Early Pregnancy Symptoms

After continually trying to conceive and having those efforts prove unsuccessful month after month, pregnancy can start to feel like an impossible dream for many women. Infertility is far more common than most people realize. Statistics show that over five million people in the United States who are of childbearing age have dealt with issues of infertility.

Dr. Sonja Kristiansen has committed herself to helping those who are facing infertility find safe, effective solutions that will allow them to achieve their dream of parenthood. Infertility treatment helps patients overcome various fertility issues by assisting patients throughout the conception process. These treatments have helped numerous women experience a healthy pregnancy.

After undergoing infertility treatment, women are anxious to learn if it has been a success. Here, we discuss some common early pregnancy symptoms that our Houston, TX patients may experience after undergoing infertility treatment with Dr. Kristiansen.

The First Signs of Pregnancy

Pregnancy triggers a lot of changes in a woman’s body. Early on, hormonal changes can bring on a wide range of early pregnancy symptoms. These symptoms may develop before a woman even realizes she is pregnant. Many of these symptoms are similar to those that a woman experiences leading up to her menstrual cycle, and some are common side effects that can develop after infertility treatment. While the following symptoms do not guarantee that a woman is pregnant, they are certainly indicators that conception may have been a success:

• Spotting: Many women experience spotting leading up to their period, and women tend to view spotting as a sign that they aren’t pregnant. However, when an embryo implants itself against the uterine wall, it is normal for a small amount of bleeding to occur; this can lead to light spotting.
• Tender breasts: The breasts can become tender or sore as early as two weeks after conception. Some women notice that the breasts feel fuller or begin to appear slightly swollen.
• Fatigue: It is not unusual for fatigue to kick in shortly after a woman has conceived. Many women notice a marked tiredness very early on in pregnancy. This can continue throughout the first trimester.
• Mood swings: Mood swings can also begin early on in a pregnancy. These fluctuations in temperament are most likely linked to changing hormone levels.
• Nausea: Yes, the dreaded “morning sickness” (which can actually happen at any time of the day) can begin as early as one week after conception.
• Missed period: One of the most obvious early signs of pregnancy is a missed period. While it is easy to write off other symptoms as PMS, if a woman misses her period, she may be pregnant.

When to Test after Infertility Treatment

Any couple that is trying to conceive is going to be anxious to take a pregnancy test. When undergoing infertility treatment, this urge is especially strong because women are anxious to know if they have found a solution that will finally work. We urge women to wait two weeks between attempting to become pregnant and taking a pregnancy test.

It takes several days for a fertilized egg to implant against the uterine wall and then begin emitting the level of hormones that will be detected by a pregnancy test. Additionally, certain types of fertility treatment, such as IVF, may leave residual HCG in the body, which can trigger a false positive if a pregnancy test is taken too soon. To avoid false test results either way, it is always best to wait two weeks before undergoing a pregnancy test.

Contact Us

Trying to conceive should be a joyous and exciting experience, but when fertility issues are present, it can become a time of stress and frustration. Dr. Sonja Kristiansen offers fertility treatments that will increase the chances of a successful pregnancy and alleviate some of the helplessness that is often felt by couples dealing with infertility. To learn more about the infertility treatments offered by Dr. Kristiansen, contact us at your earliest convenience.