, you may get good signs that you might be pregnant even before you miss your period. Ultimately, though, BBT readings are most likely to be more accurate for a positive pregnancy around the time you would expect your period. Charting fertility involves daily recording of changes in BBT and cervical mucous, alongside tracking intercourse or insemination.

When there is a rise in BBT, it can indicate that ovulation has occurred. If you had sex around the time of ovulation, pregnancy is more likely to take place. People who track BBT also look for a temperature dip around the time of implantation, as well as a second rise in temperature that happens around one week after ovulation.

Both of these can happen normally, or can be signs of pregnancy. Pee-on-a-stick POAS pregnancy tests detect pregnancy by the amount of hCG human chorionic gonadotropin hormone levels in your urine. This hormone is present and begins growing at the time of implantation, which is days after ovulation. Different POAS pregnancy tests have different levels of sensitivity.

Ready Steady Baby! First signs of pregnancy. You can get a free pregnancy test, support and advice at a sexual health clinic. Dating your pregnancy The start of your pregnancy's dated from the first day of your last actual period, although you probably conceived about 2 weeks after that.

Your midwife's there for you, dads and partners too. Your privacy Sometimes young people worry about sharing their pregnancy with a professional. Confidentiality Your midwife or doctor won't tell anyone else about your pregnancy without your agreement if they believe: you fully understand the information and decisions involved there's no risk to your health or wellbeing More about your right to confidentiality when using the NHS Family Nurse Partnership Most first-time young mums are eligible for support through the Family Nurse Partnership FNP.

Source: Public Health Scotland - Opens in new browser window.