13 Pregnancy Side Effects That May Take You By Surprise!

Heartburn, uncontrolled cravings, excessive cervical mucus, stuffy nose – these are a few of the pregnancy side effects that almost anyone talks about. However, it`s possible not to have heard about the fact that some women are craving for dirt (pica) or produce so much saliva that they need to spit. Find out more about these surprising side effects to stay well informed for the most important period of time from a woman`s life.

Spotting

Some women experience small amounts of leakage of blood in red, pink or brown colors. It`s a natural symptom of pregnancy and indicates the fact that the egg fertilized starts to penetrate the lining of the uterus, which happens at around 6 days from fertilization. When abdominal cramps accompany spotting, they announce the same thing: that the implantation occurred and since now the fertilized egg will start its development, becoming first an embryo, then a fetus, and then 9 months later a baby. However, if this side effect is accompanied by pain, it`s recommended to consult your doctor immediately as this may very well be a sign of ectopic pregnancy.

Excessive Saliva

Do you feel the constant need to spit? Experts still have no real proof why so many future mothers salivate so much during pregnancy, but nausea and hormonal changes can be some of the causes of this symptom.

Pica

You have, all of a sudden, cravings for non-food stuff, such as ice, chalk or even dirt? Then it`s possible to be diagnosed with pica. No one really knows what cause these pregnancy symptoms, but it`s believed that a combination of bio-chemical, psychological and cultural factors can be the cause.

Cervical Mucus in Excess

An increase of the progesterone level may lots of times lead to an excessive discharge of cervical mucus. Some women may notice only small amounts of cervical mucus, while others larger amounts.

Stuffy Nose

Do you feel life you have a stuffy or runny nose? Then you are one of the 20% to 30% pregnant women who experience congestion during pregnancy. Pregnancy rhinitis, as it`s called, may start to take effect even from the beginning of the second month of pregnancy and could continue until birth, or even a few weeks after. – Read this!

Respiratory Failure

Are you short of breath? You aren`t the only one! It`s something quite common to feel breathlessness and you are near the moment of birth or even during the first few stage of pregnancy.

Cravings & Taste Changes

The increase of hormone level in blood can be reflected in saliva. It`s possible to feel a metallic taste in your mouth that would alter the taste of food. Some women don`t eat meat, while others make faces when tasting toothpaste.

It`s possible you may have heard stories about the strangest things that pregnant women crave for, things that are not food related, such as dust, chalk or clay. This type of cravings represents a medical condition known as pica.

No one really knows why pregnant women experience cravings. According to some research, some believe that this happens because the organism needs vitamins and minerals. If you crave for a certain thing, it`s not a problem to satisfy it, as long as it`s food. However, if you feel the need to eat foods rich in fat or with a low nutritional value, try to find a replacement. If you normally don`t take any multivitamins, this can be a good moment to start.

Dizziness

Do you feel a bit dizzy now that you are pregnant? During the entire period of pregnancy, your cardiovascular system and blood pressure suffer a lot of changes. On occasion, your body cannot keep up with these changes, which might make you feel rather dizzy.

Itchy Nipples

Yes, another side effect of pregnancy that you may experience is to sometimes experience itchy nipples. In conclusion, if you aren`t sure you are pregnant and you also experience some of these other signs, it may be safe to assume that in 9 months you are expecting a baby:

• Your nipples may become more sensitive – some women even claim that they become so sensitive that is irritating;
• You may experience swelling or pain in your breasts;
• The nipples and areolas may become darker;
• The veins from around the breasts may become bigger and more visible;
• The small bumps on the areolas may increase in size.

Gas Attack

Gases in excess are on top of the list when it comes to pregnancy side effects, especially during the first trimester.

These problems are caused by the increased level of progesterone, which leads to the motility of stomach, allowing gas to build up in the intestines and then be suddenly removed by flatulence or burping when you least expect it.

A solution! Follow your diet carefully! Reduce specific foods, such as beans or broccoli, as well as fizzy drinks, and you`ll get significant effects. Also, eat less and more often.

Vomiting

The stories about morning sickness from the beginning of pregnancy are already legendary. But what a lot of women don`t know is how quickly can they pass from a bit of nausea to vomiting – sometimes in the most uncomfortable situations.

Nausea is an important part in almost all pregnancies. But there are things that you can do to avoid such awkward situations in which you may end up vomiting on someone. One of the suggestions that doctors offer is to change the moment during a day when you take your prenatal vitamins.

Try to take them during the night and always take them with food – this may help you a lot to get rid of morning sickness. If this won`t help, talk to your doctor about switching to a combination of vitamins with a low iron content, because this is one of the components which often leads to nausea.

Another option that you could try is to wear anti-nausea bracelets. These bracelets are designed to press an acupuncture nerve which is related to nausea and it`s believe that it helps in reducing morning sickness, and thus reducing the risk of sudden vomit. You may also try candies or ice cream with a flavor of lemon or ginger, which have a similar antiemetic effect.

Pimples

You may be surprised to discover that although you don`t usually have pimples, you may start to experience these problems during early pregnancy – because they number among the early pregnancy signs. However, the facial skin will be repaired as soon as the hormone levels will adjust. The best thing would be to just wait to go away on their own and not squeeze them because this may lead to scars or spread of bacteria.

Headaches

Due to the changes that happen in your body, headaches are a frequent symptom during pregnancy. Still, headaches taken alone with no other symptom cannot be a reliable sign that can indicate a pregnancy, since there are lots of other reasons that can determine these pains. A new type of headache should always be evaluated by your doctor.