Signs of Pregnancy or PMS?

Why is it that even though I know better, at the end of every cycle I wonder if every little twitch, tingle, or sensation means that I will see a positive pregnancy test? I should know better than to wonder at every little thing since I have been researching and reading about infertility and trying to conceive for over 10 years. My breasts start to hurt so that must be a sign right? Oh, now I feel slightly nauseous so that must be another sign right?

Of course, as much as I or any other woman would like to look at these things and assure ourselves that they are in fact signs of pregnancy, we should all know better. Just because I got a little nauseous last night before dinner, new pimples have shown up on my 38 year old face, and suddenly tuna fish sounds much better than anything else we have in the house doesn't mean that I am pregnant. These are also signs of an impending visit from good old Aunt Flo (your period).

Why do we wonder and worry about all of these little signs? Is it in our nature, in our DNA? Is it somehow hard wired in our brains from thousands of years ago when pregnancy test didn't exist and the only thing to confirm that a pregnancy was a reality was a missed period and "woman's intuition"?

So what are some early signs of pregnancy that are not also signs of PMS?

• Missed period


• Positive pregnancy test

Yes, I hate to say it as much as you hate to read it, but that's it ladies – only two early signs of pregnancy that cannot also be signs of PMS. A missed period is a period that never arrives, or in the case of when to test, a missed period is at least 3 days late. A positive pregnancy test is just that, a positive pregnancy test. The only times when a false positive pregnancy test occurs is either when you have waited too long to look at the results and see an evaporation line or you recently miscarried and some of the pregnancy hormone is still in your urine and therefore showing up on the test.

Now, the case may be a little different if you have never experienced any signs of PMS and they only show up at the end of your cycle for the first time. Then you might be able to say that you "knew" before you actually took a test, providing that the test is positive, of course.

What is my reason for writing this? More than anything I think I just wanted to let you all know that you are not alone. You are not the only "crazy woman" that thinks every little thing is a sign of pregnancy. You are not the only one that if it doesn't turn out that way gets depressed, and wonders why.

Here I sit asking myself if every little thing is a reason to suspect pregnancy or is it just PMS. Yes, I have been nauseous for about three days now, and yes my breast are tender along with a few other signs. But, I have not yet broken down and taken a pregnancy test yet, because as I said before, it could just be Aunt Flo announcing her arrival.

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