A pregnancy actually begins long before you ever realize that something is happening to your body; when the egg meets the sperm and the result is fertilization. By the time that you miss a period and take a pregnancy test or head to the doctor, you are already well into the developments that can occur during a full pregnancy term. In fact, throughout the first eight weeks of early pregnancy, your baby will grow to an inch in length and has developed most of his major body organs. This time of early pregnancy, also known as the embryonic stage, is a critical point of your baby’s growth, which can be negatively affected by alcohol use, radiation exposure and infectious diseases. That is why it is a good idea to use caution when you are trying to get pregnant, so that the early pregnancy stage can be as safe for your unborn baby as possible.

While the first sign of early pregnancy is often a missed period, there are some other symptoms that you may experience as well. Most of these signs of early pregnancy are due to the hormone changes that your body undergoes to prepare it for the process that lies ahead. These signs can include fatigue, an increased need to urinate, tenderness in the breasts, a mild aching sensation in your lower abdomen or nausea and/or vomiting, also known as morning sickness. Any or all of the symptoms may indicate early pregnancy, and when combined with a missed period, should be checked out by your doctor. The earlier you know for sure that you are pregnant, the more time you have to take the best care possible of you and your baby.