Am I pregnant? The question is one of concern for many Chicagoland women who may not be expecting to get pregnant at the moment.
Here is a ten-point checklist of signs that you might be pregnant:
• Missed period – A pregnancy test can be taken as early as two or three days after a missed period.
• Nausea – This feeling may show up from two to eight weeks after conception, although some women do not feel it at all.
• Breast tenderness – May begin as early as two weeks after conception.
• Sleepiness and fatigue – May start two weeks after conception.
• Frequent urination – Can occur as early as the fourth week of pregnancy.
• Headaches – Early in pregnancy, caused by increased blood circulation from hormonal changes
• Moodiness – Also irritability, due to increased hormone levels.
• Strange food cravings – Or aversion to some foods.
• Bloating – Also weight gain.
• Slight bleeding or cramping – Possibly due to embryo implantation.
A free pregnancy test is offered by WomanCare Services in Berwyn, IL. The test measures the levels of hCG (hormone secreted during pregnancy) in the urine, and is of a high quality, measuring levels as low as 20-30 mIUs of hCG, which is usually the amount found in urine between the third and fourth week of pregnancy.
The first urine each morning will always contain the highest concentration of hCG. However, the center does not require this. A woman can help better her chances of having enough hCG in her urine by waiting four hours after the last urination to take the test. This will allow hCG to build up in the urine. The tests are highly accurate.
Women in Berwyn, Oak Park, Stickney, LaGrange, Cicero, Westchester, and nearby towns who think they might be pregnant should call WomanCare Services in Berwyn, at 708-795-6000 for a free pregnancy test. Or go to http://www.womancare.org/
Sources
Mayo Clinic, “Symptoms of Pregnancy,” http://www.mayoclinic.com/
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/




