A-Z Pregnancy Symptoms

Did your pregnancy dreams include visions of a neat rounded belly, and little kicks that made your heart flutter? While it's true that pregnancy has its share of wonderful moments and experiences to cherish, it also has a raft of less than fabulous pregnancy symptoms - including many you'd rather not discuss in public and many you'd probably like to forget (which you will, by the way, since forgetfulness is another symptom).

There are pregnancy symptoms you expected (like morning sickness – which also arrives in the evening) and symptoms you almost definitely didn't (like constipation, nosebleeds and bleeding gums). It's probably reassuring to know that you're not alone suffering these ailments - you're actually joining millions of other expectant women who are also wading their way through a different selection of pregnancy complaints. But it also helps to have some tried and true remedies at your (swollen) fingertips that will allow you to navigate around the majority of pregnancy grumbles.

Varicose veins

Varicose veins Unfortunately the pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes the muscular walls of the veins, makes the valves inefficient and makes circulation sluggish.

Thrush

Thrush
This extremely irritating fungal infection of the ...

Itching

Itching
Many women find that, as the skin of their abdomen...

Quickening

Quickening
This is an old-fashioned but very descriptive term...

Depression

Depression
...

Morning Sickness

Morning Sickness
Morning sickness affects about 50 per cent of all pregnant mothers to some extent.

Backache

Backache in Pregnancy
Because the weight gained in pregnancy (around 2 stone) is carried mainly at the front, your back is under increasing pressure as pregnancy advances. In addition, the pregnancy hormones progesterone and relaxin have a softening effect on the ligaments of the body, including those in the back, making them more elastic in preparation for birth. If you posture in poor your abdominal muscles weak, and you are careless about lifting and carrying, your back could be at risk.