Wondering if you've got a baby on board? Pay close attention to your body. "The hormones released as soon as you conceive may start causing subtle changes even before they're detectable on a home pregnancy test," says Melissa Goist, MD, clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Ohio State University Medical Center. Unfortunately many, like sore breasts or bloating, also happen right before your period (a sure sign that you're not pregnant), so it's all a guessing game until you take a test. But if you spot a few of the following symptoms -- and your period is MIA -- it may be time to head to the drugstore or your ob-gyn:

Sore Breasts
This is a very common complaint, says Goist. "Breast tissue is extremely hormone-sensitive," she explains. "When progesterone and hCG start flooding the body after the egg is fertilized, they increase your blood volume, which makes your breasts swell and feel heavier than usual."

Cramps
You may feel crampy like you have or are about to get your period, but this discomfort is actually triggered by implantation -- when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. Your uterus may be stretching a little now (hence the cramps) to prep for its massive expansion over the next nine months.

Spotting
"Many women mistake some light bleeding for a period, but as many as 25 percent will have some spotting during implantation," says Goist. If you notice that your "period" seems way shorter or different from usual, it may be time to take a pregnancy test.

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