What are some common signs of pregnancy?

The signs of pregnancy can vary from person to person, but some of the most commonly recognized early symptoms include a missed menstruation and nausea. A missed period is often one of the first and most obvious signs for individuals who have regular menstrual cycles, as it can indicate that conception has occurred. Nausea, commonly referred to as "morning sickness," is another frequent symptom that many people experience during the early stages of pregnancy due to hormonal changes, particularly an increase in human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and estrogen. These two signs together highlight a significant physiological change, signaling that a person may be pregnant.

Other options present symptoms that, while they may occur in certain situations, are not as direct indicators of pregnancy. For example, headaches and fatigue could be caused by a wide range of factors, increased appetite is often associated with several conditions, and joint pain may be tied to different health issues altogether.