If you have ever been sexually active, you might know the terrifying feeling that you could be pregnant when you were not expecting it — a pregnancy scare. Some are quite minor: You might have been having weird stomach aches or think your breasts have changed.
Pregnancy scares are fairly common. A 2011 survey done by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, now called Power to Decide, found that 54 percent of young women surveyed said that they've had a pregnancy scare.
Being afraid of getting pregnant doesn't automatically mean that your concerns are a cause for concern, that you are paranoid, or that you have tokophobia or OCD. In fact, some degree of worry is widespread. Estimates suggest that up to 80 percent of women feel some degree of anxiety over pregnancy and childbirth.
Pseudocyesis, or false pregnancy, is when a person believes they are pregnant. Physical symptoms like weight gain and morning sickness may trick the body into believing conception occurred. Despite feeling pregnant, there's no fetus. Don't be afraid to ask for help and don't feel ashamed or embarrassed.
There's only one way to find out for sure if you're pregnant: take a pregnancy test.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the chance of conceiving from pre-cum is about 20% if you're using the withdrawal method. So, while it's low risk, it's not impossible.
Of the 901 women in our analytic sample, 85 women (9%) reported 114 pregnancy scares during the 18-month study period. The majority reported only one pregnancy scare (78%), but a substantial proportion reported two (13%), and even three or four scares (9%).
The only way to know whether or not you're pregnant is through a pregnancy test. Wondering whether or not you're pregnant can be an anxiety provoking experience, especially if you feel it may not be the right time for a pregnancy. Many women worry whether or not they're pregnant and prolong taking a test.
High levels of stress or anxiety can cause irregular menstrual periods, which can sometimes be mistaken as a symptom of pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting, heightened sensitivity to smells, breast soreness, fatigue, frequent urination, constipation—these may be signs that you are “pregnant”.
How does a pregnant belly feel in early pregnancy? For most of your first trimester, you may not feel much, if any, difference in your belly. It will probably be soft and look a little bigger – similar to when you get bloated during your period or after you've eaten a large meal.
Guys can leak a bit of sperm out of the penis before ejaculation. This is called pre-ejaculate ("pre-cum"). So even if a guy pulls out before he ejaculates, a girl can still become pregnant. Unlike during an orgasm, a guy can't tell exactly when the pre-ejaculate is released.
The sperm enters the egg in the fallopian tube. It can happen even 3-5 days after ejaculation. There is no way for either of the partners to know if the sperm entered the egg. The only way to know for sure if the sperm did enter the egg is after a positive pregnancy test.
The most straightforward way is to wash the vaginal area gently with warm water. The American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) recommend using mild, unscented soap around the vaginal area. It is best to avoid perfumed soaps as these can cause irritation by disturbing the pH level of the vagina.
How effective is the pull-out method? The pull-out method is about 80% effective. About one in five people who rely on the pull-out method for birth control become pregnant.
You can carry out most pregnancy tests from the first day of a missed period. If you don't know when your next period is due, do the test at least 21 days after you last had unprotected sex. Some very sensitive pregnancy tests can be used even before you miss a period.
Take a home pregnancy test
The cheapest, easiest, most accessible way to confirm you're pregnant is with a home pregnancy test. This form of testing can identify a positive pregnancy result as early as two weeks after fertilization, making it one of the fastest ways to learn more about your situation.
You're more likely to get pregnant around the time you are ovulating. This is when an egg becomes ready and you are at your most fertile. If you are under 40 and have regular sex without using contraception, there is an 8 in 10 chance you will get pregnant within 1 year.
Cryptic pregnancy is rare. Studies estimate that 1 in 400 or 500 women are 20 weeks (about 5 months) into pregnancy before realizing it. One in 2,500 women go all the way to delivery before realizing they're having a baby.
Experts suspect that most phantom pregnancies happen due to a mind-body feedback loop, in which a strong emotion causes an elevation of hormones, in turn resulting in physical symptoms that mimic those of a true pregnancy.
Our fantasies represent our dreams, and motherhood is often thought of as a dreamy and dynamic time. During this time, we fantasize as a way to have hope for and understand the future. Our maternal fantasies can also help us cope with new life events and circumstances.
In the first trimester (weeks 0 to 12) it is common to feel mild pains in the lower tummy area. These are caused by hormonal changes and by your growing womb.
Early pregnancy bloating and normal bloating feel exactly the same. Your pregnancy bloating may feel slightly more uncomfortable due to the additional symptoms and increased amounts of gas which can worsen gas pains.