Take control of your health
It can be easy to put yourself last when it comes to medical care. But sometimes life gets your attention in ways you weren’t expecting. If you are concerned about being pregnant or having a sexually transmitted infection (STI), there are things you should know about symptoms and next steps.
Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms
Whether your period is late or you had unprotected sex, you may be wondering if you are pregnant. Pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue, breast tenderness, or nausea may or may not be present early on. But since not knowing can cause anxiety, why not find out for sure? Our medical-grade pregnancy tests can detect the pregnancy hormone hCG in urine. You'll get your results right away and our nurse will talk through your next steps with you.
Classic signs and symptoms of pregnancy
The most common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy might include:
Missed period. If you're in your childbearing years and a week or more has passed without the start of an expected menstrual cycle, you might be pregnant. However, this symptom can be misleading if you have an irregular menstrual cycle.
Tender, swollen breasts. Early in pregnancy hormonal changes might make your breasts sensitive and sore. The discomfort will likely decrease after a few weeks as your body adjusts to hormonal changes.
Nausea with or without vomiting. Morning sickness, which can occur at any time of the day or night, often begins one to two months after you become pregnant. However, some women feel nausea earlier and some never experience it. While the cause of nausea during pregnancy isn't clear, pregnancy hormones likely play a role.
Increased urination. You might find yourself urinating more often than usual. The amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy, causing your kidneys to process extra fluid that ends up in your bladder.
Fatigue. Fatigue also ranks high among early symptoms of pregnancy. No one knows for certain what causes sleepiness during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, a rapid rise in the levels of the hormone progesterone during early pregnancy might contribute to fatigue.
Are you really pregnant?
Many of these signs and symptoms aren't unique to pregnancy. Some can indicate that you're getting sick or that your period is about to start. Likewise, you can be pregnant without experiencing many of these symptoms.
Still, if you miss a period and notice some of the above signs or symptoms, take a home pregnancy test or see your health care provider. If your home pregnancy test is positive, make an appointment with your health care provider. The sooner your pregnancy is confirmed, the sooner you can begin prenatal care.
Call or text a nurse
If you think you might be pregnant, our staff can help get the answers you need.
Other less obvious signs and symptoms of pregnancy that you might experience during the first trimester include:
Moodiness. The flood of hormones in your body in early pregnancy can make you unusually emotional and weepy. Mood swings also are common.
Bloating. Hormonal changes during early pregnancy can cause you to feel bloated, similar to how you might feel at the start of a menstrual period.
Light spotting. Light spotting might be one of the first signs of pregnancy. Known as implantation bleeding, it happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus — about 10 to 14 days after conception. Implantation bleeding occurs around the time you would expect to have a menstrual period. However, not all women have it.
Cramping. Some women experience mild uterine cramping early in pregnancy.
Constipation. Hormonal changes cause your digestive system to slow down, which can lead to constipation.
Food aversions. When you're pregnant, you might become more sensitive to certain odors and your sense of taste might change. Like most other symptoms of pregnancy, these food preferences can be chalked up to hormonal changes.
Nasal congestion. Increasing hormone levels and blood production can cause the mucous membranes in your nose to swell, dry out and bleed easily. This might cause you to have a stuffy or runny nose.
Source: Mayoclinic.org
Call or text a nurse
Why is ultrasound important?
If your pregnancy test is positive, you'll be offered a limited obstetrical ultrasound. The ultrasound will give you important information you need to make a decision about your own health. Since 25 percent of all pregnancies result in miscarriage, it's important to know if the pregnancy is viable. The ultrasound will show if the baby has a heartbeat and if it is located in the uterus where it needs to be in order to grow. The measurements taken during the ultrasound will also show how far along you are.
We provide Limited Obstetrical Ultrasounds performed by a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer or by a Registered Nurse who is trained in limited OB ultrasound. Having an ultrasound is important because it will confirm that the pregnancy is viable. Whatever options you are considering, the limited OB ultrasound will help to determine three important things about your pregnancy:
The ultrasound will confirm that the pregnancy is in the uterus.
The ultrasound will help determine how far along you are.
The ultrasound will determine if there is a heartbeat, and what that heart rate is.
Our medical staff will provide your ultrasound at no cost to you. You will be given time to ask any questions that you might have. The findings will then be confirmed by a medical doctor.
Schedule an appointment
A visit to our mobile clinic can provide the answers you need.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
You may be concerned about other areas of your sexual health besides pregnancy. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are a significant health challenge facing the United States. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that nearly 20 million new sexually transmitted infections occur every year in this country and half of those are among young people ages 15–24. In addition to increasing a person’s risk for HIV infection, STIs can lead to severe reproductive health complications, such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two most commonly reported STIs in the U.S. We offer free testing and treatment for these infections.
Chlamydia
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea can cause serious health problems if left untreated, but it can be cured with the right medication. Most women with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, they are often mild and can be mistaken for other illnesses.
Get the Facts
You can get an STI by having sexual contact with someone who already has a STI and they may or may not have symptoms. The CDC recommends annual screening for any sexually active female who is 25 years old or younger, and for women over 25 with risk factors like a new sexual partner, multiple sexual partners, or known exposure.
Chlamydia is the single most reported STI in the United States. Most people who have Chlamydia don’t know it since the disease doesn’t have any symptoms. Chlamydia is easy to cure, but if left untreated, my lead to complications with fertility in the future.
