Are You Sexually Active? Lesser-Known Signs of Pregnancy You Should Know about ...

Have you been feeling unusually tired lately? This can be one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. Of course there are many other conditions that can cause fatigue, such as a thyroid problem, and if you haven't been getting enough sleep then you're bound to feel tired. But if you are pregnant, then fortunately you should start to feel less tired after the first trimester.

Your breasts can also be an early indicator of pregnancy. As your breasts prepare to do the job they're designed for - producing milk to feed a baby - they can feel sore and begin to grow and change shape. Your areolas (the area around your nipples) may also grow and become darker.

Missing your period is one of the most common signs of pregnancy. But did you know that you may actually experience light spotting a week or so after conception? So if you've had an unusually light period, you may possibly be pregnant. If your period fails to turn up next month, do a test.

Another sign that you could be pregnant is if you've suddenly become more sensitive than normal to smells. Nobody knows for sure why this happens, but it could be a defence mechanism to help you avoid eating any bad foods that would be dangerous for the baby. You could also have an odd metallic taste in your mouth.

Here's a surprising sign of pregnancy that some women experience - having unusually vivid dreams. It's those pregnancy hormones that are to blame, and may also cause your moods to be all over the place during your pregnancy. However, I have very vivid dreams anyway, so this wouldn't work as a very reliable indication for me!

Again, there are other reasons why you may be peeing more often than normal; diabetes is a common cause of frequent urination. But Mother Nature has arranged it so that your expanding uterus presses on your bladder, hence making you want to head to the bathroom more often than normal. And this will happen even more as the pregnancy progresses!

Have you ever read a book or seen a movie where everyone discovers a woman is pregnant when she faints? This may not be as much down to dramatic effect as you think. Light-headedness can indeed happen in early pregnancy because hormones and a faster heartbeat can cause your blood pressure to drop. So if you've been feeling faint or dizzy, you may be pregnant.

There are other symptoms of pregnancy, but every woman (and indeed, every pregnancy) is different. So you may not experience all of them. But if you have any of them and you're sexually active, you may need to take a pregnancy test. Have you heard any funny myths about pregnancy and babies?