What are the symptoms of pregnancy?

- Fatigue

- Dizziness

- Loss of appetite and aversion to certain foods

- Frequent urination

- Light bleeding

- Nausea and vomiting

- Mood swings

** The presence of pregnancy is understood through urine or blood (bhcg) tests performed as a result of delayed menstruation.

Although the reliability of urine pregnancy tests applied with ready-made test kits in pharmacies or at home is stated as 99% by the manufacturer, studies show that the error rate can be around 50%, especially in cases where the menstrual delay is less than 10 days (“Error” is usually the test’s inability to detect an existing pregnancy due to low sensitivity.

While urine tests can detect the presence or absence of ß-HCG, blood tests detect the level of ß-HCG in the blood. Thus, in the earliest periods when hormone secretion begins, even before menstrual delay, the diagnosis of pregnancy can be made or a definite decision can be made that pregnancy has not occurred.

Urine pregnancy tests applied in laboratories can give reliable results starting from the fifth day of menstrual delay. These tests can detect lower hormone levels and are therefore more sensitive than ready-made test kits.

Sensitivity to smell, which can be seen with the onset of pregnancy, can be against unpleasant smells as well as smells that most people find pleasant, such as perfumes and soaps. This complaint is also closely related to pregnancy nausea and vomiting. These complaints, which are mostly temporary and harmless, can rarely cause the patient to experience advanced nutritional problems and be hospitalized for treatment. If oral fluids cannot be taken or the patient loses 5% or more of their body weight, medical help should be sought without delay.

Approximately one-fourth of pregnant women experience vaginal bleeding in the early period. This may be implantation bleeding, which can be seen during the formation and establishment of the pregnancy and is known among the public as menstruation. However, if a woman with a positive pregnancy test experiences bleeding, she should report or consult a gynecologist for differential diagnosis. In the vast majority of pregnant women whose baby's heartbeats can be monitored on ultrasound, the pregnancy will progress normally despite the bleeding.

Mood swings are common in pregnant women, partly due to hormonal reasons (progesterone effect) and partly due to the emotional burdens and anxieties brought on by being pregnant. Relieving anxiety and the supportive attitude of the family are useful in overcoming this situation.

Especially if the symptoms of early pregnancy such as nausea, pain and fatigue are severe and long-lasting, this situation can also cause secondary depression. In many cases, this situation can lead to the perception of the complaints by the environment and the family as having a psychological origin. Studies show that the psychological symptoms seen in these patients are more of a result than a cause.

Although pregnancy is not a disease, the symptoms in the first 3 months can be as disturbing as the disease. Fortunately, with appropriate support and patience, the symptoms resolve themselves in the progressing pregnancy and a happy period can be reached in the second trimester.