Pregnancy is a beautiful time in a woman's life. However, it can also come with some unexpected side effects you may not be ready for. Most women are aware that aches, pains and weight gain come with the territory. But there are a few things that may catch you off guard. Here are a few side effects to expect that are normal.

As much as you might think that you're sick, pregnancy can cause morning sickness and this is actually quite common. During the first trimester, women feel nauseous a lot but the symptoms often ease with time. Some women can feel this way until delivery though.

While you may already be fed up of the throwing up all the time, one more really annoying side-effect of being pregnant is peeing all the time. Because of hormonal changes, blood flows more often into the kidneys and the bladder fills up quicker than usual, causing pregnant women to urinate quite frequently.

Progesterone is a hormone that helps relax your body, muscles and tissues included. This hormone is released in huge quantities in pregnant women, which is why they tend to feel bloated and have gas all the time.

Pregnancy heartburn is a common issue for many women. "I had debilitating heartburn as a result of the hormonal influence of progesterone, which delays your stomach from emptying," Dr Sherry A. Ross, ob-gyn and author of 'She-ology: The Definitive Guide to Women's Intimate Health', told a news portal. Ross warns heartburn may cause pain and should be treated as it could cause bleeding of the esophagus. Consult with your doctor if you have experienced this.

During your pregnancy, you will start to notice your breasts getting bigger. However, that's just part of it."Pregnancy changes everything about your breasts," Dr Sherry A. Ross, an ob-gyn told a news portal. Your body is getting ready to feed your baby. That is why you'll notice small raised bumps will start to form on the areola for there to be more milk outlets.

Even if you have gorgeous and healthy hair all the time, you can expect to see changes in its texture while you are pregnant. High levels of estrogen and an increase in blood volume help your hair and nails to grow faster. However, during this time your hair may become less dry as the extra blood flow brings more nutrients to hair follicles. It may also cause excess oil production and cause your hair to look flat. However, there is no cause for alarm as it is only a temporary situation.

Most pregnant women are likely to experience acne. Dr Sherry A. Ross, an ob-gyn told a news portal this happens because "progesterone can act as a male hormone, causing more secretions from the skin glands, which causes more oily skin and acne." However, if you are prone to breakouts, you may have clear skin during this time.