Can You Confirm Pregnancy Without Taking A Test?

Image: MomJunction Design Team

Medical tests or home pregnancy test kits can help you confirm a pregnancy. However, if you are curious and keep asking yourself how to know you are pregnant without a test, this post is for you. The first thing that comes to mind is missed periods. This is the most common sign of pregnancy in most women. But there are other signs and symptoms as well that may or may not be that common. For instance, sore breasts and dryness of skin may indicate conception in some women. In this post, we have compiled a list of all such unique as well as common symptoms that might let you know if you are pregnant. However, it is advisable that these should not be taken as the only indicators of pregnancy, and a doctor’s consultation is a must for confirmation.

16 Signs That You Could Be Pregnant

Your body may give several indications when you are pregnant. These signs that you’re pregnant can include a range of symptoms, though it’s important to note that some women may experience a few or all of these while others may not have them at all. Below are some of the indications your body could give when you are pregnant.

1. Missed periods

This is the first sign of possible pregnancy (1). However, you can miss your period for several other reasons, such as sudden weight gain or loss, regular usage of contraceptivesⁱMedication, device, or practice to prevent pregnancy. , stress or overexertion, and eating disorders or any gynecological problems (2). Therefore, you should do a home pregnancy test or consult a doctor about seven to ten days after your missed period to know for sure.

2. Spotting

If you notice a few drops of blood after one or two weeks of your last period, this could be implantation bleeding.

Spotting occurs when the embryo implants itself in the uterus wall (3). But it can happen for other reasons too, and it may not be easy to know if the spotting is specifically due to implantation. Also, not all women experience spotting.

3. Nausea and vomiting

Some women might have nausea and morning sickness as early as three weeks from conception. You might feel nauseous at the smell, taste, or even thought of food. It could be an indication that the hormonal levels are rising, and a probable sign that your body is preparing for pregnancy (4).

Not all women have it so early during pregnancy, and some may not have it at all in the first month.

4. Constipation and bloating

Women might experience gas, bloating, flatulenceⁱPassing gas from the digestive system through the anus. , constipation, and excessive belching due to the rising progesterone levels, which relax the smooth muscle tissue in the gastrointestinal tract affecting the digestion process(5). This can make you feel full even after small meals.

Pregnancy is not the only reason for abdominal bloating. You could have this feeling also due to indigestion, acidity, etc.

5. Sore breasts and tingly nipples

A few women complain of sore, painful, and tender breasts. The areolas and nipples might turn darker, and there could be small spots around the nipples (7). You may also see some pimple-like white spots around the areolaⁱPigmented area surrounding the nipples .

These changes in breasts could be mistaken to be a symptom of PMS symptoms and not of pregnancy, or vice-versa.

6. Frequent urination

In some cases, hormonal changes could increase blood flow and water retention, filling the bladder more frequently than before. Also, the growing uterus exerts pressure on the bladder, causing frequent and increased urination (8).

This sign could be confusing, especially in the winters, when the cold climate naturally increases your urge to pee. Some other reasons for frequent urination are urinary incontinence and an overactive bladder.

7. Back pain

Your lower back could ache just like how it does before and during a period. The pain occurs around the sacroiliac jointⁱJoint that connects the base of the spine with the hip bone. (9).

However, as the pain is like that you get during your period, it can be misleading and may not be a clear indication of your pregnancy.

8. Headaches

Headaches can also be signs of pregnancy and may be experienced early in the gestation period (10). But headaches are so generic that they cannot be considered a standalone symptom of pregnancy. You may check for other signs of pregnancy and see if they are occurring at the same time as the headaches to determine the pregnancy. If the headaches are too frequent or severe and cause dizziness, consult a doctor.

9. Irritability or mood swings

You could feel oversensitive, grumpy, and tearful due to hormonal changes altering the levels of neurotransmitters or chemical messengers to the brain. This could result in heightened emotions, both positive and negative (11). But such feelings could be like your PMS symptoms and may not necessarily help in determining pregnancy.

10. Food aversions/cravings

Changes in appetite, craving for some foods, or developing an aversion to some smells due to changes in smell perception could be a sign of pregnancy. You may have these cravings and aversions at any time during pregnancy (12).

Dhee, a mother of two from the US, experienced changes in her smell and taste sensitivity before she took a positive pregnancy test. She says, “I couldn’t stand the smell of cooking rice and raw onions. Rice is a staple in our house, so it felt bizarre waking up one day and feeling like throwing up because I smelled the rice being cooked in the rice cooker. I also felt sick whenever I smelled a strong perfume (i).”

11. Fatigue and sleeplessness

The rising progesteroneⁱFemale hormone that plays a vital role in pregnancy. levels, nausea, and frequent urination could lead to sleeplessness and fatigue. You may feel energetic in the second trimester, and tiredness might return in the third trimester (14).

You may have sleeplessness or insomnia due to other reasons, such as stress, depression, poor sleeping habits, or medications as well.

12. Palmar erythema

In some cases, you may notice redness on your palms, also referred to as red palms. It might occur due to abnormal estradiol (a female sex hormone) levels in women (15).

Some other reasons for this could be genetics, liver diseases, autoimmune diseases, infections, or other lifestyle changes.

13. Nasal congestion

Rising hormonal levels and blood production may affect the mucous membranesⁱInner lining in body cavities and some organs that secrete a thick, slippery liquid called mucus. in the nostrils and make them swell, dry, and bleed. This could, therefore, lead to a runny or stuffy nose (16).

Just like headaches, nasal congestion is a generic symptom and not unique to pregnancy. Therefore, you need to check this in conjunction with other pregnancy symptoms.

14. Low sexual desire

Research shows that some pregnant women have observed that their sexual desire had come down in the first trimester and then progressively decreased as the pregnancy progressed. However, the evidence is retrospective (18).

15. Acne

An increase in hormonal activity might result in acne breakouts, just like it could happen during menstruation (16). According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), many women experience acne during pregnancy. For some, existing acne worsens, while others who typically have clear skin may develop acne for the first time during pregnancy (19). Another study reports, “Up to 42% of pregnant women suffer from acne. In 90% of these women, the disease existed before pregnancy. In 1/3, however, acne relapsed during pregnancy after a prior disease-free period. 60% acne deteriorated during pregnancy (20).”

16. Cramping

Feeling mild cramps, just like you would during periods, is also a common sign of pregnancy. These cramps are usually mild, and they come and go. However, if the cramping or the pain is intense or if the pain is usually only on one side of the body, then contact your healthcare provider, as it could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy or any other complication (21).

A mother and vlogger share her early symptoms of pregnancy before she took a pregnancy test. She says, “Six days after ovulation because I had tracked it on my chart, I experienced implantation cramping. For me, it felt like strong, sharp, stabbing pains in the center of my stomach. While I know the ovaries are on both sides, and it might make sense to feel implantation cramping on one side or the other, I distinctly felt it in the center. These pains lasted for about five minutes and occurred a couple of times throughout the day. It gave me a sign that either my cycle was about to start, or this was it – we were pregnant (ii).”

The symptoms listed above, along with some other symptoms, including high basal body temperature, cervical mucus changes, and increased vaginal discharge, could be the signs of pregnancy. Still, they can also occur due to other health reasons (22). Also, you may not have any of these symptoms and still be pregnant.

While these signs may not be definitive indicators of pregnancy, they can help you decide when to take a pregnancy test or consult a healthcare provider for further evaluation.Dr. Kimberly Langdon, a US-based obstetrician/gynecologist, says, “Pregnancy hormone changes can cause mood swings, irritability, and other changes in behavior. However, not all sudden behavioral changes indicate pregnancy. These changes can also indicate premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and other conditions that cause female hormonal imbalances.”

Illustration: Ways To Confirm Pregnancy Without Doing A Test

---

Community Experiences

Join the conversation and become a part of our nurturing community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with fellow parents.