Difference between Pregnancy Symptoms and Menstrual Symptoms
Menstruation and pregnancy are two important experiences or parts of life of a woman and both are correlated. Both of these are indicators of the reproductive age which starts in the teens and ends with menopause. Both these are influenced by hormones and have lot of impact on the body and psychology of a woman.
Menstruation is a process when the uterus sheds its layer which it prepares for conceiving. This shedding of the layer involves bleeding through vagina under the influence of estrogen hormone. The internal layer of the uterus also known as uterine endometrium is enlarged during this period. Progesterone hormone is responsible for sustaining the uterine endometrium but when the level of progesterone declines, this layer breaks and flows out with blood.
Many women experience pain in abdomen, heaviness in the breasts and a little depression as well. The pain in abdomen is usually cased because the graffian follicle bursts to release the egg.
Absence of menstruation confirms pregnancy in majority of the cases. Some other symptoms of pregnancy may include swelling of the breasts, frequent urination, backache, ankle swelling, vomiting tendency, nausea, morning sickness etc but most of these symptoms occur at different stages of pregnancy and most of them subside with developing pregnancy.
In the later stages of the pregnancy the abdomen enlarges and the veins in the legs may enlarge. Some women may feel constipation and darkening of complexion. The areola becomes dark and larger in size and some women start secreting milk even before they have delivered the baby.