Dr. Nesochi discusses some subtle signs of pregnancy on Self.

8 Subtle Signs You Might Be Pregnant And Not Know It

Every week, there seems to be another talk show guest who didn’t realize she was pregnant until surprisingly late in the pregnancy. If that’s any indication, it’s not always obvious when you’re knocked up.

Even if you’re not one of these women who literally learned they were pregnant while giving birth, you might not realize you’re pregnant right away. It’s common for women not to know until three or four weeks in, when they’ve missed a period, says Jennifer Caudle, D.O., family physician and assistant professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

But there are a few ways to figure it out sooner. Here are some frequently overlooked signs that could help you spot a pregnancy before Aunt Flo misses a visit.

1. Your skin suddenly looks different.

Your skin can change in all different ways when you get pregnant. Some women find their skin more radiant or smooth due to increased blood flow, says Caudle, while the less fortunate among us may develop acne. Others experience increased skin pigmentation due to estrogen and progesterone surges, says internal medicine physician Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe, M.D., M.S. This can show up as dark blotches on your face, nipple, or abdomen. Another type of mark, the “linea nigra,” looks like a vertical line stretching from the bottom to the top of your stomach, and can show up in the second trimester.

2. Your breasts feel big or heavy.

During pregnancy, your mammary glands start to grow, which can make your breasts bigger or more tender. Breast growth can also leave the veins on your breasts looking more prominent, says ob/gyn Lizellen La Follette, M.D.

3. You’re exhausted for no apparent reason.

Because your body’s working hard to keep the fetus growing, you can get inexplicably tired. Okeke-Igbokwe describes this fatigue as “an overwhelmingly extreme exhaustion, almost as if one has not slept in several days.” On top of that, the rise in progesterone gives you a sleepy feeling, says La Follette. Combine those two symptoms, and pregnancy can leave you falling asleep at your desk.

4. Your mood is all over the place.

Since your body’s flooded with estrogen and progesterone, you might start to experience PMS-like mood swings when you normally don’t, says Okeke-Igbokwe, especially during the first few weeks.

5. You’re having abnormally strong feelings about food.

Pregnant women are known to have weird food cravings, but the food aversions can be just as strong, says Okeke-Igbokwe. You might find foods you dislike especially repulsive or even find ones you liked suddenly unappealing during the first trimester, says La Follette. You can also become hypersensitive to smell, making you even more easily grossed out.

6. Your heart is racing.

One tool for discovering a pregnancy could be your Fitbit, says La Folette. Since your blood volume drastically increases, your heart rate goes up by about 10-15 beats per minute at the onset.

7. You’ve noticed spotting.

When an embryo implants in the lining of your uterus, it can trigger a light blood flow, La Folette explains. About 20 percent of women experience spotting during their first trimester.

8. You’ve been having some peculiar dreams.

It sounds out there, but dream analyst Lauri Quinn Loewenberg has noticed recurring themes in her clients’ dreams before they’re even far enough along for a pregnancy test. Aside from literally dreaming they’re pregnant, their mothers, Madonna the religious figure, and even Madonna the singer have popped up. This has happened even when the woman’s not thinking about getting pregnant, says Loewenberg. Apparently, your subconscious can know what’s happening in your body before you do.

Any of these signs can be caused by other things, but if there’s a chance you might be pregnant and you notice one of them, it can’t hurt to take a pregnancy test, says Caudle. If it comes out positive, head over to your gyno’s office to confirm it.

If it’s negative, you’re probably not pregnant, but there’s a small chance it could be off. Pregnancy tests detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, which may not show up in the urine less than a week after conception. To be safe, you can take another one a few days later. That’s the only surefire way to avoid ending up on an “I didn’t know I was pregnant” special.

Learn more at Self