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Differences between pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome

pregnancy symptoms premenstrual syndrome

How to tell if you are pregnant or it is premenstrual syndrome?

Looking for a pregnancy always involves some nerves, especially when the day of the period approaches, and it does not arrive. 

And it is possible that even if your period is only a day late, but the usual thing is that you begin to analyze the symptoms and discomfort. 

This tiredness today... is it normal, or am I pregnant? And this sensitivity that I notice in my breasts: it is a sign of pregnancy, but it is also common in premenstrual syndrome (PMS)... So the question is whether they are signs of symptoms of menstruation or pregnancy

 

And there is many symptoms of pregnancy that coincide with sensations that are experienced just before the period comes down that are also the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome: increased appetite, desire for sweet foods, mood swings or breast volume growth. 

 

These similarities can create confusion and some other disappointment when trying to get pregnant. There may even be differences between the flow premenstrual and pregnancy, we tell you everything. 

 

There are many times when we see only what we want to see and understand what we previously wanted to understand, without finishing paying attention to what is really in front of our eyes or what they are explaining to us. 

 

In the case of a situation as delicate as the search for a pregnancy this is especially true. 

Even knowing that some symptoms can be difficult to differentiate, we are going to try to shed a little light on the subject to avoid misunderstandings and give you some advice so that you can differentiate between period symptoms with premenstrual syndrome and pregnancy, or what is the same, between if they are own discomfort or premenstrual pain or is a positive. 



 

 

(Fairly) clear symptoms of pregnancy

Absence of the rule

Although it is the clearest symptom of pregnancy ... it may not be. The delay of more than a week or even the lack of periods during an entire cycle can make us believe that, indeed, we are pregnant. 

Unfortunately, the delay or absence of the rule can have many other causes besides pregnancy, so it could not serve as a tool to discover if you are pregnant or there is a lack for some other reason. 

Most pharmacy pregnancy tests are sensitive from the fourth week of gestation, so you could get rid of doubts with some ease.

If finally the cycle does not come and you are not pregnant, it does not have to be serious, but it is convenient that you visit a doctor to study the cause of the lack and also assess if there is abdominal pain.

Stress, weight loss, polycystic ovary syndrome, changes in contraceptive medication, thyroid problems, or even the onset of menopause can be some of the common causes of missed periods.

It may interest you:

When there is a period ... but there is pregnancy

To confuse us, there is what is called implantation bleeding (All about implantation bleeding) that could make us think that the rule is going to start to go down but finally it does not go down. So, there could be a situation where there is a bit of spotting but we are pregnant, which is not considered a rule in itself.

This confusion occurs because when the fertilized oocyte adheres to the endometrial tissue, approximately between 10 and 14 days after conception, it can become a little stained, a pinkish tone. The time of the spotting is just around the date when the rule should come down, so it can be confusing. 

 

How to distinguish implantation bleeding from the rule

Implantation bleeding is light spotting and it doesn't get any worse, compared to menstruation, which usually starts off lightly but then gets worse. You can read more about it and its consistency and features in this post: Implantation bleeding, what it is and how to recognize it. 

 

Altered appetite 

Increased appetite or the desire to eat more sweets is common both during pregnancy and in the pre-menstrual stage of many women. Hormonal changes in estrogen and progesterone levels increase the desire to consume foods rich in sugar or fat. What is not usually so common is developing aversions to certain foods or smells. This would be a more decisive symptom of pregnancy than of being aware of the period and if it would be a difference between symptoms of the period and pregnancy. 

Pagophagia

Among the alterations in the desire to eat, there are also some curiosities that are more frequent among pregnant women and that do not occur during PMS. This is the case of Pagophagia, a strong desire to eat ice or frozen drinks, 

Pike

It is an eating disorder characterized by the need to eat things that are not food (sand, objects, paper, plastics), which can lead to serious health problems. 

 

If this were your case, you should be congratulated on your pregnancy but you should also be recommended to seek medical help to avoid major problems.

 

Nausea 

While mild digestive upset can be common in both PMS and early pregnancy, nausea or vomiting is usually unique to the latter. 80% of pregnant women suffer from them before the 9th week of gestation. And usually these unpleasant symptoms disappear during the second trimester. Some women with very complicated premenstrual syndromes may also experience nausea and vomiting, but these are isolated cases.



 

Visible changes in the nipples 

Swollen breasts period or pregnancy? Although changes in the breasts (swelling, pain and above all, hypersensitivity in the nipples) can be experienced during the days before menstruation, visible changes in the nipples are exclusive to pregnancy. 

An increase in the intensity of the color of the areola, around the nipple, or the continued elevation of the nipple, so that it is more prominent, can be indicative of pregnancy very early, even as early as the first or second week of conception. Thus, the sensitivity in the breasts, the breasts and especially the nipples are very relevant symptoms to be able to differentiate between premenstrual syndrome or pregnancy. A trick? every month register the changes, the sensitivity in the breasts and you will see clearly when a change or sensation does not fit you and that therefore, there is a pregnancy.

 

Nasal congestion, swollen gums.

The increase in hormones in the blood can alter the functionality of all the mucous membranes of the body, including the nose or mouth. Nasal congestion or, conversely, dryness and inflammation of the nasal passages; or the alteration of the gums due to inflammation or bleeding can be symptoms of pregnancy. 

These symptoms could also occur just before menstruation in people with severe premenstrual syndrome, but this is not normal. The most common is that these types of symptoms are experienced at the beginning of a pregnancy. So, if you don't normally suffer this type of discomfort and you suffer it just this month, it could be a difference between premenstrual symptoms or period. 

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Confusing symptoms between pregnancy and PMS symptoms

Although all the “supposedly clear” symptoms of pregnancy also had the possibility of being part of premenstrual syndrome, below we detail the most confusing symptoms when it comes to differentiating the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and pregnancy. 

These are the most diffuse symptoms and the ones that generate the most confusion: 

 

Constipation and increased urge to pee

Progesterone levels relax smooth muscle, thereby slowing down bowel movements and losing bladder tone. And it is that, both in the second phase of the menstrual cycle - prior to the rule - and during pregnancy, the levels of this hormone grow a lot, generating these types of symptoms.

In addition, in case of pregnancy, the increase in metabolic activity and blood volume means that we have more fluids to eliminate. In fact, it will be good to do so to avoid excess fluid retention in the legs and abdomen.

 

Tiredness

During premenstrual syndrome, it is common for sleep disturbances to occur that generate daytime tiredness. In addition, the increase in the hormone progesterone also generates physical and mental lethargy, which is slightly more acute in pregnancy but can also occur, more or less intensely, during premenstrual syndrome, depending on the case. A diet rich in vegetables, lower stress and enough sleep are often helpful in combating fatigue. 

 

Pain 

The main and most common symptom in premenstrual syndrome is pain: pelvic, leg, head... Heat, exercise and a correct diet that lightens the workload on the liver can help with these symptoms that, in general, last short time once the rule comes down. In the case of pregnancy, the pain is usually mild and is usually focused on the lower abdomen or back.

 

Mood swings

Here things get complicated, and a lot. Irritability, anxiety and even symptoms of depression are common to any physiological situation that involves significant variation in the level of hormones in women. And yes, both situations, pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome, are times of important hormonal changes.

Generally, with a little exercise and a good night's rest, these symptoms improve and finally disappear when the period arrives. If this were not the case when two weeks after menstruation and you are not pregnant, it would be recommended that you visit a doctor to identify the reasons and you can work on the solution.

Mood swings in a pregnant woman can last even after delivery. 

 

Despite the fact that it is inevitable to notice and be very vigilant, the presence or absence of these symptoms is not usually of sufficient value to make a clear diagnosis of pregnancy. 

From here, we invite you to cultivate patience as best you can. Especially until you can do a pregnancy test and know where you are. 

We can do our bit with acupuncture. 

Of course, you will have to wait a little while to take a pharmacy test which, if positive, is 100% effective. False negatives, on the other hand, do exist. 

So, if after a negative test, you still have doubts, wait another week and repeat the test. Luck!

 

Symptoms of PMS Common symptoms Pregnancy symptoms
Mild onset spotting that worsens Slight staining  Slight pinkish spotting of onset that slows down
Changes in appetite Aversion to foods or smells
Nausea and / or vomiting
Pagophagia and / or pica
Hypersensitivity in the chest Intensity in the color of the areola and change in the morphology of the nipple
Nasal congestion and gum involvement
Constipation
increased urination
Tiredness and headaches
Major pain, pelvic, head, legs Mild or moderate lower belly pain Mild pelvic or back pain
Mood swings

 

pamper yourself!

To end this post, comment that early detection of pregnancy is usually a good option both for nerves and to know what stage we are in. That is why the choice of pregnancy test and its sensitivity is more important than we might think, I recommend that you read this post about the different pregnancy tests and choose the one that suits you best.

All about the best pregnancy tests, types and sensitivity

 

Books that I recommend

 

  yoga and fertility book Specialized book on Yoga for Fertility

natural fertility book Natural Fertility Book

 

Omega 3 and fertility