Early pregnancy symptoms can sometimes happen before a missed period and before apositive pregnancy test. Especially the 3, 4, 5, and 6 weeks pregnant signs.  Early pregnancy symptoms and signs are usually related to thepregnancy hormone hCG or "Human Chorionic Gonadotropin" which is responsible for pregnancy signs. Even though hCG is usually not detectable in large number until after a missed menstrual period, there are many women who report having typical pregnancy symptoms even before they miss their period. There are early detection pregnancy tests available than can confirm pregnancy as early as 6 - 8 days after conception has occured (well before a missed period).

If you're like everyone else then you're trying to figure out what the signs of pregnancy or pregnancy symptoms are and how likely they are to mean that you are pregnant. Read more about a day-by-day appearanceof pregnancy signs on the Pregnancy Symptoms Timeline Page. You can ask other people, you can worry in silence, but the best thing is to read through the categories and add up the signs. The more typical early pregnancy signs you have, the more likely you are to be pregnant.

Early pregnancy symptoms and signs differ from one woman to the other and from one pregnancy to the other. The most significant early pregnancy sign is a late or missed menstrual period. However, the only definite diagnosis even with the best pregnancy sign is to have a positive pregnancy test.

Understanding the signs and symptoms of pregnancy is important because each symptom may be related to something other than pregnancy. Some women experience early pregnancy signs within a week after ovulation/fertilization and conception.

In other women, early pregnancy symptoms and signs may develop much later, well after a missed period and after a positive pregnancy test. Other women may not have early pregnancy signs at all.
The first pregnancy symptoms and the time of their appearanceare listed here:  

Pregnancy Symptoms	Timing of Pregnancy Symptom
Temperature drop (dip)	Implantation day
Implantation bleeding or spotting:(a slight staining of a pink or brown color)	8-10 days after ovulation
Lower abdominal cramps /Implantation cramps / hot flashes	8-10 days after ovulation
A positive blood hCG pregnancy test	10 days after fertilization/ovulation
A positive urine home pregnancy test (HPT)	10-14 days after ovulation/fertilization
An elevated BBT	15+ days without a menstrual period
No period. A missed menstrual period (amenorrhea)	Your period is supposed to come 14-16 days after ovulation
Nausea	2-4 weeks after ovulation
Nipple or breast tenderness	3-4 weeks after conception
Fatigue and tiredness	3-10 weeks after conception
Vomiting	3-10 weeks after conception
Food cravings	1-2 months after conception
Frequent urination	Usually after 1-2 months
Softening of cervix	6+ weeks after LMP
Constipation	Later
Lower-back pain	Later
Darkening of areola (area around breast nipple)	After 14 weeks
Fetal heartbeat on sonogram	8-9 weeks after conception
Fetal movements	18-20+ weeks