Being pregnant is weird. Expectant mothers never know what to expect. There are some symptoms that most women have heard of and won't be surprised to encounter. Achy boobs, weird cravings, swollen ankles, and having to pee every twenty minutes are just a few common side affects of having a baby on board.
But what about the weird symptoms you don't expect? If baby-growing can result in a whole array of bodily responses, how can a mother know what bodily responses are cause for concern?
Fear not. There are lots of weird symptoms that are actually perfectly normal. Here are just a few funky side-effects you might notice while pregnant. Though perhaps alarming, these conditions are no reason to raise the alarm:
1. Hair Growth
Though you might have heard that pregnant women often grow luscious, thick locks of hair on their head, the scalp isn't the only place where hair flourishes while pregnant. Arm hair, pubic hair, and even a mother's eyebrows can become bushy thanks to fluctuating hormones, according to Parents . Some women even grow hair where they normally wouldn't, like on their face or chest. This growth is totally normal, and extra hairs often fall out around six months after the baby arrives.
2. Loss of Your Sense of Smell
Another odd thing that can happen to pregnant women is alteration or loss of their sense of smell. Anosmia may seem odd, but according to Good Housekeeping, it can lower a pregnant person's chance of nausea and vomiting while pregnant.
3. Forgetfulness
Thanks to the hormones, the stress, and the sleeplessness that often come with pregnancy, a pregnant person might have trouble staying focused, or might lose their keys a bit more often. In fact, up to 80% of pregnant women experience memory impairment.
4. Chadwick's Sign
Increased blood flow has some interesting effects on a woman's genitalia. Though it may seem unusual, a bluish or purple vagina is totally normal during pregnancy. Called Chadwick's Sign, this symptom used to be the way doctors tested a woman for pregnancy.
5. Teeth Problems
In 2017, approximately 127.6 million U.S. adults visited a dentist. If you're a pregnant woman, you might want to join the crowd and head to a dental clinic ASAP. According to Better Health, pregnancy hormones and unusual food cravings can lead to increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Vomiting while pregnant can also weaken tooth enamel, so be sure to talk to your dentist about how to protect your teeth from morning sickness.
Mothers' bodies do some incredible things while pregnant. In fact, the average woman's 17 square feet of skin stretches to an unbelievable 18.5 square feet by the ninth month of pregnancy. In other words, growing a baby requires crazy changes. If you notice any of the changes on this list, don't panic, and consider the symptom a sign of a job well done.
Written by LouAnn Moss for The Healthy Moms Magazine and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.
