Sometimes the signs of having your period and getting pregnant are quite confusing because of the similar symptoms.
So, is it my period or am I pregnant? How to recognize clearly the manifestations of these two completely different states?
Let’s learn more about this matter with us!
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Menstruation vs. Pregnancy
Why are signs of menstruation mistaken by signs of pregnancy?
Most women have premenstrual syndrome (PMS). When your period is coming, you’re about to experience these symptoms that closely resemble the initial signs of pregnancy. Therefore, many women who have had sex, especially those who are expecting to have children, often confuse these signs.
However, it is significant to understand that menstruation is the shedding of the lining after the ovulation and causing your vagina to bleed for a few days. Periodic menstrual should happen once a month and the cycle could range from 28-32 depending on each individual.
During the stage of preparing for the period, many women often have signs, like: breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings, acne, sour cravings, etc. These signs are often called premenstrual syndrome.
These symptoms are similar to those of pregnancy.
See also: What are the most accurate pregnancy tests?
Similarities of Menstruation and Pregnancy
Breast soreness
Starting from the second half of the menstrual cycle, many women often experience the breast soreness, burning pain in the breast tissue. They have the feeling that the breast size increases, more tight than usual. The pain could be mild or severe depending on each person.
This is also one of the signs of pregnant women.
Vaginal bleeding
Before menstruation, women may see a lot of discharge, light brown mucus. Or sometimes there will be blood stains on small pants. It is premenstrual bleeding syndrome.
Bleeding is a clear sign that your period is about to begin.
In early pregnancy, there may also be very light bleeding, spotting blood on the pants and lasting 1-2 days. This is another similarity between the signs of menstruation and pregnancy.
Being moody
Menstrual women often have mood swings or are hot-tempered, irritable, emotional and uncomfortable with everything around them. These symptoms will go away when the period begins.
Moodiness is also common in pregnant women, especially they often get emotional, worried, or insecure easily. If they fail to regulate emotions, that can affect the health of both mother and baby, which is a manifestation of postpartum depression later in one’s life.
Fatigue
During the premenstrual syndrome, most women often feel tired, sore, and sleepy, but they are unable to sleep. It’s not surprised when you’re sleeping in your menstruation. On the other hand, you can spot these signs obviously in pregnant women. Fatigue not only happens in the early stages but also lasts throughout the pregnancy.
Change the eating habits
Before your period comes, women can clearly feel the change in their eating habits compared to what they usually eat on the daily routine. You may have cravings for sour foods, for sweeter foods, or for salty foods. At the same time, you will feel more sensitive to foul-smelling foods, especially fishy, strong odors.
This sign is similar to morning sickness and fear of food in pregnant women. During the early stages of pregnancy, the majority of pregnant women often have special cravings for sour or sweet or spicy foods, and hate smelly foods.
Here is the most similar sign of between having period and pregnancy.
Read more: What are secrets of an easy birth?
Lower abdomen pain
Before menstruation, most women feel bloated, pain in the lower abdomen, and mild cramps. The condition lasts up to the menstrual period, sometimes you may suffer severe menstrual pain and even need to use pain relievers.
Pregnant women also have similar symptoms, but they are more prolonged and severe, especially cramps in the last months of pregnancy.
Are You Really Pregnant or…?
How to distinguish signs of menstruation and pregnancy?
Regardless of how severe premenstrual syndrome is, you can still distinguish it from the signs of pregnancy. You may notice and find that menstruation and pregnancy to have some differences, they are:
Missed period
For women who have regular menstrual cycles, it is easy to recognize the abnormality of the body if the menstrual period is late or doesn’t come. This is the most characteristic sign of pregnancy!
Light vaginal bleeding
If there are signs of a period coming, the vagina may have spotty bleeding that is not easy to recognize. If during the implantation stage, there may be slight vaginal bleeding, not necessary to use tampon, but still easily noticeable.
Menstrual blood: It is usually bright red or crimson in color, appearing between 3 and 7 days. The blood may be mixed with the shed lining of the uterus and has mucus, so it looks a bit thick.
Prenatal bleeding: It has the bright red or pink in color, usually appearing quite infrequently within 1 to 2 days. The main reason is that the egg will first implant inside the cervix, which will cause a little bleeding.
Increased vaginal discharge
In the early stages of pregnancy, pregnant women may notice an increase in vaginal discharge more than usual.
Dark areola
Premenstrual period only tightens the breasts, and if pregnant, you will see black and dark areola. If you have these signs, you can be sure that you are pregnant and in the early stages of pregnancy.
Conclusion
So, is it my period or am I pregnant?
It can be seen that the signs of menstruation and pregnancy have many similarities, so lots of women are often confused and mistaken. Especially for those with irregular menstrual cycles. If you realize that your body is experiencing abnormal signs, in order to make sure whether or not you are pregnant, the best way is to take a pregnancy test if your period is late.
Or in case you’re more carefully, go to a reputable medical facility to check and monitor your health in overall.
