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44 Weird, Uncommon and Unusual Early Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

Pregnancy is riddled with common symptoms that we’re all familiar with, such as morning sickness and bloating.

However, there are plenty of weird pregnancy signs that you can experience in both early pregnancy and later on down the road. Be prepared for some of these odd pregnancy symptoms too!

In this article

1. Weird Vaginal Discharge

Women always seem to have vaginal discharge during certain times of the month, but it can almost get gross when you’re pregnant. It can turn yellow or sticky.

This is more common during your first trimester, but some women experience this throughout their entire pregnancy!

2. New Symptoms Of Old Problems

The first time I ever experienced heartburn that caused chest pains was when I was pregnant with my oldest. It hurt so badly I went to the hospital.

Apparently, chest pains can be due to heartburn. (They can also be due to anxiety and a wealth of other issues, but mine were caused by heartburn.) I had experienced heartburn before, but never like that!

3. Your Temperature Rising, A Weird Early Pregnancy Sign

If you suddenly feel hotter than usual, and it doesn’t go away, this could mean that you’re pregnant.

Women typically have a slightly higher than normal body temperature during or after ovulation, but when it stays higher than it used to be it is a signal that you have a bun in the oven!

4. Headaches Are Another Odd Sign Of Pregnancy

headaches during pregnancy

The further along you are, the worse headaches can get. This is because your body is reacting to the hormonal changes it is going through and the change in your blood volume. If the headaches persist, discuss other options with your doctor. 

5. You’ll Feel Thirstier If You’re Pregnant

When you’re pregnant, your body instantly ups your hydration needs. You’ll find yourself always having a bottle of water or your favorite drink in your purse to accommodate the seemingly unquenchable thirst.

This is one of the reasons that pregnant women seem to be known for using the restroom a lot. The other is that when you’re further along the uterus puts additional pressure on the bladder. 

6. Dizziness Is A Common, But Weird, Pregnancy Symptom

Pregnancy usually results in lower blood pressure for some. Unfortunately, this can also make the room spin when you get up too quickly!

It’s common in the first trimester, but some women experience this throughout their entire pregnancy. If you’re eight months along and still experiencing dizziness, discuss it with your doctor.

However, be prepared for them to say that it’s normal and advise you to move from a sitting to a standing position slowly. 

7. Being Constipated Is An Odd Pregnancy Symptom That’s Great For The Baby

Being constipated and pregnancy seem to go hand in hand. One common reason for this is that pregnant women often take prenatal vitamins, which can result in constipation.

Another reason behind not being able to go is that your body slows down when you’re pregnant, especially your digestion process.

This gives the body more time to extract important vitamins and nutrients from the foods you eat to pass them on to your baby. However, it also results in constipation. 

Increase your fiber intake and make sure to get plenty of exercises to help combat constipation. Common foods like oatmeal or certain breakfast cereals are known for having plenty of fiber. 

8. Pregnancy Illnesses Are Another Weird Symptom Of Pregnancy

Your immune system is not nearly as strong when you’re pregnant. This means that you’re more likely to get colds, viruses, and the flu.

tired woman a car

While this is common, most pregnant don’t realize how vulnerable they are too common illnesses during this time. Make sure to take your vitamins and get all the rest that you need while you’re pregnant to help your immune system be as strong as it can be. 

9. Libido Changes Can Catch You Off Guard During Pregnancy

We all know that hormones can affect your mood while you’re pregnant. One minute you’re sad, the next happy, and then you’re angry.

Did you know that they can also affect your sex drive? Get ready for hot and cold periods during hormone fluctuations. This isn’t just an odd symptom of pregnancy, it’s an extremely common one. 

10. Nosebleeds Are An Odd Pregnancy Symptom

These don’t happen in every person that is pregnant, but they do happen enough to make the list! Hormonal changes in your body can give you sudden nosebleeds.

The type that catches you off guard in the middle of the day. If you have a nosebleed, remember not to tilt your head all the way back as this will result in the blood going down your throat, and it can taste rather bad. (I used to get sudden nosebleeds.)

11. Pimples Are The Result Of Hormonal Changes During Pregnancy

When your hormones go crazy, it can feel like you’ve suddenly been thrust into puberty again. Pregnancy can often feel very similar.

Unfortunately, you can also get acne again, just like in the midst of puberty. Remember the methods that worked for you as a teenager, and implement them back into your life. 

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12. Metallic Taste Is Definitely One Of The Weird Pregnancy Symptoms

Fortunately, this odd pregnancy symptom is also one of the uncommon pregnancy symptoms. Women that experience this often get a metallic or metal taste in their mouth for no apparent reason.

Doctors state that it’s due to hormonal fluctuations. Fortunately, it can go away mid-pregnancy. Unfortunately, it can also last throughout the pregnancy. There’s little they can do to get rid of the strange taste. 

13. Shortness Of Breath Is Common In Pregnant Women

If you feel like you’re suddenly really out of shape and have a hard time breathing while walking up the stairs, it could simply be because you’re pregnant.

pregnant woman working

When your body releases progesterone, it can make you breathe more frequently. This means that you will find yourself taking shorter, quicker breaths. The end result is that you feel out of breath most of the time. 

14. Rhinitis Is One Of The More Uncommon Pregnancy Symptoms

This condition results in the interior lining of the nose being inflamed. The end result is that you feel congested non-stop, but there is nothing wrong.

There’s no cold or virus that needs to run its course. Instead, you’re simply stuffed up. To learn more about this odd pregnancy symptom, check out this article. 

15. Not Having Any Symptoms At All

According to research, this isn’t common, but it does happen. Some women can reach the fifth month of pregnancy before they realize that they have a child in their stomachs. This only happens to 1 in almost 500 women! 

16. Accidentally Wetting Yourself (Incontinence)

Sometimes, the urge to go seems to surpass you and suddenly you realize that you’ve accidentally peed yourself. For some women, this only happens when they cough or sneeze.

Other women may simply suddenly experience incontinence. This is due to the uterus taking up significantly more space in your body now. Usually, it passes when pregnancy is up.

Sometimes, it doesn’t seem to go back to normal after having the baby, though. It’s weirdly difficult to hold your pee for some women. This is, unfortunately, normal too. 

17. Excessive Body Hair Due To Hormonal Changes

Remember all those things that you went through during puberty as a girl? Well, it’s time to add in the things that your brother went through as well. Some women grow facial hair.

Others might experience all of their body hair growing much faster than previously. You can even begin growing hair on your belly! It’s okay, though. It stops after you have your baby. 

18. Almost No Hair Growth

Some women have the polar opposite of this. Instead of the hair growing too fast and in unusual places, they quickly discover that they only have to shave their legs every other week.

My daughter was blessed with this pregnancy symptom. If you no longer have to shave your legs while you’re pregnant, enjoy it while it lasts! This also returns to normal after childbirth. 

19. Your Vagina Can Turn Purple (Or Blue!)

As if the pregnancy wasn’t already weird enough! Due to the increased pressure on your nether regions, you can suddenly enjoy a blue or purple vagina. Varicose veins can also pop up seemingly out of nowhere down there.

Thankfully, this doesn’t last. If you’re feeling self-conscious about the appearance, try laying down more to relive some of the pressure to the area.

This can help balance the weight in your body a little bit so that it is not all bearing down on your private area. 

20. Bad Breath Is Due To Pregnancy

All of those hormones can also make bacteria grow, including the bacteria in your mouth. This can cause bad breath.

Make sure that you brush a few times a day, and use plenty of mouth wash! This can help you combat bad breath for the duration of your pregnancy. 

21. Bleeding Gums

pregnant woman dentist

The extra bacteria can also cause gum disease or symptoms of gum disease. It’s common for pregnant women to experience bleeding gums during their entire pregnancy.

If this is happening, schedule an appointment with your dentist. In the meantime, make sure to brush, floss, and use mouthwash regularly.

One of my friends carried a toothbrush in her purse to brush her teeth immediately after eating, and that helped. 

22. Memory Impairment Is Surprisingly Common, Yet Weird

Over 75% of pregnant women experience brain fog. Women report this being from mild to severe, with some not being able to remember simple things, like their address!

The brain fog should start to clear after you welcome your little one in the world. Throughout your pregnancy, it can be helpful to write things down. 

23. Bigger Feet

Some people say that this is because of the extra weight. It causes the feet to spread out more, resulting in them being longer in some instances, and wider in most.

This could also be the result of your body holding on to water weight. The additional shoe sizes could simply be due to swollen feet. Your feet should return to normal just like everything else, though. 

24. Diarrhea Is One Of The Worst Weird Pregnancy Symptoms

Most people associate constipation with being pregnant, but diarrhea is another weird symptom of being pregnant.

Most people assume that they have contracted a stomach bug and head to the doctor’s only to find out that they are pregnant! This subsides during pregnancy in most cases. 

If you’re experiencing diarrhea, it’s important to stay hydrated. Diarrhea can quickly result in you becoming dehydrated, which can land you in the emergency room.

It can also make you sicker, and harm your baby. Pick up some Gatorade to make sure that you are getting plenty of fluids. 

25. Fake Period Is A Symptom Of Early Pregnancy

The symptoms of implantation can weirdly resemble a fake period. Most women experience cramps that feel like period cramps.

It’s also extremely common to have spotting, which can be mistaken for an oddly light period. This can be extremely misleading for women that were suspecting they might be pregnant!

26. Inability To Focus Is A Weird Pregnancy Symptom

When you can’t remember things, it can be even more difficult to function. It seems to get worse when you lose the ability to focus, too! This is weirdly common in pregnant women, though.

pregnant woman working1

Your ability to focus should come back once you have your baby. In the meantime, make sure that you get plenty of rest, water, and exercise so that it doesn’t get worse. 

27. Gas Is A Common But Inconvenient Symptom Of Pregnancy

When you’re pregnant, the gas can get so bad it’s almost impossible to control it. One minute you’re walking down the aisle in the grocery store, and the next you just cleared the aisle because a silent fart slipped out.

You didn’t even know it was there! Burping is one more thing that can come on rather suddenly. If you have another little one, you can save yourself some embarrassment by blaming them!

If not, don’t worry about it. No matter how this weird pregnancy symptom makes you feel, you can make yourself feel better by remembering that it’s extremely common. 

28. Itching Can Signal Pregnancy

When your hormones change in your body, this increases the blood flow to certain areas.

When this happens, you’ll find yourself either scratching like crazy or resisting the urge to scratch your lower abdomen until you can make it somewhere private to do it.

This is another weird, but common, symptom that goes hand in hand with pregnancy. Some women will find that it’s gone by their third trimester but some will discover that it lasts throughout their pregnancy. 

29. Oily Skin Is Often An Unexpected Pregnancy Symptom

face mask

Pregnancy seems to be known for creating a beautiful, pregnant glow. However, this could not be further from the truth. Only some women are blessed enough to have that glowing complexion throughout their entire pregnancy.

Others are cursed with oily skin. The only thing that glows in the oil under the lighting. This is often the reason behind the breakouts that most pregnant women experience too.

Up your skincare routine and take a deep breath. This, too, shall pass. If oily skin persists, try washing your face three times with just plain water.

This might not get rid of oily skin, but it can help prevent the pimples that come with oily skin. Picking up a few face masks to add to your skincare routine is another great idea!

30. Brittle Hair And Nails Are An Uncommon Pregnancy Symptom

Some women are in heaven with pregnancy. Their skin in amazing, their hair is strong and they can finally grow real nails! Others are in the minority, but they do exist.

In some cases, pregnancy results in nails that break easily, hair that stops growing or breaks off, or even hair that slowly falls out.

Check your vitamin intake to make sure that you’re getting plenty of vitamins and minerals, which can help offset the negative impact that pregnancy is having on your body. 

31. Vaginal Thrush Is One Of The Worst Odd Pregnancy Symptoms

When your hormones go crazy, it can easily affect the pH balance. Once that is out of wack, you can develop thrush. For most women, this is relatively short-lived.

However, there are the unlucky ones that experience this off and on throughout their pregnancy. Talking to your doctor about preventative measures can help. 

32. Heightened Sense Of Smell

Once some women get pregnant, they can smell things from a mile away. It seems like their sense of smell is heightened to a superior level.

Because pregnant women can also have an aversion to some smells, this can seem a bit like a curse!

If you have both a heightened sense of smell and an aversion to common smells, try to avoid places where you know you will hate the smell of things to avoid getting sick. 

33. Weird Cravings Are Definitely An Odd Pregnancy Symptom

We’ve all heard of craving different foods. With my son, I ate marshmallows non-stop! However, there are other cravings, too. Some women crave smells, such as the scent of a specific air freshener.

pregnant woman eating

It hits them just like it would as if they were craving food. Women have reported craving scents from candles and air fresheners to laundry soap and having to have a specific type of dryer sheet. 

34. Pica Can Be Due To Pregnancy Instead Of Nutritional Deficiencies

Most people, and doctors, associate Pica, which is the urge to eat things that are not of nutritional value, with a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Having low iron is a common culprit.

However, sometimes it’s just a symptom of pregnancy. If you’re having a hard time resisting the urge to eat paint chips or use rubber as a personal chewy, contact your doctor so that they can double-check.

If there are no nutritional problems, you might be stuck with weird cravings until they simply go away on their own. Ways to fight cravings while you’re pregnant that might help include:

  • Eat regularly to reduce hunger, which can make cravings worse
  • Regular physical exercise
  • Chew sugar-free gum instead
  • Avoid whatever it is that you’re craving
  • Eat various foods
  • Make sure to take your prenatal vitamins

While pregnancy cravings are common, it’s important not to give in to them if they are not food-related. Even something seemingly as harmless as a piece of paper is not good for your baby.

I had low iron and a mess of cravings. I lived by the motto that if I wouldn’t feed it to my child, I shouldn’t eat it. You wouldn’t feed your baby non-food items, so it’s important that you don’t eat them. 

35. Craving Textures Is One Of The Rare Pregnancy Symptoms

Some people don’t crave food at all. Or smells. Instead, it’s all about textures. Pregnant women that crave the feeling of different textures will often crave the feel of carpet, felt, velvet, or other things.

Having plenty of small fabric swatches or carpet samples handy to rub in between your fingers can satisfy this craving. 

36. Insomnia For No Apparent Reason

Most people associate not being able to sleep while being pregnant with the discomfort of the third trimester, but that’s not always true.

Some pregnant women start to experience insomnia as early as being a few weeks pregnant. It might go away on its own, or it could last throughout the pregnancy. 

37. PUPPP, A Common Dermotoligical Condition In Pregnant Women, But Still A Rare Pregnancy Symptom

This condition is typically seen in the last trimester of pregnancy. It’s a rash that results in raised bumps and severe itching.

Doctors are still unsure as to what causes this condition, making it more difficult to treat inpatients. Check out this article for more information. 

38. A HUGE Amount Of Breast Growth

woman chest

It’s normal for your chest to grow a bit when you’re expecting. Most women will grow a cup size or so. Personally, I grew two cup sizes in my first trimester.

They double-checked to make sure I didn’t have two massive tumors. For most women, this is a bit unusual. It’s just another one of those things that are due to the hormones, though. 

39. Varicose Veins Are Another Weird Sign Of Pregnancy

If you suddenly can seem to see all of the veins in your legs, it’s a sign that you’re expecting. Varicose veins are not extremely common in pregnant women, but they can be due to pregnancy.

This is because the uterus gets so large that it puts too much pressure on larger veins, resulting in varicose veins.

To combat those stubborn veins, try to get up and moving more often. This can increase blood flow, helping to reduce the number that you have. 

40. Other Children Acting Out

Sometimes, little ones can pick up on things that we ourselves don’t even know yet.

Your children might suspect that you’re expecting before you even tell them. Then, they can start misbehaving as a result. Some little ones might get clingy instead of acting. 

41. Color Sensitivity Is An Uncommon Pregnancy Symptom, But It Does Happen!

Sometimes, nausea isn’t about smell or food. Instead, it’s about a certain color! The site of green can make you sick to your stomach.

Purple can make you want to scratch your eyes out. Red can make you vomit. Color sensitivity seems to vary among people.

While some will have physical symptoms with specific colors, others might simply dislike specific colors suddenly, and for no apparent reason. 

42. The New Hormones Will Change The Flavor Of Your Breastmilk

If you have a little one that is still breastfeeding, they might start refusing your milk once you become pregnant.

This is because the sudden influx of new hormones can change the flavor of the breastmilk. It can take some time for little ones to adjust, but some moms stop breastfeeding when their little ones can’t seem to adjust. 

43. Bumpy Nipples Are Common, But A Little Weird If You’re Not Expecting Them

These tiny bumps are called Montgomery tubercles. You might see them when you’re not pregnant as well. When you’re pregnant, you’ll notice them a lot more.

They pop up on the areola and help with breastfeeding by secreting a tiny amount of oil that is used as a lubricant to make it easier to breastfeed. 

44. Sensitivity To Textures

Just like some women crave certain textures, some women will despise certain ones. The feel of metal jewelry up against your skin can suddenly feel very uncomfortable.

Fabrics that never bothered you before might suddenly feel itchy, irritating, or just downright annoying. Certain things, such as the tags in clothing or seams in socks, can be bothersome.

If you’re sensitive to specific textures, simply avoid them when possible throughout your pregnancy. Usually, this goes away on its own after you have the baby. 

In Conclusion

Some of the oddest pregnancy symptoms are the ones that you’ve never heard of until you experience them, or read this article.

Nosebleeds are a rare pregnancy symptom, as are some of the cravings, such as craving textures. Pregnancy can wreak havoc on our body, but our little ones make all the confusion and discomfort well worth it in the end!