Can You Be Pregnant With No Symptoms?

Pregnancy is different for everyone.

While some people sail through the early weeks of pregnancy without much difference in their daily lives, others have the whole symptom package: nausea, fatigue, constipation, sore breasts — you name it.

So, can you be pregnant with no symptoms?

The short answer is yes.

And it might be more common than you think.

For many women, being pregnant with no symptoms can feel like something isn’t quite right.

Instead of feeling super lucky about dodging the worst pregnancy issues, it can be a source of worry.

And what about just not feeling pregnant?

Does it mean something’s wrong?

Whether you’re wondering if you really are pregnant or you’ve already had those positive tests and ultrasounds, we’ve got you.

Here are the facts on pregnancy symptoms, when they usually appear, and when to get medical help.

In this article: 📝

When do pregnancy symptoms normally appear?

Most people start getting pregnancy symptoms in their first trimester (that’s up to 13 weeks).

These tend to be things like tiredness, nausea, cravings, cramps, frequent peeing, and changes to the breasts and nipples.

But everyone will experience them slightly differently, at different times and levels of severity.

In general, though, early pregnancy symptoms usually appear about four to six weeks after the first day of your last period.

59% of women get pregnancy symptoms by the end of week five.

This goes up to 90% by week eight.

For some people, symptoms might start earlier (days after conception), while others might get to week 10 (or later!) without much change.

As the weeks go by, you might also find what you experience one day will be utterly different from the next.

Essentially, there are no hard and fast rules here.

Your pregnancy symptoms are your pregnancy symptoms — whatever that looks like and whenever they start.

Can there be no symptoms in early pregnancy?

Yes, this is absolutely possible.

Given that only half of women get pregnancy symptoms by week 5 or 6, this means half don’t!

And that’s quite a large percentage.

Of course, the percentage drops to 10% by week 8.

While these numbers make a symptomless pregnancy more unlikely, it’s certainly not impossible.

If you don’t feel pregnant or have symptoms that reappear and disappear seemingly at will, don’t worry.

If you’ve had a positive pregnancy test, you’re probably pregnant.

It’s as simple as that.

No one really knows why pregnancy symptoms are so different for each person, but it doesn’t automatically mean there’s something wrong with your pregnancy.

In fact, around 1 in every 2500 women reach twenty weeks without even realizing they’re pregnant.

Known as a “hidden pregnancy,” this can happen for many reasons.

Sometimes it’s as simple as someone not feeling or looking pregnant until they’re in the later stages of pregnancy.

The bottom line?

You don’t need to feel pregnant or have any pregnancy symptoms at all, to be pregnant.

Every mama and every pregnancy journey is entirely different.

A positive pregnancy test is your best indicator of early pregnancy, which you can take from the first day of your missed period.

The tests you’ll find in a pharmacy or drugstore are usually over 99% accurate

And you can always do a couple, just to be double sure!

What are the signs of hidden pregnancy?

A hidden pregnancy is, as the name suggests, hidden.

This means you won’t notice that you’re pregnant.

Someone with a hidden pregnancy might not experience even the most common signs and symptoms, including a period-like bleed.

While you won’t have your period when pregnant, there are reasons, such as implantation bleeding, that you could experience something similar.

On average 27% of women have reported first-trimester vaginal bleeding or spotting.

And if you’re used to having an irregular cycle, a skipped period may be even harder to identify.

As well as this, in a hidden pregnancy, you might not notice your belly growing.

Women who are taller and have a longer abdomen might not have a larger bump because the baby has more room — here, the uterus pushes upwards rather than outwards.

Other women have a retroverted uterus, causing the baby to grow closer to the spine leading to less of a visible bump.

(However, by week 12, the uterus normally starts to grow outwards and becomes more visible.)

And common symptoms like nausea, headaches, and fatigue may not appear at all.

Even if you do have mild nausea (for example), you might just put it down to feeling under the weather.

In the same way, for women who often get headaches or deal with extreme stress and tiredness daily, this might all feel, well, normal.

It’s rare, but some women can go through their entire pregnancy without knowing they’re pregnant.

This means they can even go into labor without realizing it, leading to healthcare issues for both mama and baby.

But if you know you’re pregnant with no (or very few) symptoms, don’t worry.

Having no symptoms doesn’t always mean there are problems with your pregnancy or that you’re at risk of pregnancy loss.

For some women, it’s completely normal and totally healthy.

Can pregnancy symptoms go away?

While you can be pregnant with no symptoms, if you have symptoms that suddenly go away or you just don’t “feel pregnant” anymore, tell your healthcare provider.

Especially if you’ve also experienced things like bleeding and abdominal pain, this could be a sign of potential problems with the pregnancy.

It’s always best to be safe and trust your instincts here, so reach out for medical advice when you need it.

Later in pregnancy, you might naturally get a reduction in things like sickness and extreme tiredness.

Even then, if you experience any sudden changes (for instance feeling your baby moving less), get in touch with your doctor.

A lack of movement is not necessarily a cause for concern, so don’t panic if this happens.

It might be explained by something as simple as your little one catching up on some Zzzs or the position of your placenta.

It’s also important to note that most people feel their baby moving (known as “quickening”) between 16 and 20 weeks.

Like everything pregnancy-related, this might be slightly earlier or later.

But, if you haven’t noticed any fetal movement by 20 to 24 weeks, it’s worth raising this with your healthcare team.

Your baby’s movements are something doctors and midwives monitor closely, though, so if it doesn’t feel right, let them know.

Can I be pregnant with no symptoms? The bottom line.

Yep, it’s entirely possible.

But if you’re concerned, it’s always important to reach out to your healthcare team.

Pregnancy is full of ups and downs.

You don’t have to travel them alone.

Join us on Peanut.

We’re there to support each other.