Tender breasts? Mood swings? Exhaustion?
“Wait, am I getting my period, or am I pregnant?”
One of the most common signs of an early pregnancy is a missed period. But all women know, it isn’t that simple. There are a lot of subtle signs that could indicate it’s that ‘time of the month’ or that you’re pregnant—or even that something else may be going on.
“There are some distinct differences when it comes to pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome or PMS symptoms, but some can be very subtle and can vary woman to woman,” said Robin Giles, a certified nurse practitioner with Banner – University Medicine North in Tucson, AZ.
Whether you’re anxious to have a baby or not, wondering can certainly be nerve-wracking. Here are some ways to help spot the differences and next steps on what to do.
Similar symptoms of PMS and pregnancy
The signs and symptoms of PMS and early pregnancy can be similar but can vary from one woman to another. Some of the common related symptoms for the two are:
- breast tenderness
- increased urination
- fatigue
- headaches
- constipation
- bloating
- mood changes
“Early pregnancy symptoms of breast tenderness and fatigue often mimic the symptoms of PMS,” Giles said. “However, breast tenderness and fatigue generally go away once your period starts.”
PMS-specific symptoms
PMS occurs in the second half of a woman’s cycle and can include physical, behavioral and emotional symptoms.
“Typically, women may have mild symptoms prior to the onset of their period each month, such as breast tenderness, fatigue, bloating and decreased mood,” Giles said. “If your symptoms are more severe than that, it could be premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, a more severe form of PMS.”
Pregnancy-specific symptoms
While your breasts may feel tender during PMS, they can be tender during early pregnancy as well. “You may also be pretty fatigued,” Giles added. “The key difference between the two, however, is that with pregnancy, your period doesn’t occur.”
Nausea is also a symptom that can accompany pregnancy and is often not experienced with PMS. “The nausea in early pregnancy often resolves after the 12th week of gestation, “Giles said.
A sign your symptoms indicate something else
If you skip your cycle or have irregular periods and you’re not pregnant, there could be several other reasons. Some of the most common things to cause a change in the usual pattern can be fluctuations in your weight, hyper- or hypothyroidism, extreme stress and extreme exercise. Some hormonal methods of contraception can also affect your periods. There is a medical condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, where women often stop getting their periods or have irregular cycles.
“It’s always a good idea to see your health care provider if you’re not having a regular monthly period,” Giles said. “We can do a workup for irregular cycles or for absence of cycles (amenorrhea) that may include a blood test and a pelvic ultrasound. It’s important to get treatment for amenorrhea or irregular cycles to prevent a condition known as endometrial hyperplasia. There are many treatment options to prevent this from happening.”
Next steps
If you’re not using contraception, are sexually active and your period is late or missed, it is advisable to do a home pregnancy test. If your test is negative, your doctor can help further investigate the cause for your symptoms. If your test is positive, make an appointment with your health care provider to confirm your pregnancy.
“Your provider will do a urine pregnancy test in the clinic and, if warranted, a blood test to detect the level of hCG (a pregnancy hormone),” Giles said. “It’s important that if you’re not using contraception and are sexually active that you take a prenatal vitamin, stop smoking and drinking and do not use any recreational drugs. Fetal development begins even before you may know you are pregnant.”
For more helpful tips about your period and/or pregnancy, check out:
- 5 Tips for Having a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy
- Is My Period Normal? 4 Common Questions Answered
- What to Know About Implantation Bleeding
- Is My At-Home Pregnancy Test Accurate?
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Sore boobs can be — well, a pain. But if you’ve been trying to get pregnant, you may be thinking that the ache in your bra is the sign you’ve been waiting for. Could this be it? Am I pregnant?!
Already gotten those two pink or blue lines on a home pregnancy test? Alas, this sore feeling could last a while. But try not to worry — most of the changes your girls are going through are totally normal. We’ll talk about this more in a minute.
Wondering if you’re pregnant? Well, what’s frustrating is that sore boobs can occur for so many different reasons. Some relate to hormones that ebb and flow not just during pregnancy, but also during your regular cycle.
Before you let your disappointment settle in at another inconclusive sign, though, let’s look a little closer — there are some distinguishing features that often make sore boobs a little different in pregnancy.
Like breasts themselves, breast pain comes in many varieties. It can happen in one or both breasts. You may feel it all over, in a specific spot, or moving outward into your armpits. The soreness can be constant, or it can come and go.
During the earliest weeks of pregnancy, breast pain tends to be dull and achy. Your boobs may feel heavy and swollen. They can be super sensitive to the touch, making exercise and sex play very uncomfortable. (Pro tip: Wear a reliable sports bra and also communicate with your partner to explore other areas during this time.) If you’re a stomach sleeper, the pain can keep you up at night.
For many women, the nipples are particularly sensitive in these early weeks. They can be so tender to the touch that it hurts to dry off after a shower or put on a bra (go braless with confidence!). But extreme nipple sensitivity typically passes within a few weeks.
As the first trimester progresses, you may notice fullness and heaviness rather than tenderness. Some women also experience a tingling sensation in the nipples and areolas during the first trimester.
Sharp breast pain — which can feel like a knife being stabbed into a specific area of one breast — isn’t common during pregnancy. While it can happen, this type of pain is less common with pregnancy.
Breast pain is often the first symptom of pregnancy, occurring as early as one to two weeks after conception — technically, weeks three and four of pregnancy. That sore boob sensation peaks in the first trimester because your body is flooding with hormones. These hormones have an important job, preparing your body to grow a tiny human — a hungry little human.
To feed that hunger, hormones work quickly to prepare your breasts for breastfeeding. Blood flow to the area increases and your boobs grow larger. The cleavage may be pretty great — but this growth can also be painful, even causing skin irritation and itching. Ouch!
The milk ducts in your breasts also grow to prepare for breastfeeding. And hormones stimulate the growth of milk-producing glands. Basically, your boobs go through a massive growth spurt.
Pain is not the only breast-related symptom you can expect during your pregnancy. During your first trimester, you may also notice blue veins pumping extra blood into your breasts and changes to the size or shape of your nipples.
During your second trimester (weeks 13–26), you may notice that your areolas — the pigmented areas around your nipples — have grown darker. And they’ll continue darkening throughout the second and third trimesters , too.
You may also notice tiny bumps on the areolas and wonder what is going on — but again, this is completely normal. These are called Montgomery’s tubercles. They’re oil-producing glands that lubricate the breasts during breastfeeding and make the process a little more comfortable for you and your little one!
During the second and third trimesters you may also begin leaking a yellowish fluid called colostrum. This can be a little disconcerting, but don’t worry! This is the good stuff. Colostrum is an immune-boosting fluid that your baby will drink in the days following delivery, before your milk comes in. This super nutritious fluid is sometimes called “liquid gold” because it’s so good for your baby!
Nipple discharge can happen anytime, but it’s particularly common during nipple stimulation. Nipple discharge can vary in color from creamy white to, yellow, green, or brown (might want to warn your partner about that one).
Bloody nipple discharge can also happen during pregnancy. Usually, it is the result of growing milk ducts, but sometimes it can be a sign of a blocked duct.
Although all this may sound horrifying — and potentially pretty embarrassing if it happens at the wrong time — leaked fluid and discharge actually happen in really small amounts. Concerned about discharge or a leak interrupting your day? Breast pads (inserted into your bra), designed to soak up any leaks during breastfeeding, also work like a charm during pregnancy.
In the final weeks of your pregnancy, you may notice that your breasts have become even larger and heavier than before. Nipple discharge may become more frequent. And you may notice red streaks known as — you guessed it — stretch marks. You’re about to meet your little one!
Breast pain is indeed one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. It can appear in as little as one to two weeks after conception.
Because it may appear before you notice a missed period, breast pain can sometimes be a useful indicator of pregnancy — but it’s by no means definitive.
If you’ve been trying to become pregnant and are experiencing unusual breast pain, you may want to go ahead and take a pregnancy test. Just remember, it may be too early for an accurate test result. Patience at this time is just really hard, but test again in a couple days if you still have symptoms and Aunt Flo hasn’t made her appearance.
The symptoms of early pregnancy are very similar to the symptoms of your regular period. So how do you tell the difference?
Short answer: It’s not always possible. This is especially true if you’re someone who typically experiences breast pain during PMS. Again, we have hormones to thank.
Because your hormone levels drop before you get your period, breast pain is a very common symptom. The best way to tell the difference is to see if your period comes or take a pregnancy test. If you notice one or two days of light spotting, but no normal period, this could indicate implantation bleeding and pregnancy.
Sore boobs during pregnancy — or before or during your period, for that matter — is very common and generally nothing to worry about. And if your breast pain goes away after your first trimester, awesome! That’s also totally normal and will definitely come as a relief. Like morning sickness, some symptoms do go away once you’re farther along.
What is concerning is feeling a new or growing lump. Benign (harmless) lumps can pop up during pregnancy, so try not to freak out, but definitely get to the doctor ASAP.
About 1 in every 1,000 pregnant women develop breast cancer. This can put the health of you and your baby at serious risk.
Sore boobs are a common early sign of pregnancy, but… they can also be a sign that your period is imminent. If you think you may be pregnant, the best thing to do is pick up a home pregnancy test.
If you are pregnant, chat with an OB-GYN about your breast pain and what to expect as your pregnancy progresses. Typically, it goes away before the second trimester.
Remember, bring any suspicious lumps to the attention of your doctor as soon as you can.