What Are The Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Hi, friends this post is all about the symptoms of pregnancy and how to identify them.
Many of these symptoms may also be indicative of other conditions. You should remain cautiously with these symptoms. If in doubt, see your doctor.

There are some symptoms of pregnancy, which are:- 

Backache

Back pain during pregnancy can affect more than one in three women. This is usually due to loosening of ligaments and change in posture due to the growing pregnancy.

You can help reduce back pain during pregnancy by wearing flat heeled shoes, using chairs with good back support, avoiding lifting heavy objects and partaking in gentle exercise.

Exercising in water can reduce back pain in pregnancy, and physiotherapy and acupuncture may also help.

Breathlessness

At the onset of pregnancy, the hormone progesterone increases your lung capacity. This enables you to carry more oxygen to your baby and get rid of waste products such as the carbon dioxide that you both produce. At each breath, you breathe more deeply and the amount of air you inhale (and exhale) increases significantly. This can make you feel short of breath.

Contact your doctor or midwife if you experience a sudden onset of breathlessness associated with any of the following: Pain, Palpitations (heart pounding), Extreme tiredness, Exercise.

Constipation

Constipation refers to infrequent, hard bowel movements that are difficult to pass. Constipation is a common problem in pregnancy that may be caused by pregnancy hormones slowing your gastrointestinal movement, or by the pressure of your growing uterus on your rectum.

If you experience constipation during pregnancy, you are advised to:

* Drink plenty of water every day
* Increase your dietary fibre (such as bran, wheat and fresh fruit and vegetables)
* Consider gentle, low-impact exercises such as swimming, walking or yoga.

Don't take over-the-counter laxatives without first consulting your midwife or doctor. If changes to your diet and lifestyle don't make a difference then your doctor or midwife can prescribe a laxative that is safe to use in pregnancy.

Haemorrhoids (piles)

You may develop haemorrhoids (also known as piles) as a result of straining from constipation or the pressure of your baby’s head. Be reassured, symptoms usually resolve on their own soon after birth.

If you have bleeding from haemorrhoids, itching, discomfort or pain it is recommended that you:

* Alleviate or prevent constipation by increasing your daily water and fibre intake
* Sit in warm salty water for about 15 minutes, especially after a bowel motion
* Apply haemorrhoid cream.
* If the bleeding or pain continues, talk with your doctor or midwife.

Headaches

You are advised to contact your doctor or midwife if you have a headache during pregnancy that is not relieved by paracetamol (such as Panadol), especially in the second half of pregnancy.

A persistent headache can be associated with pre-eclampsia, a condition that can affect your kidneys and thus increases blood pressure and decreases blood flow to your baby.

Heartburn and indigestion

Heartburn, reflux or indigestion is the pain and discomfort associated with acid from the stomach entering and ‘burning’ the oesophagus. Indigestion is more common during pregnancy due to the pressure of the enlarging uterus on the organs of the abdomen and the action of the hormone progesterone that relaxes the muscle between the oesophagus and stomach.

If you are experiencing heartburn, reflux or indigestion, it is recommended that you:* Eat small and more frequent meals
* Avoid eating just before going to bed
* Sleep with extra pillows so your head is raised
* Wear loose-fitting clothing
*Avoid any food or fluid that aggravates symptoms – such as fatty foods (including fried foods, fatty meats and pastry), spicy foods (including curry and chilli), alcohol and caffeine (including tea, coffee, chocolate and cola)
Consult your doctor before taking antacids.

Itchy skin

Widespread itching over the body is not common in pregnancy, however when present, it can be very distressing, interfering with sleep and enjoyment of pregnancy.

There may be no apparent cause for the itching, however, in rare cases, it may be due to serious liver disease. A blood test can be performed to exclude this possibility.

Leg cramps

Leg cramps occur due to a build-up of acids that cause involuntary contractions of the affected muscles. This complaint is experienced by up to half of pregnant women, usually occurs at night and is more likely in the second and third trimesters.

If you experience leg cramps, it is recommended that during an episode you:

* Walk around
* Stretch and massage the affected muscle(s) to disperse the build-up of acids
* Apply a warm pack to the affected muscle(s).

If you find cramps troublesome, discuss with your doctor or midwife the option of taking magnesium lactate or citrate morning and evening.

Mood changes

Some newly pregnant women experience mood changes such as irritability. Other pregnant women experience feelings of elation. It is thought that the pregnancy hormones influence chemicals in the brain, causing mood changes.

During pregnancy, one in 10 women experience depression. Depression is treatable, so if you are feeling depressed or ‘down’ during pregnancy it is extremely important to get help early.

Please contact your doctor, midwife or maternal and child health nurse as soon as possible.

Tingling and numbness in your hands (carpal tunnel syndrome)

Carpal tunnel syndrome affects up to 60 percent of women during pregnancy. Tingling and numbness in your hands during pregnancy is caused by compression of the median nerve due to an increase in the tissue fluids during pregnancy.

Carpal tunnel syndrome may be mild, intermittently painful, or severe, which may cause partial paralysis of the thumb or loss of sensation. Symptoms usually resolve on their own soon after birth.

If you are experiencing tingling and numbness in your hands, inform your doctor or midwife. In very severe cases, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid injections or surgical treatment.

Vaginal discharge

An increase in vaginal discharge is a common change during pregnancy. If it is associated with itchiness, pain, a bad odour or pain on passing urine then it may be due to an infection and you should seek treatment from your doctor.

Things to remember

* Symptoms of early pregnancy include missed periods, nausea and vomiting, breast changes, fatigue and frequent urination.
* Many of these symptoms can also be caused by other factors such as stress or illness.
* If you suspect you may be pregnant, see your doctor.

Source: Internet.