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10 DPO and fretting over symptoms and pregnancy test results?
You’ve heard people say to wait until your missed period before testing for pregnancy. But of course, it’s one of those things that’s easier said than done.
In all reality though, only 10% of women who test at 10 DPO get a positive result. That’s because, for many women, it’s still too early to tell at this point. So if you’re getting antsy or you’ve already tested negative, don’t worry.
In this blog, we’ll explore symptoms that can help you tell if you’re pregnant or not. We’ll also discuss ways to get the most reliable home test results.
Takeaways​
- Implantation can happen anywhere from 6 – 12 DPO, although 8-10 DPO is more common.
- Once the embryo successfully implants, you are pregnant and hCG levels begin rising.Â
- At 10 days past ovulation, you may confuse PMS symptoms and early pregnancy symptoms with each other. Some symptoms include fatigue, stomach issues, breast tenderness, moodiness, and bloating.Â
- You may experience implantation bleeding, which is light spotting for just a day or two. Most women won’t have any bleeding, though.Â
- Some women don’t notice any symptoms at 10 DPO yet. That is completely normal and nothing to be concerned about.
- A pregnancy test may detect hCG at 10 DPO. But for most women, this is still too early because the hCG levels won’t be high enough yet.
- The best thing to do at 10 DPO is to be patient and avoid stressing over pregnancy tests.Â
- For the most accurate pregnancy test results, wait until a day after your missed period. If you get a BFN (big fat negative on pregnancy result), wait another week before retesting.
What is 10 DPO?
10 DPO simply means you are 10 days past ovulation. It is a critical time during the two-week wait. At 10 DPO, you could already be pregnant or you may be just a day or two away.
What Could be Happening in My Body at 10 DPO?
Here’s what’s going on in your body around 10 DPO:
- The Embryo Implants
Between 6 DPO to 12 DPO, the fertilized egg is busy implanting into your uterine lining. Once it’s nestled in and connected to your circulation, you are considered pregnant!
Expert tip: The most common days for implantation are 8 DPO – 10 DPO.
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- hCG Begins Increasing
After successful implantation, your body begins producing higher and higher amounts of human chorionic gonadotropin, hCG. This is also known as the pregnancy hormone because it’s the main hormone used to detect early pregnancy. Levels of hCG will nearly double every two days or so.Â
But be advised! According to a study, the median level of hCG in women at 10 DPO is only 12.23 mIU/mL. Yet, most home pregnancy tests (HPTs) can only detect hCG at levels around 25 mIU/mL. So at 10 DPO, you could be pregnant but not get a positive test yet.
- Increasing Levels of Progesterone
During this time, your progesterone levels are also rising. Progesterone first increases right after ovulation. But if you conceive, they’ll increase even more to help you maintain a healthy pregnancy.Â
Because of these increased hormones, you may begin to feel pregnancy symptoms. Not all women will have or notice these early signs. But for the ones who do, it will feel similar to premenstrual symptoms.
Common Symptoms at 10 DPO
When you’re in your TWW, it’s normal to overthink every symptom you notice. You’re probably driving yourself nuts wondering: What should I be feeling at 10 DPO?
So let’s break down the typical symptoms of 10 DPO. In the chart below, you’ll see the common 10 DPO symptoms, their causes, and their reliability.
I’m experiencing.. |
Because… |
Is it from Pregnancy or PMS? |
Is this symptom reliable? |
| Implantation bleeding (spotting or light bleeding) | The embryo is connected to the maternal circulation. This causes some blood vessels to burst | Pregnancy | 75-85% of women don’t experience implant bleeding. But for those who do, it is a reliable sign of pregnancy. |
| Fatigue | Progesterone levels are increasing | Either | If you feel much more tired than usual, it could indicate pregnancy. |
| Cramps/Tummy Discomfort | Implantation is causing cramping or because of increased amounts of progesterone | Either | Implantation cramping is usually around 8-10 DPO. It’s a dull aching pain (not as intense as period cramps) and will only last 1 – 2 days. |
| Mood swings | hCG and progesterone levels are rising | Either | If it’s more pronounced than normal, you could be pregnant. |
| Breast tenderness | Higher levels of progesterone cause increased blood flow to the breast area | Either | If it’s more pronounced than normal, you could be pregnant. |
| Increased urination | Higher progesterone can cause frequent bladder contractions | Either | If it’s more pronounced than normal, you could be pregnant. |
| Bloating and constipation | When progesterone rises, digestion slows | Either | This symptom is not a reliable pregnancy marker on its own. |
| Backache | Rising progesterone causes your ligaments to become lax | Either | This symptom is not a reliable pregnancy marker on its own. |
| Vaginal discharge | Changes to your vaginal wall or decreasing estrogen levels | Either | Reliability varies from woman to woman. |
Here’s a closer look at what you can expect for each of these symptoms at 10 days past ovulation:
Implantation Bleeding
This looks like spotting or light pinkish/brownish bleeding. Implantation bleeding will only last a day or two and occurs a few days before your period arrives.
Fatigue
Low energy or lethargy are possible 10 DPO symptoms. Keep track of how you usually feel during your luteal phase, which is from the day after ovulation to the day before your period. Keeping a log can help you tell if your fatigue is more intense than usual.
Cramps
You may feel dull, achy cramps similar to how you may during your period. General abdominal discomfort or an unsettled stomach are also common.
Moodiness
Increased irritability and mood swings are common around this time. This is caused by changes in your progesterone and hCG levels.
Tender Breasts
Increased progesterone leads to more blood flow to your breasts. All that extra blood can cause you to experience breast fullness or tenderness.
Increased Urination
Frequent trips to the bathroom are common at 10 DPO. You can thank increased bladder contractions and progesterone for this fun symptom.
Bloating and Constipation
You may have an increased feeling of gassiness or not being able to poop. Again, this is brought to you by increased progesterone. Higher levels of this hormone slow down digestion.
Achy Back
Lower back pain may kick in due to your ligaments being more relaxed from changes in your progesterone levels.
Change in Vaginal Discharge
You may notice one of two changes. First, 10 DPO cervical mucus could be a thicker, almost sticky discharge caused by decreasing estrogen. Or you could have more discharge than usual that is whitish in color because of your changes in the vaginal wall.
Keep in mind that some women may experience more obvious symptoms. But it’s also normal to not notice any changes during this time. For some women, the changes could be so subtle that you mistake them for signs of your next period.
The best way to be more aware of any changes is to track your symptoms throughout your menstrual cycle. You can do this in a journal or in a fertility app (like the Inito app, download here).
The Inito app integrates with the Inito fertility monitor and allows you to track over 20 symptoms. This data will help you predict and confirm ovulation. It can also help you track symptoms after ovulation so you can notice anything out of the ordinary.
But what should you do if you have no symptoms to track? That’s totally fine. Read more on why in the next section.
What Does it Mean if I Have No Symptoms at 10 DPO?
- By 20 DPO, only 50% of the women who had a live birth experienced symptoms.Â
- By week 6 of pregnancy, 71% experienced symptoms.Â
- By week 8 of pregnancy, all but 11% had symptoms.Â
Can You Test Positive at 10 DPO?
Testing for pregnancy around this time can be a bit stressful. Waiting to see those two lines or a smiley face can feel like a lifetime. And yes, there is a chance you could test positive at this stage. But in most cases, you will need to wait a little longer for accurate results. So here’s a helpful action plan for pregnancy testing based on your test results at 10 DPO.
Your 10 DPO test is… |
This means… |
Action plan |
| Positive | Implantation was successful and you’re pregnant! Likely, you used a more sensitive test and it detected hCG at levels likely greater than 20 mIU/mL. Even a faint line still means you’re pregnant. | Wait until your missed period to test again. This will allow you to see your 10 DPO pregnancy test progression. These later results will be more reliable since hCG will have had more time to increase. |
| Negative | Pregnancy is still possible, but it’s just too early to tell for sure. hCG may not be at a detectable amount. Or maybe implantation didn’t take place yet. | Wait until 1 – 7 days after your missed period. This window usually begins around 12 – 14 DPO and will give you more accurate results. |
Can I Test Negative at 10 DPO and Still be Pregnant?
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