# Do women "know" when they are pregnant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 3, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318 "2004-05-03T18:56:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sandlegs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@Sandlegs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandlegs)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/1 "2004-05-03T18:56:17Z")
Do any women here who have had children just had an overwhelming knowledge that “i’m pregnant” and you were. Is there something that just lets you know? I’m not talking really about the usual symptoms, just an overwhelming sense that you were pregnant. thanks. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/2 "2004-05-03T19:12:34Z")
I always knew fairly early, but it was due to actual symptoms, not just a “feeling.” ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/3 "2004-05-03T19:16:02Z")
I never bought a pregnancy test that didn’t end up being positive. With my first, I knew very early on - a week before I was late, at least. I couldn’t tell you how I knew, but it was just there. I knew it. I waited patiently for the day my period was due, bought a test (in the middle of a tornado warning) and it was positive. Five months after he was born, I was terrified, because I knew that I was pregnant again, and I had a five month old! Once again, off to the store, (no waiting for being “late” because my cycle was still pretty out of whack) and sure enough, I was pregnant. And with my third, I didn’t even tell my husband that I suspected. The day my period was due (and I am by no means like clockwork - at least a 2-3 day variance in either direction) I bought a test and a cigar. When he came home, I gave him the cigar. So I dunno why, but I do know when I am. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/4 "2004-05-03T19:19:47Z")
I knew at two weeks, but there was the chance anyway as I was ovulating while a condom slipped. I knew because my breasts were aching, and the last time I’d felt that was when I was newly pregnant with my son. I think I knew the first time around, but it wasn’t confirmed until my period was 8 days late, and I went for a routine gyn appointment. ---
**Author:** ![Kiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kiki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiki)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/5 "2004-05-03T19:41:18Z")
With my first pregnancy I knew before I missed my period. I can’t really explain it. It was just a feeling that I had. My periods were like clockwork too so the day I was supposed to start, and didn’t, I went and bought a test and sure enough… it was positive. The same thing happened with my 2nd pregnancy. A week before my period was due I took a test and it was positive. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/6 "2004-05-03T20:09:22Z")
I went through fertility treatments. The last one just felt different. It just did, somehow. I knew in my heart that it took. It did! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/7 "2004-05-03T21:11:36Z")
My wife knew 5 out of six times. So have I, not the same kids. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/8 "2004-05-03T21:14:54Z")
My husband had a gut feeling the day it actually happened. I sort of knew before my missed period (general feeling of weirdness, queasiness, cramping, etc.) but the Mr. was in the know long before I was. My mom knew she was preggers with me 3 days after she got pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/9 "2004-05-03T21:44:04Z")
I didn’t with my first two kids - but I knew the day of conception with my last one. My first two were kind of a shock - ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/10 "2004-05-03T21:46:32Z")
I knew with both of mine before I actually took a test. With the first one it was various symptoms which gave it away, with the second though it was just a gut feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/11 "2004-05-03T22:51:24Z")
Some do. I didn’t. I went through two years of trying to conceive. There were several months where I KNEW I was pregnant, but I never had a pregnancy test turn up positive. Then, a few years later, we had our surprise. Missed the first trimester. Completely clueless. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/12 "2004-05-03T23:33:07Z")
I also knew before I missed a period. Just like on our first try, I knew it hadn’t worked. But the second time I had a fulfilled feeling. Also, I was having dreams about baby animals. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/13 "2004-05-04T00:51:27Z")
Friend of mine who’d had a tubal ligation had no clue she was pregnant with her third child until about the 4th month. Really. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/14 "2004-05-04T00:59:59Z")
Color me clueless. I was tired, nauseous, not feeling right, my period was late… it took me awhile to put two and two together. Not like it took me six months to figure it out, but I was a little slow on the uptake considered that we were trying and everything. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/15 "2004-05-04T01:06:44Z")
> [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](#): > > Color me clueless. I was tired, nauseous, not feeling right, my period was late… it took me awhile to put two and two together. Not like it took me six months to figure it out, but I was a little slow on the uptake considered that we were trying and everything. \ Where’s that “misunderstood Doper names” thread? All this time I was reading your name to mean you were cranky now that you’re an old man. Not that you were AS cranky as an old man. :smack: \ ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/16 "2004-05-04T01:19:55Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > \ > > Where’s that “misunderstood Doper names” thread? All this time I was reading your name to mean you were cranky now that you’re an old man. Not that you were AS cranky as an old man. :smack: > > \ Let’s not be too quick to dismiss this–if I were a man I’d have a much better excuse for not realizing I was pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/17 "2004-05-04T02:54:30Z")
I was nearly 3 months gone before I knew, erratic cycle plus a total lack of bothering to keep track. My ex-husband wound up convincing me to accompany him to the all-night drugstore for a test at one in the morning. I had a remarkably symptom-free pregnancy, and no intuitive feelings at all, in fact I was convinced the stick test was wrong until the doctor confirmed it. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/18 "2004-05-04T14:26:32Z")
If women as a rule reliably _knew_, there wouldn’t be a market for all the various flavors of home pregnancy tests. I wondered just this past month; nausea, sore breasts, tiredness, and a condom incident a week or so earlier, but my period showed up on schedule and full force. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to _know_, when the early symptoms are the same as premenstrual symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/19 "2004-05-04T19:01:06Z")
My mother knew she was pregnant 7 days after conception for each of her 4 pregnancies. But that was because she normally has a stomach of iron, and spending 1/2 hour puking over a toilet every morning clues you in early. She says the week waiting to take the test, but KNOWING she was pregnant, and puking every morning like clockwork, was always the worst week of the prenancy, because she didn’t want to get my dad’s hopes up too early. She had morning sickness every day for the first 5 months of every pregnancy, and THAT was the worst week :eek: ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318/20 "2004-05-04T19:09:32Z")
I never know; I go through a lot of pregnancy tests, let me tell you. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-know-when-they-are-pregnant/243318.md?page=2)