1-12 DPO symptoms: What to expect and when to test

Spoiler alert: everyone’s experience is unique. This article is meant to provide generalized guidance for what to expect during 12 DPO and should not be a substitute for personal advice from a doctor. 

The 12 DPO can come with a rollercoaster of emotions — from excitement to confusion and maybe even a little frustration — as you’re trying to figure out if your body is dropping hints that you’re pregnant. Sound familiar? 

It’s important to remember that the only definitive way to tell if you’re pregnant is with a pregnancy test, which usually isn’t accurate until around 14 DPO (ideally, on the first day of a missed period). However, things may start to get interesting during the 12 DPO if conception has occurred [1]. Depending on the brand of the pregnancy test, you may be able to test earlier — read the instructions that come with the pack to find out. 

What is days past ovulation (DPO)?

DPO is an acronym coined by the TTC (“trying to conceive”) community that, in addition to “days past ovulation,” can also be read as “days post ovulation” or “day past ovulation.” While we’re at it, here are a few more acronyms you might come across as you’re doing research or interacting with these communities during your fertility journey:

• BBT: basal body temperature (the body’s lowest resting temperature, used to detect ovulation)
• DPO: days past/post ovulation
• EPT: early pregnancy test
• hCG: human chorionic gonadotropin (the pregnancy hormone)
• IVF: in-vitro fertilization
• IUI: intrauterine insemination
• POAS: pee on a stick (the most common type of at-home pregnancy test)
• TTC: trying to conceive [2]
• TTA: trying to avoid (pregnancy)
• TTW: trying to whatever 

The 12 days following ovulation are a popular topic of conversation because these are the days when signs of an early pregnancy may start to emerge. Unfortunately, many of these early pregnancy symptoms are quite similar to common symptoms associated with the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle that comes each month after ovulation, whether you’re pregnant or not. This means that the DPO can be a nail-biting period of confusion, waiting, hope, or even disappointment [3].

We know this time can be overwhelming in many ways, so we’re here to break down exactly what happens during the 12 DPO so that you feel more confident in your fertility journey.

First, let’s do a quick refresher on what needs to happen during ovulation for a pregnancy to occur. Ovulation happens when a mature female egg cell is released from an ovary into a fallopian tube at the middle point of your cycle. The egg lives for 24 hours, and if it meets with a sperm cell during that time, it becomes fertilized and your body starts to gear up for a possible pregnancy. This process is also called conception. Learn more about the process of fertilization and conception here.

1 to 12 DPO pregnancy symptoms to expect

Below we’ll go through a day-by-day breakdown of what may be happening during each DPO if conception has occurred. Again, while some people will experience all or some of these symptoms of early pregnancy, others may experience none at all and still be pregnant. On the other hand, you may experience some of these symptoms and not be pregnant. A wide variety of factors play into what you experience at this time [1].

With that in mind, these symptoms alone are not a definitive indication of whether or not you’ve conceived — only a pregnancy test can provide that answer — and we encourage you not to rush to conclusions. However, if you’re just curious about what might be happening in your body during DPO, there are some common biological processes and patterns we can explore. Let’s dive in: 

1 to 3 DPO symptoms: progesterone rises

If fertilization has occurred during ovulation, the fertilized egg (also called a zygote) is still in your fallopian tubes [4]. In these first 48 hours after conception, the symptoms you experience will be similar to what you would experience during the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle. This is because the symptoms are associated with a rise in the progesterone hormone in your body that happens every month. Symptoms of rising progesterone include:

• Bloating
• Breast tenderness/nipple sensitivity
• Constipation
• Cravings
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Muscle aches

Progesterone plays a key role in supporting early pregnancy. It thickens the lining of the uterus to make it easier for the fertilized egg to implant, and stimulates the uterine lining to supply nutrients to the developing embryo.

If the egg is fertilized and implants in the uterus (more on that below), progesterone levels will remain high to fulfill those functions and sustain the pregnancy. However, if the egg is not fertilized during ovulation, progesterone levels will drop as your luteal phase goes on, eventually signaling the start of a period. 

Learn more about progesterone’s effect on your body throughout your life here.

4 DPO symptoms: making moves

At 4 DPO, it’s likely that the zygote is now moving through your fallopian tubes toward your uterus. Symptoms would be similar to those listed above, as this day is still characterized by the gradual rise of progesterone levels associated with the luteal phase [1].

5 DPO symptoms: blastocyst development

The fertilized egg is still on the move in your fallopian tubes during 5 DPO — it takes time for the little zygote to make its way through your body! During its journey, the zygote is also expanding and dividing into multiple cells until it becomes a full blastocyst (a cluster of 100-200 cells) [4]. Again, symptoms will be similar to those listed above with rising progesterone.

6 DPO symptoms: the end of the fallopian journey

Around 6 DPO, the multicellular blastocyst will likely be quite close to the uterus, getting itself ready for the process of implantation. You probably won’t be experiencing any symptoms outside of those listed above, but don’t worry — things may get more exciting around day 7 [1].

7 DPO symptoms: implantation

At 7 DPO, the blastocyst has likely made its way to the uterus and attempts to implant into the uterine wall. This is vital for its further growth and development into an embryo, as this implantation is how the egg will receive nutrients and energy from the mother. The uterus is only receptive to incoming blastocysts for a few days each cycle, usually at about 6-10 DPO. This is sometimes referred to as the WOI, or “window of implantation” [4]. 

If implantation is successful, this marks the beginning of a pregnancy (woohoo!). At the time of implantation, your body will produce the pregnancy hormone hCG for the first time to fuel the growth of the embryo in your uterus. Levels of this hormone are still quite low on this day though, so you probably won’t be experiencing symptoms related to it just yet. 

At this point, any symptoms you have are likely related to peaking progesterone levels (more intense versions of the 48 hours after conception symptoms listed above at 1-3 DPO). This peak in progesterone happens at around 6-8 DPO whether you’re pregnant or not.

The difference here is that your body will sustain this peak level for the next few months if you’re pregnant, whereas during a regular menstrual cycle, the levels would drop over the next couple of days to signal the beginning of your period [1].

8 DPO symptoms: implantation (cont.)

Depending on your body, the timing of fertilization, and how long it took the zygote to travel through the fallopian tubes, implantation may occur anywhere from 6-10 DPO, so you’d probably be experiencing similar symptoms to those mentioned above here at 8 DPO.

9 DPO symptoms: light bleeding

At 9 DPO, and typically anywhere from 7-14 DPO, you may experience light bleeding or spotting known as implantation bleeding. However, it's important to note there is currently no strong scientific evidence for this phenomenon. [7] The blood is usually either brown or lighter in color than a normal menstrual bleed, and it results from the blastocyst moving into the uterine lining, which causes a small part of that lining to shed [1].

However, this is not a certain sign of pregnancy. Bleeding around this time can also just be a sign of progesterone dropping around this time in your menstrual cycle. Less likely, it might mean that a very early miscarriage has occurred (also sometimes called a chemical pregnancy), or it may be a symptom of a different underlying health condition [1]. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms if you experience abnormal bleeding.

10 DPO symptoms: hormones surge

At around 10 DPO, levels of the hCG pregnancy hormone should be surging in your body if you are pregnant. One study found that hCG levels almost doubled every day in the 7 days after implantation, although there was high variability from person to person [5].

As we mentioned at 7 DPO, progesterone is also at peak levels in your body right now. That hormone is primarily focused on creating and developing a placenta to protect and maintain the pregnancy. This means that the symptoms associated with the surge in progesterone following ovulation may still be present for you at this time [1].

11 DPO symptoms: early pregnancy signs

With hCG levels rising at 10-11 DPO, you may start experiencing early pregnancy symptoms associated with this hormone such as:

• Abnormal cravings or more hunger than usual
• Fatigue
• Darkened color and enlargement of the areolas
• Digestive issues like vomiting, stomach cramping, or diarrhea
• Increased frequency of urination
• Sharp mood swings
• Smell sensitivity and altered taste
• Swollen or heavy breasts [1,3]

The bad news is that these early pregnancy symptoms can happen in addition to the symptoms associated with the progesterone peak symptoms mentioned earlier. Pregnancy can be quite tough on your body! The good news is that these symptoms might be unique enough to help you figure out if your body is giving you signals that you’re pregnant rather than just going through the luteal phase.

Be sure to listen to your body and see if you can differentiate between early pregnancy signs and your regular premenstrual symptoms. Tracking your symptoms with Natural Cycles each cycle may help you identify your common symptoms to see if anything is out of the ordinary.

Again, we want to share a quick reminder that the only surefire way to confirm a pregnancy is a positive pregnancy test, which brings us to…

12 DPO symptoms: is it time to test yet?

If you are experiencing the symptoms mentioned above and they are not typical for you in a regular menstrual cycle, it’s possible that your hCG levels are now high enough at 12 DPO to be detectable on a pregnancy test. Let’s learn more about timing, false results, and how pregnancy tests work in general:

Can you take a pregnancy test at 12 DPO?

The short answer is yes, although you may receive a false result if you do an at-home urinary test. 

The long answer is that all pregnancy tests work the same way — by detecting the presence of hCG in your body. As you’ll remember from the breakdown above, this hormone is only created when implantation happens at around 6-7 DPO. However, it can still take a few days for hCG levels to rise to detectable amounts (we know the waiting game is a huge challenge).

Luckily, a blood test can actually detect hCG as early as 7-12 DPO. An at-home urine test will detect hCG closer to 12-15 DPO.

With that in mind, 12 DPO should be enough time to provide an accurate test result from a blood test with a doctor, but it may still be a bit early for an at-home test. For the most accurate result, wait until 14 DPO or the first few days of your missed period to test for pregnancy. Keep in mind that if you got a negative result at or around 12 DPO and you still have a missed period, you should test again.

If you’re not sure when you’ve ovulated or when your next missed period would be, a general rule of thumb would be to wait 21 days after having unprotected sex to take a test for the most accurate results [1,6]. 

Going forward, you can use Natural Cycles tools and resources to track your unique fertility cycle and learn more pregnancy test logistics. Our research shows that for more than 15,000 women who recently planned a pregnancy with NC°, their first positive pregnancy result was, on average, 13 days after ovulation.

Symptoms after ovulation if you’re not pregnant 

To sum it up and help demystify this 12 DPO period, here are some slight distinctions in the symptoms you may be experiencing that can help determine if your symptoms are signaling pregnancy or not:

• Bleeding: If you’re not pregnant, bleeding associated with your period should begin around 14 DPO. Implantation bleeding i thought to happen earlier, at about 7-14 DPO, and is typically much lighter in flow and more pink or brown in color.
• Breast changes: Each month, your breasts may become more tender whether you’re pregnant or not. If you notice a darkening and enlargement of the areolas in addition to tenderness and swelling, that may be a sign of pregnancy.
• Cravings: You may have your go-to PMS foods (chocolate, carbs, and cheese are common culprits) that bring you comfort each month. If you start to crave different foods outside of this norm, or if you start to hate your typical comfort foods, that may be a sign of early pregnancy.

All of this means that yes, DPO symptoms can be mistaken for PMS symptoms, but there are slight distinctions that may be able to help you determine what you’re experiencing. Keep in mind that everyone’s body and symptoms are unique.

When to see a doctor

If you think you might be pregnant or you’re trying to conceive, it’s always a good idea to check in with your doctor. They can provide the personalized care and advice you need to boost your chances of pregnancy, and confirm it earlier than at-home tests. If waiting the full 14 DPO sounds like forever to you, talk to your doctor about getting a blood test to find out sooner.

You should also consult your doctor about any abnormal symptoms you’re experiencing, especially if they’re causing you any pain or distress. They’ll provide specialized testing and treatment to make sure you’re on the right track to a healthy pregnancy.

Plan for Pregnancy with Natural Cycles

Did you know that your body temperature can help determine your fertile days, making it easier to conceive at the right time? The road to becoming pregnant can be a long and nerve-wracking one, but Natural Cycles can support you with the knowledge and tools to optimize your fertility journey. Want to get pregnant faster? Research has shown that Couples using NC to plan a pregnancy take 3 cycles on average to get pregnant [8]. Simply sign up to find out more.