Breast tenderness before menstruation is not necessarily a sign of pregnancy. Elevated levels of estrogen and progesterone before menstruation can also cause breast tenderness, as can the early stages of pregnancy. Therefore, if women of childbearing age experience a delay in menstruation and breast tenderness, they should promptly take a urine pregnancy test and, if necessary, have a blood HCG test to check for pregnancy. If pregnancy is not the case, they should wait to see if menstruation occurs. It is advisable to avoid getting cold, refrain from eating spicy and irritating foods, and maintain cleanliness of the external genitalia.