PMS Symptoms vs. Pregnancy Symptoms: What Do You Need to Know?

Eventually, the cramping disappears, and there is no withdrawal bleeding. Breast tenderness persists, and it becomes more obvious that the symptoms are due to pregnancy. In the beginning, the hormone levels are just too similar to be able to identify definitively a pregnancy versus PMS symptoms.

Comparison of PMS and Early Pregnancy Symptoms

• Nausea

PMS: A small percentage of women experience nausea during the premenstrual time period.

Pregnancy: One of the most common symptoms of pregnancy - often referred to as “Morning Sickness”, nearly all women experience a combination of nausea and/or vomiting during the 40 weeks of pregnancy.

• Fatigue

PMS: Some women may experience tiredness and fatigue during the premenstrual state

Pregnancy: Typically one of the first early signs of pregnancy. Fatigue as a symptom of pregnancy of pregnancy before a missed period may be caused by increased levels of progesterone.

• Breast Changes & Tenderness

PMS: After ovulation, some women may experience breast changes, such as swelling, enlargement, and tenderness. These symptoms are only temporary and may indicate that your period is coming.

Pregnancy: Breast changes and tenderness is a very common pregnancy symptom and one of the early signs of pregnancy. Heavy, fuller breasts may appear as quickly as two weeks post-partum.

• Cramping

PMS: Some women experience painful stomach cramps 24 to 48 hours prior to the beginning of their period. The pain decreases throughout the duration of the menstrual cycle.

Pregnancy: Mild to slight stomach cramping in early pregnancy is experienced by some women. Similar in intensity to period cramps, these cramps are often felt in the low stomach and back. The experience of cramps in early pregnancy may extend to several weeks or months.

• Mood Swings

PMS: Due to changes in hormone levels, some women find them laughing one minute and crying the next during the premenstrual time period.

Pregnancy: Just as with PMS, these symptoms are a result of changing hormones which may create emotional changes.

How to Deal with Early Pregnancy Symptoms

When it becomes obvious because of a positive pregnancy test and symptoms of early pregnancy that you are pregnant, there are things you can do to help control some of the symptoms. A hot water bottle can be used to ease cramping, and a cold pack can be used on the breasts to ease breast tenderness. Many doctors recommend wearing a tight, supportive bra early in pregnancy to take down some of the tender nipple pain you experience in early pregnancy.

Tylenol or Advil can be taken for mild discomfort, but most women are reluctant to take any medication during pregnancy, especially in the early stages when development and growth are so rapid. There is no evidence to suggest that these are dangerous in early pregnancy so if your doctor says it’s okay, you can take these medications for your discomfort.

There is medication available for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. If your symptoms are severe, you may be able to get a prescription for this but, again, such medications aren’t proven to be 100 percent safe in pregnancy, so you take a risk taking any medication for early pregnancy symptoms. Years ago, medications were taken by women for nausea in pregnancy that caused severe birth defects. While better testing is available to show that the newer medications are safer in pregnancy than, say, thalidomide was, nothing is absolutely fool-proof, and you are better off tolerating the pregnancy symptoms than you are medicating them.

Read also: Early Pregnancy Symptoms: Top 14 Common and Uncommon Pregnancy Symptoms

Ovulation vs. Pregnancy Symptoms

At the time of ovulation, the cervical mucus is clear and stringy. There may be ovulation pain on one side of the body or the other, and there may be some cramping, signaling ovulation. This does not last, and the corpus luteum is formed on the ovary that can be tender when palpated depending on what size it is. The corpus luteum secretes estrogen and progesterone to try and maintain the fertilized egg until it implants and begins making its own estrogen and progesterone.

If you are pregnant, there may be some increase in cervical mucus but it is usually not similar to ovulatory mucus. It is not stringy or stretchy like ovulation mucus is, and it is usually white in color rather than clear. This is one of the first signs of pregnancy, and it is generally present just at about the time of the missed period. The breast tenderness that is part of PMS symptoms does not go away as it does when you are not pregnant. Instead, the breast tenderness intensifies as the pregnancy hormones are predominant.

Read also: Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms: What Should You Know?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can a woman have a period while she is pregnant?

A woman may notice light vaginal bleeding/spotting around two weeks after conception. It typically last only a few days and is lighter and shorter than a normal period.

Some women may experience intermittent vaginal bleeding during pregnancy that they may confuse for a regular period. Bleeding during pregnancy is not the same thing as bleeding during menstruation.

• What is the difference between spotting and a period?

Spotting is slight vaginal bleeding that leaves light traces of pink or light brown blood. Causes of spotting included ovulation, implantation, the beginning of labor, infection, and other illnesses.

Menstrual bleeding (period) is caused by the body’s natural hormonal cycle. Period bleeding has a heavier flow than spotting and may last from 5 to 7 days. In addition, period blood is bright red and requires the use of pads or tampons.

• How do you know if you are pregnant?

You may experience a variety of symptoms during the time before your period or after your missed period. Keep a log of the symptoms you are experiencing to determine if there is a pattern. Five to six days before your missed period you may choose to take an at-home pregnancy test. You may also choose to an appointment with your health-care provider to get a blood test to detect pregnancy hormones in your body.