Pregnancy or bloating? How to tell what’s going on

Feeling bloated before your period is really common, and so is feeling bloated in early pregnancy. That makes it one of the most confusing symptoms when you’re waiting to test.

Why you might feel bloated before a period

Bloating is one of the most common symptoms of PMS, along with cramping, sore breasts, tiredness and mood changes. It’s not fully understood why PMS happens, but it’s thought to be linked to the changes in your hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. Symptoms usually get better once your period starts.

Why you might feel bloated in early pregnancy

In early pregnancy, hormone changes loosen the muscles in your digestive system. This can leave you feeling bloated, burping or passing more wind. Constipation is also a common early sign of pregnancy, and it can make bloating worse.

At this stage it’s your gut, not your baby. Even at 10 weeks your womb is only around the size of a large orange, and it usually can’t be felt above your pubic bone until about 12 weeks.

Can you tell the difference?

Not from bloating alone. It can feel exactly the same, and it happens at the same point in your cycle. A few things can help you work out what’s going on:

Timing. PMS bloating usually eases once your period starts. If your period doesn’t come, that’s the bigger clue.
Other signs. Early pregnancy can also bring feeling sick, sore breasts, needing to pee more, tiredness or a metallic taste, usually from about 4 to 6 weeks. See how early can you tell you’re pregnant?
A test. It’s the only way to know. See pregnancy or PMS? for more on telling the two apart.

Some early tests can be used from 5 days before your period is due (the packet may say ‘6 days before your missed period’), but they won’t pick up every pregnancy that early. Testing from the day your period is due is more reliable, though a negative can still be wrong if there isn’t enough hCG yet. If your period doesn’t come, test again a few days later.

Other common causes of bloating

The most common reason for bloating is having a lot of gas in your gut. That can come from:

certain foods and fizzy drinks
swallowing air while you eat
constipation
a food intolerance, coeliac disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Things that can help

Have smaller meals more often, and chew with your mouth closed so you swallow less air.
Drink plenty of water, and cut down on fizzy drinks and caffeine. If you could be pregnant, keep caffeine under 200mg a day and avoid alcohol.
If you’re constipated, eat more soluble fibre, such as oats, fruit and vegetables.
Exercise regularly to help your digestion, and try gently massaging your tummy.
Avoid big meals late at night, slouching while you eat, and very fatty or processed food.
Ask a pharmacist before taking any remedies, and tell them if you could be pregnant.

When bloating needs a GP

See a GP if you feel bloated regularly, changing what you eat hasn’t helped, or you also have weight loss you can’t explain or blood in your poo. Bloating that doesn’t go away can occasionally be a sign of something more serious, such as ovarian cancer, so it’s worth getting checked.

Get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if you have bloating and:

you’re being sick, or have diarrhoea or constipation
you can’t pee, poo or pass wind
you have a swelling or lump in your tummy
you have stomach ache, a high temperature, or feel hot, cold or shivery

Call 999 or go to A&E if your stomach is swollen and you have severe stomach ache that came on very suddenly, you’re being sick and the vomit has blood in it or looks like ground coffee, or you have severe difficulty breathing. Don’t drive yourself to A&E.

Bloating after IVF

If you’ve had IVF, tummy pain and bloating can be a sign of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Contact your fertility clinic or NHS 111 as soon as possible if you have pain and bloating in your tummy, are feeling or being sick, or feel faint. Call 999 or go to A&E if you have difficulty breathing, pain in your chest or upper back, are very thirsty and peeing less than usual, or have swelling anywhere in your body.

Questions people ask

Can you feel bloated at 2 weeks pregnant?

Pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period, so at ‘2 weeks pregnant’ you’ve only just ovulated, and there are no pregnancy hormones yet. Bloating then is part of your normal cycle. Our day-by-day guide explains the dates.

Does pregnancy bloating feel different from period bloating?

There’s no reliable difference. Both are usually wind and a full, puffy feeling in your tummy.

Why is my tummy hard and bloated in early pregnancy?

In the first weeks it’s usually wind or constipation. Your womb is still low down in your pelvis, and usually can’t be felt above your pubic bone until about 12 weeks.

When to get help

Mild cramps that ease with rest are usually nothing to worry about. But if you’re pregnant, or think you could be, get urgent advice from your maternity unit, an early pregnancy unit or NHS 111 if you have:

any bleeding or spotting, even if it’s light
tummy pain that’s severe, on one side, or hasn’t eased after resting for 30 to 60 minutes
pain in the tip of your shoulder

Call 999 if you have bleeding along with severe tummy pain, pain in your shoulder, or feeling sick, faint or dizzy, or if the bleeding is heavy (soaking a pad soon after putting it on). Also call 999 if you have sudden, sharp and intense tummy pain and you feel very dizzy or faint, feel sick or look very pale. These can be signs of an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage that need treating straight away.