Am I Pregnant? Take This Quiz

One of the most reliable signs of being pregnant is if your period is late or never comes. However, some women also experience cramping and spotting in early pregnancy that makes them think they are having a period. Other women have irregular menstrual cycles that are difficult to track. In these cases, you should schedule a pregnancy test to be sure you’re not pregnant.

Your body begins responding to pregnancy very quickly after becoming pregnant. Take note of any of the following changes:

• Changes in your breasts, especially if they feel sore or sensitive, or if your areolas have changed shape, grown larger, or become darker.
• Bloating and swelling that makes your clothes feel tighter or makes you feel sore and tired.
• Unusual soreness, tiredness, or headaches.
• Unusual nausea or sensitivity to light, sound, or smells.

Along with changes to your body, the hormonal surges in early pregnancy can change your mood and feelings as well. Pay attention to symptoms such as:

• Unexplained irritability or crankiness.
• Sudden mood shifts (such as feeling happy one moment and then very sad soon after).
• Aversions to foods and drinks you usually like.
• Sudden cravings and urges for foods and drinks.
• Changes to your appetite or eating habits.

Ovulation is the process of releasing an egg from your ovaries to be fertilized. If you have sex around the period of ovulation, your chances of becoming pregnant go up dramatically. Ovulation usually occurs about 14 days from the first day of your last menstrual period in a 28 day cycle. Though this timing can vary between women. Keep in mind, too, that a man’s sperm can live inside your body for several days. This makes pregnancy much more likely around the time of ovulation.

However, not all women have the same pregnancy symptoms or experience them the same way. If you’re experiencing a combination of the above symptoms, pregnancy is more likely, but only a pregnancy test can tell you for sure.

Women experiencing the above symptoms should make an appointment to verify pregnancy. First Choice Women’s Medical Center is a pregnancy resource center and offers pregnancy testing in a confidential setting. Our pregnancy tests are laboratory quality and up to 99% accurate.

If you’ve already taken a pregnancy test, you might be wondering whether or not your result was accurate. There are two kinds of inaccurate tests: false negatives and false positives.

False negatives – where the test says you aren’t pregnant but you really are – are common. The usual reason for a false negative is not waiting long enough to take the test. Pregnancy tests are more accurate when you wait longer for pregnancy hormones to build up in your body. To get a definite reading from a pregnancy test, you’ll need to wait until after your period should be present.

On the other hand, false positives – where the test says you are pregnant but you’re not – are extremely rare. They generally only occur when you are taking specific medications or have other health problems. In almost every case, if you have a positive pregnancy test it means you are pregnant.

A positive test (including a home test) is an indication of pregnancy, but not a confirmation. The test result should be confirmed by an Obstetrical Ultrasound exam.

An Obstetrical Ultrasound can confirm your pregnancy and ensure your pregnancy is healthy. It can be a great indicator of how far along you are by using measurements to estimate the gestational age of the fetus. First Choice Women’s Medical Center provides a limited Obstetrical ultrasound based on eligibility.