Waiting for a menstrual cycle to begin can be a nerve wracking experience. Is it possible to tell between symptoms of PMS and pregnancy? How are they similar? What are the differences? Let’s explore some of the most common symptoms, and ways to know for sure whether or not you’re pregnant!
What is PMS?
Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS as it’s commonly referred to, occurs when women of reproductive years experience at least one symptom (either physical, emotional, or mental) during the luteal phase of the cycle that resolves with the start of menstruation.
Research is still ongoing as to the exact cause of PMS, but it is likely a combination of factors, including low levels of progesterone.
Each menstrual cycle consists of several reproductive hormones, but two of the dominant ones are estrogen (which increases before ovulation) and progesterone (which increases after ovulation). If progesterone doesn’t rise or stay elevated as it’s designed to, symptoms may emerge, like abdominal or back pain, headaches, breast tenderness, bowel upsets, mood swings, anxiety, anger, irritability, or difficulty sleeping. Interested in confirming that your progesterone is rising successfully? Try out our confirm tests!
It’s estimated that almost half of women experience these symptoms, which begin days before the next expected period and go away with the start of the menstrual cycle.
What symptoms do PMS and pregnancy have in common?
You may have noticed that several of these symptoms are similar to ones experienced in early pregnancy. Tender breasts, mild cramping, and bowel upsets could point to either PMS or pregnancy.
How can I tell which is which?
The reality is that it’s not possible to know whether or not you’re pregnant when you experience symptoms like this, since they are common in either scenario. Mild cramping, for instance, could be the start of your menstrual cramps or it could be pregnancy cramps from the early stages of uterine growth.
Instead, it may be helpful to focus on the symptoms that are a bit more unique to either PMS or early pregnancy.
What are other common symptoms of PMS?
Because reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone are increasing in early pregnancy, looking for symptoms of decreasing hormone production may be helpful. Things like headaches, constipation, anxiety, and restlessness can occur with PMS.
If you experience back or low back pain before your period starts, this may also be a helpful sign that it’s PMS and not pregnancy.
PMS can also be so severe that it impacts your ability to go about your day and work or socialize like normal. This form is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and often includes more mental and emotional symptoms like anxiety and depression.
What are other common symptoms of early pregnancy?
Fertilization of an egg happens around the time of ovulation, but it’s still quite a while before a pregnancy test can be positive. It takes around a week for the fertilized egg to travel to the uterine lining for implantation, and several days after that for the implanted embryo to produce hCG (the hormone measured by pregnancy tests). Only after the embryo has implanted are you likely to experience symptoms, which means they are more common around the time of a missed period.
Some of these common pregnancy symptoms are intense fatigue, sore nipples, tearfulness, sensitivities to smell, or food aversions (with or without vomiting).
One major sign of early pregnancy is a missed period. If you were able to identify ovulation, then you can count on your period happening anywhere between 10-14 days afterward. If that time comes and goes, it’s time to take a pregnancy test!
How do I know if I’m pregnant?
If you’re experiencing PMS symptoms instead of early pregnancy, they will all stop when your menstrual flow begins. When your period starts, your reproductive hormones are “reset” and a new cycle, with new reproductive hormones, begins. Menstruation is also a concrete sign that you are not currently pregnant.
If you experience spotting only, and your symptoms continue past your expected period start date, try taking a pregnancy test.
At home pregnancy tests are the easiest way to know for sure if you are pregnant or not. In order to get the most accurate results, wait until the day your period is expected or later, and use the urine from your first bathroom trip of the day. It is possible to have a false negative if you test too early after ovulation or your urine sample is too diluted.
Whether you’re trying to get pregnant, or hoping you’re not, knowing the difference between PMS and pregnancy symptoms can help in the days before your period is expected! The most definitive way to know, though, is to take a pregnancy test once you’ve missed the start of your period.
