Breast tenderness before menstruation and breast swelling during pregnancy can be differentiated by the feeling of touching the breasts, the appearance of the breasts, and the time when the swelling sensation appears. 1. When women experience breast tenderness before menstruation, they can often feel a slight hardness in their breasts when they touch them with their hands. When a pregnant woman experiences breast tenderness, she can feel her breasts are softer when she touches them. 2. When a woman experiences breast tenderness before menstruation, her nipples and areolas have no obvious color change. After pregnancy, the color of the nipples and areolas often deepens and the extent of the areola is often enlarged. 3. Breast tenderness before menstruation often begins about a week before menstruation, and breast tenderness after pregnancy often occurs with a clear history of menopause. If it is difficult to tell whether a woman’s breasts are swollen and painful because of menstruation or pregnancy, you can determine this by taking an early pregnancy test or a blood test.