Women’s health expert explains why the most bizarre pregnancy symptoms happen

A health expert has revealed some of the most bizarre pregnancy symptoms – and has shared the real reason why women experience each one.

Claudia Pastides, MBBS, who serves as the Director of Medical Accuracy at Flo Health, recently spoke out about some of the things that can happen to an expecting mother’s body that aren’t as talked about – from vivid dreams and bleeding gums to darker nipples and a heightened sense of smell.

Almost every pregnant woman knows to look out for the common signs like morning sickness, missed periods, and tender breasts, but there’s actually a lot more changes that occur after conceiving that aren’t as known.

According to the doctor, one of the most unexpected indicators that you’re having a baby is a change in your dreams.

A health expert has revealed some of the most bizarre pregnancy symptoms – and has shared the real reason why women experience each one (stock image)

Claudia Pastides (seen), MBBS, recently spoke out about some of the things that can happen to an expecting mother’s body that aren’t as talked about

‘Although it’s an unexpected symptom for many, it’s often normal to have particularly vivid and more frequent dreams when pregnant,’ she explained.

‘Dreaming occurs during the REM stage of the sleep cycle, and typically we experience four or five episodes of dreaming a night.

‘However, pregnant women may frequently wake up throughout the night and are more likely to remember their dreams, as their REM stage is repeatedly interrupted.’

Claudia said another thing that pregnant women should expect was ‘a sudden sharp pain’ in the ‘vaginal or pelvic’ area.

And while some may think that it means something is wrong with the baby, she insisted that it’s actually totally normal. 

‘It’s most prevalent in the third trimester, which could be due to increased pressure on the pelvic nerves as your baby grows bigger,’ she dished.

In addition, she explained that pregnant women may have an increased sensitivity to smells or tastes, as well as a change in the color of their nipples – both due to their changing hormone levels.

‘As a pregnancy progresses, the nipples and skin that surrounds them become darker in color as a result of hormones that affect skin pigmentation,’ News-medical.net reported.

‘Veins in the breast may also become more prominent as the blood supply to the breast is increased. 

‘This is due to the fact that a woman’s overall blood volume is increased to aid the baby’s development.’

According to the doctor (pictured), one of the most unexpected indicators that you’re having a baby is a change in your dreams 

Claudia (seen) said another thing that pregnant women should expect is ‘a sudden sharp pain’ in the ‘vaginal or pelvic’ area during the third trimester

Another thing to look out for when you’re expecting a baby is something known as pregnancy gingivitis – or bleeding gums.

‘Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make your gums more vulnerable to plaque, leading to inflammation and bleeding,’ NHS said. 

Other things on Claudia’s list of strange pregnancy symptoms included congestion, hot flashes, tearfulness, and insomnia.

Some women may notice a stuffed nose due to inflammation of the mucous membranes lining, while hot flashes can occur when your metabolism speeds up. 

Claudia concluded: ‘Pregnancy can be a time full of unexpected surprises.’