How to Know if Your Girlfriend Is Pregnant

Co-authored by Lisa Shield and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: March 23, 2022 References

Maybe your girlfriend’s feeling a little funky, or you just have a gut feeling that something is off. Could pregnancy be the cause? One thing’s for sure: pregnancy is never an easy topic to bring up, no matter how long you’ve been together. Try not to panic, though. While talking with her and having her take a pregnancy test is the only way to know for sure if she’s pregnant, there are plenty of verifiable symptoms that can help you figure out what’s going on.

1

Missed period

The hormone changes of pregnancy cause a woman’s period to stop completely. You probably don’t know the ins and outs of your GF’s period, and that’s okay! Chances are, she’s mentioned it off-hand in a conversation before, or you’ve noticed her stashing some extra tampons or pads before an outing or trip. If she hasn’t mentioned her period in over a month, there’s a chance that she missed it completely.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- These are good clues to watch out for, but they aren’t irrefutable proof that she’s pregnant. Some women like their privacy and may not share any details about their period when it comes around.
- At the start of a pregnancy, a woman may “spot,” or lightly bleed from her vagina. This is easy to mix up with a regular period, but it’s actually a key sign of a successful pregnancy.^{[2]
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2

Morning sickness

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of a starting pregnancy. Better known as “morning sickness,” these unpleasant symptoms tend to flare up in the early weeks of pregnancy. If your GF seems to be getting sick without any rhyme or reason, morning sickness might be the cause.^{[3]
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- “Morning sickness” is actually a misleading name, since pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting can happen at any hour of the day.^{[4]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- You might say something like, “I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well, babe. Do you think it’s a stomach bug or something?”

3

Repeated bathroom trips

Pregnant women have to pee frequently at the beginning of their pregnancy. During pregnancy, a woman’s body creates extra blood, which gets processed through her kidneys. This extra blood leads to extra waste, which turns into extra pee. If your GF seems to be taking way more bathroom breaks than usual, there could be something else at play.^{[5]
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- Keep other factors in mind, too. For instance, your girlfriend might head to the bathroom a little more frequently if she just chugged a glass of water.

4

Tender breasts

Pregnancy-related hormone changes may cause her breasts to feel sore. The next time you and your girlfriend get together, see if she complains about her chest feeling a bit sore or tingly. Just keep in mind that tender breasts are also a common side effect of periods, too.^{[6]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
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5

Headaches

Big hormone shifts in early pregnancy can lead to nasty headaches. The occasional headache isn’t anything to worry about, but frequent headaches could signify something bigger in the works. Try to count how many headaches she has in a week, and see if that number is higher than usual.^{[7]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- In addition to headaches, hormone changes can cause some pregnant women also feel a bit lightheaded.
- Keep in mind that headaches are really common and can mean a lot of different things. If headaches are the only real change you notice in your GF, pregnancy probably isn’t the cause.
- You could say something like, “Wow, you’ve had a lot of headaches this week. Are you feeling okay?”

6

Tiredness

Increased hormone production leaves women feeling extra sleepy. During pregnancy, a woman’s body produces a ton of progesterone, which causes her to feel pretty exhausted. With this in mind, see if your girlfriend feels more tired than usual, or if she takes more naps than she typically does. ^{[8]
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- It’s important to note that fatigue is a really common side effect that’s connected with a variety of different health issues, like anemia, stress, and anxiety disorders.^{[9]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}

7

Bloating

An uncomfortable bloating feeling can be a sign of pregnancy. As you spend time together, see if she complains about having a stomachache or something similar. Bloating usually happens during the early weeks of pregnancy, so it’s a good warning sign to look out for.^{[10]
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- Bloating on its own isn’t necessarily a pregnancy sign. Some women also feel bloated right before their periods begin again.^{[11]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}

8

Feeling hot

Pregnant women feel warmer on a day-to-day basis. During pregnancy, a woman’s body naturally makes more blood, which causes her blood vessels to get a little wider. This forces the blood near the skin’s surface, making her skin feel a little hotter than usual.^{[12]
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9

Moodiness

Pregnancy-related hormone changes may impact her overall mood. Pay close attention to how your girlfriend acts around you. Is her mood pretty consistent, or does she get moody for no apparent reason? While the occasional bad mood is no big deal, frequent mood swings could be a cause for concern.^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

10

Food cravings

Some women crave random foods when they’re pregnant. There’s no real rhyme or reason to this, and there’s no consistent food that women crave, either. Some might prefer sweets, like ice cream, candy, and chocolate, while others prefer more savory foods, like fish. See if your GF starts eating a certain type of food more than normal–that could be a sign that’s something up.^{[14]
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- Pregnancy cravings can also involve really weird food combos, like cheese-wrapped pickles.^{[15]
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11

Food aversions

Random foods might seem completely disgusting. Some foods become completely unappetizing to pregnant women, with coffee, tea, spicy dishes, fatty dishes, eggs, and meat being common offenders. If your GF suddenly doesn’t want to eat foods she normally likes, it could be a sign of something bigger.^{[16]
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- Food aversions alone definitely aren’t solid proof of pregnancy. For example, she might not be in the mood to eat eggs and toast, but that doesn’t mean she hates eating eggs all of the sudden.

12

Smell sensitivity

Pregnant women are often extra sensitive to different smells. Whether you’re cooking, enjoying takeout, or lighting a scented candle, see how she reacts to a variety of scents. Pregnant women tend to have a more potent sense of smell, and may comment when something smells a little strong.^{[17]
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Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
- There isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to back this up, but many pregnant women agree that it’s true.^{[18]
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- You might say something like, “Your sense of smell is way better than mine. I never would’ve noticed that if you hadn’t said something!”

13

Metallic taste

Certain women get a metallic taste in their mouths when they’re pregnant. Wait and see if your GF makes any comments about how her mouth tastes like a bunch of nickels and dimes. While this “metallic” taste test isn’t conclusive evidence of pregnancy, it is a fairly common side effect among pregnant women.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

14

Pregnancy test

An at-home pregnancy test is the best way to confirm if she’s pregnant. These tests work their magic by testing urine for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that’s only produced during pregnancy. Sit down with your girlfriend and see if she’d be comfortable taking one of these at-home tests. Explain to her that you’ll both have more time to think about and weigh your options if she takes the test early on.^{[20]
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- Pregnancy tests are sold at pharmacies and most big-name retail stores.^{[21]
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  [v161948_b01]. 15 September 2021.} Some tests cost less than $5.
- It's best to take a pregnancy test in the morning.^{[22]
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  [v161948_b01]. 15 September 2021.}
- Your girlfriend can either dip the test in a cup of your urine or use an eyedropper applicator to draw up the urine and put it on the designated area on the tip of the test.^{[23]
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  [v161948_b01]. 15 September 2021.}
- Let your girlfriend know that you love and support her and that the decision to take a pregnancy test is completely her decision. You might say, “I know that this is really scary, but you’re not alone in any of this. Whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you 100%.”