Fatigue/Exhaustion

Symptom Details

Most women experience increased fatigue during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. Your body is producing higher levels of progesterone which can make you feel sleepy. Your body also produces extra blood to carry oxygen and nutrients to the developing fetus, this means your heart needs to work harder. Low blood sugar can also be to blame.

Listen to your body; it is working very hard to create your little one. This symptom has only one cure. If you are tired, then sleep - even if it means going to bed at 8pm or taking small naps during the day.

Avoid stimulants (like caffeine, these can be harmful in high doses), get lots of rest (cut back on extra responsibilities if needed, at least until the second trimester), eat a balanced healthy diet (be sure to get enough protein and iron) and get regular exercise (even just walking 30 minutes a day will help).

Comparison Chart

The chart below shows a comparison between the number of times this symptom was experienced by pregnant vs non-pregnant women.


**NOTE: Data for 15-21 dpo tends to be lower than expected as many women stop tracking symptoms after a positive pregnancy test.