Pregnancy starts when a fertilized egg implants into the lining of your uterus. That can take up to 6 days after sex, so it’s important to track your period closely.
It’s also a good idea to use emergency contraception (EC) within 5 days of unprotected sex. Keep reading for more information on pregnancy timelines, symptoms, and how soon after sex you can take a home test.
1. Spotting
It’s important to remember that pregnancy doesn’t happen right away after sexual activity. It takes several days for sperm and an egg to join together, form into a fertilized embryo, and implant into the uterus lining to create a pregnancy. This means that spotting can occur up to two weeks after sex.
If spotting occurs before the middle of your period, it could be implantation bleeding. This is light spotting that happens when a fertilized egg attaches to the uterus lining and starts growing. This spotting is pinkish and doesn’t contain blood clots. It can also be accompanied by cramping and tenderness.
Bleeding after sex can also be caused by a sexually transmitted disease (STD) like chlamydia or gonorrhea. If you are concerned about this possibility, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor. Your gynecologist will do a pelvic exam and pap smear to test for an infection and determine the cause of the bleeding.
Sometimes spotting can be caused by damage to the cervix due to friction or lack of lubrication during sexual activity. This type of spotting is not usually a sign of pregnancy, but it’s a good idea to contact Spartanburg & Pelham OB-GYN for an appointment, especially if it’s consistent or accompanied by other symptoms.
2. Nausea
Nausea after sex can be a frightening experience, especially if it’s accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal cramping or headaches. However, it’s important to remember that nausea and vomiting during and after sex isn’t necessarily a sign of pregnancy. It may also be due to things such as swallowing too much lubrication, allergic reactions to certain condoms or lubes, food poisoning, alcohol poisoning, or even from anxiety or trauma associated with sexual activity. If your nausea is accompanied by STD symptoms such as itching, burning, or pain during intercourse, be sure to talk to a doctor immediately about getting an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness, a missed period, and breast tenderness don’t usually start until two weeks after the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus. Although many women believe that spotting and nausea are an early indication of pregnancy, they can actually happen at any time during a woman’s menstrual cycle and have nothing to do with the timing of sperm fertilizing an egg.
Many people confuse the feeling of nausea after sex with morning sickness, so they assume that they are pregnant. However, it’s important to note that morning sickness usually starts around the same time as a female’s first missed period. Symptoms of nausea and morning sickness often go hand in hand with other early signs of pregnancy, such as fatigue, sore or enlarged breasts, and increased discharge from the cervix.
3. Breast Tenderness
Sore breasts are a common pregnancy symptom that can occur as early as a week after conception. The cause of this is due to the body’s increased levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. This can cause the glands in the breasts to begin growing which can lead to them becoming sore and tender.
It’s important to note that breast tenderness isn’t always a sign of pregnancy, especially in girls who have never had children before. There are many other factors that can cause a woman’s breast to become sore and tender including hormonal imbalance, birth control pills, impending menstruation, or even PMS.
However, if the soreness of your breasts is accompanied by other pregnancy symptoms such as nausea or fatigue then it’s worth getting a test done. A visit to the Pregnancy Care Center can provide a free pregnancy test and a free ultrasound (in most cases) which is a great way to know for sure if you’re pregnant.
It’s also a good idea to try and avoid over-working your breasts by not touching them as much or wearing tight fitting clothes that will put pressure on the area. You can also use a breast massager to help ease the soreness or take over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. In some cases, breast soreness can be caused by an infection such as mastitis.
4. Feeling Uncomfortable
There is a high chance that you will feel uncomfortable during sex early in pregnancy because your breasts are tender and your bump may be getting in the way. It’s also normal for your sex drive to change during pregnancy, and you might find that you don’t want sex as much as before. If this happens, talk to your partner about it. It’s important to be honest about how you are feeling and what other ways you can be intimate together, such as kissing, mutual masturbation and massage.
You might also have pain during orgasm and feel crampy after you’ve had sex because your uterus is preparing for labor. This is normal, but it’s important to mention to your partner if you are uncomfortable so they can change positions or use different methods.
It’s also possible that you will experience spotting after having sex because your cervix is changing and hormones are raging, so it can get irritated easily. This is nothing to worry about, though, and it should clear up within a day or two.
Many women have anxiety about having sex during pregnancy because they think that it could harm their unborn baby. But as the Mayo Clinic explains, your baby is well protected inside its amniotic sac and cannot be hurt by sex. Even if you do experience a miscarriage in the first trimester, it’s unlikely that sex caused it, as most of them are due to other reasons, such as chromosomal abnormalities that develop before fertilization.
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