The Characteristics of Pregnant People with Menstrual Signs, Almost Similar But Not the Same

During early pregnancy, many women do not realize that they are pregnant. Because not infrequently, the characteristics of pregnant people who appear to have similarities with symptoms when a woman will enter menstruation or symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Stopping menstruation can be an early sign of pregnancy. But there are other characteristics of a pregnant person that you can also make an indication that you might be pregnant.

How to Distinguish the Characteristics of Pregnant People with PMS Symptoms

Although the characteristics of a pregnant person are sometimes almost similar to the signs before menstruation, but there are differences that arise and can be felt. The following are:

• Breast pain

During PMS, breast pain can occur, which is caused by an increase in the hormone progesterone in the body. Complaints of breast pain is also one of the characteristics of a pregnant person. However, during PMS, the pain that appears will disappear after menstruation lasts. While in pregnant women, breast pain can continue. Breast tenderness is usually accompanied by changes in the breasts that appear fuller, larger and more sensitive to the touch. In addition, changes in nipple and surrounding color appear darker.

• Mood swings

When STDs are generally women experience mood swings, as well as during pregnancy. It's just that changes in mood that occur during PMS will disappear when menstruation comes. While changes in mood in pregnant women tend to occur throughout pregnancy. Mood changes that occur in pregnant women occur because of hormonal changes. That is why, pregnant women tend to be more emotional in dealing with something.

• Increased appetite and cravings

A common characteristic of a pregnant person is an increase in appetite and cravings or wanting certain foods. Although it is also possible during PMS, an increase in appetite and cravings is more evident during pregnancy than during PMS. Pregnant women can also experience changes in the type of food they like. Because the sense of smell becomes more sensitive to the smell or aroma of certain foods, pregnant women may reject the food they usually like.

• Fatigue

If you feel fatigue ahead of PMS, this will also be felt in early pregnancy. But there are differences between the two. The fatigue that arises during PMS will usually disappear once menstruation has taken place. Meanwhile, in pregnant women, fatigue can occur since the first trimester of pregnancy and can last for the duration of the pregnancy. This feeling of fatigue is due to an increase in the level of the hormone progesterone during pregnancy.

• Stomach cramps

Besides being felt during PMS, abdominal cramps may also be experienced by women in early pregnancy. The difference is, abdominal cramps that occur during PMS, or commonly called menstrual pain, occur because of contractions of the uterus to expel tissues and blood, will decrease with menstruation. While abdominal cramps during pregnancy are caused by the developing uterus, so the muscles that support the uterus become stretched. If you feel cramps in the lower abdomen and lower back, it may be that stomach cramps that appear are a sign that you are pregnant.

In addition to signs of pregnancy that are almost similar to PMS symptoms, there are characteristics of pregnant people that are generally not felt during PMS, namely nausea and vomiting. This condition is indeed a common sign of pregnancy. Usually, complaints of nausea and vomiting will appear early in pregnancy (4-7 weeks) and occur in the morning. But do not rule out the possibility can also be experienced during the day or night. These complaints will generally disappear after 12 weeks of gestation, but there are also those who still feel it throughout pregnancy. Indeed, not everyone experiences the same signs during pregnancy. But if the characteristics of a pregnant person you experience, do a pregnancy test to determine whether you are positive pregnant or not, because diagnosing pregnancy is not enough just from the symptoms alone. A pregnancy test is recommended especially if you have experienced menstrual delays for more than 1 week. If the results of a pregnancy test show that you are positively pregnant, it is important to check the condition of the pregnancy and the fetus to the obstetrician or midwife.