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There are symptoms and then there are suspicions. If you are extremely tuned in to your body's rhythms, you may begin to suspect you are pregnant soon after conception . However, most women won't experience any pregnancy symptoms until the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus wall, several days after conception. Others may feel no different for weeks, or begin to wonder only when they miss a period.

Still, you might just know. One small study of 28 women found that almost half suspected they were pregnant before they had missed a period, and 44 percent were convinced they were pregnant before a pregnancy test confirmed their suspicions.

But you can't always trust your intuition. Fortunately your body may have its own ways to clue you in. Although a missed period is the first clear-cut signal, pregnancy can announce itself in smaller, more subtle ways, too.

Below is a list of some of the first signs of impending motherhood. You may experience all, some, or none of these. And though these symptoms can be telltale, nothing will really confirm a pregnancy except a pregnancy test.

About eight days after ovulation, you may experience implantation spotting, a slight staining of a pink or brown color, as well as some cramping. You might also find some spotting around the time you expect your period; this is from the egg burrowing into the endometrial lining.

Once the embryo implants and begins producing the hormone HCG , you may find yourself trekking to the bathroom with greater frequency. If you already have a thimble-sized bladder, well, then, never mind.

Feeling tired? No, make that exhausted. High levels of progesterone can make you feel as if you've run a marathon when all you've done is put in a day at the office. Fatigue is a hallmark of early pregnancy.

No doubt you will notice your breasts becoming increasingly tender to the touch, somewhat the way they are prior to your period, only more so. "My breasts were so large and tender that I couldn't imagine what I was going to feel like at nine months," says Valerie Heckmann, a mother of one. But fear not, once your body grows accustomed to the hormone surge, the pain will subside.

If you're lucky, morning sickness won't hit you until a few weeks after conception. And, a lucky few will escape it altogether. But as early as a couple of days following conception, you may begin experiencing nausea and queasiness. And, surprise, "morning" sickness can occur morning, noon, or night.

If you're trying to get pregnant, attempting to decipher your body's signals can be both nerve-wracking and exciting. Fortunately, you'll probably have to spend only two or three weeks in suspense before you can confirm your condition with a home pregnancy test. Good luck!

First published November 3, 1997
Copyright © 1998 BabyCenter, Inc. All rights reserved.

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