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Are you 13 DPO and overthinking all your symptoms? Wondering if you could be pregnant?
At 13 DPO, most women who are pregnant will get a positive pregnancy test. This is assuming you tracked your ovulation accurately. But in the case that you test negative, there’s still a possibility you could be pregnant.
So stick with us! We’ll share all you need to know about what’s normal for 13 DPO symptoms. And we’ll also clarify the timeline for what happens in early pregnancy.
What’s happening at 13 DPO?
If you’re pregnant, at 13 days past ovulation, your body is working hard to nourish the developing embryo. Let’s see exactly what’s going on at 13 DPO.
Implantation just occurred
The window for implantation is between 6 DPO to 12 DPO. And for most women, 8 DPO through 10 DPO are the most common days for the embryo to implant. So at DPO 13, this means the embryo has already nestled into your uterine lining anywhere from a day to a week ago.
You’ll notice this time frame varies quite a bit. So you may begin to notice some 13 DPO symptoms if pregnant, or it could be too early to tell. It all depends on the exact timing of implantation.
Levels of the hormone progesterone increase
After ovulation, progesterone production increases to prepare your womb for a potential pregnancy. And once implantation occurs, progesterone rises even more.
Increased amounts of progesterone can cause many women to experience symptoms. And since progesterone begins rising even before implantation occurs, many pregnancy and premenstrual symptoms overlap.
But know that each woman’s body reacts to progesterone differently. This is the reason some women experience more intense PMS or pregnancy symptoms than others do.
hCG is on the rise
After implantation, the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) begins increasing too. In fact, for most women, hCG levels nearly double every 48 hours.
Even though hCG begins doubling every two days, the amount starts out quite small. According to one study, levels of hCG detected in the urine were between 29.02 mIU/mL and 196.95 mIU/mL. And the median level of urine hCG was 75.25 mIU/mL.
Most pregnancy tests can detect hCG starting at 25 mIU/mL. So if you test at 13 DPO (and you are pregnant), you’re more than likely to get a positive result.
Not sure how to tell what DPO you are?
Here’s a breakdown to make it really simple for you:
- Ovulation usually happens between 24 and 36 hours after your LH surge.
- The day you ovulate is known as Day 0.
- We call 1 day after you ovulate 1 DPO. We call 2 days after you ovulate 2 DPO. And so on from there.
- You can use Inito to not only predict but also confirm ovulation. When you use the Inito monitor, it will tell you exactly when you ovulated. And it will even show your DPO on your charts!)
Common Symptoms at 13 DPO
Want a complete picture of early signs and symptoms at 13 DPO? Look at the chart below.
| I’m noticing… | Because… | Early pregnancy or PMS? | Is this symptom reliable for indicating early pregnancy? |
| Light bleeding or spotting (implantation bleeding) | The embryo implants, connecting to your blood supply. This can cause tiny blood vessels to burst and hence light bleeding happens. | Pregnancy | This symptom is a reliable indicator of early pregnancy. That said, most women (75-85%) don’t experience implantation bleeding. |
| Increased tiredness | Progesterone levels are increasing. | Either | Intense fatigue could be an early indicator of pregnancy. |
| Abdominal cramping or upset stomach | Increased levels of progesterone can cause light cramping. | Either | Cramping caused by implantation feels like a dull ache and lasts for just a day or two. Premenstrual cramping is usually more intense. |
| Mood swings | Levels of both hCG and progesterone are increasing. | Either | More intense fluctuations in your mood could indicate pregnancy. |
| Tender breasts | Rising progesterone increases blood flow to the breasts, causing them to feel extra full. | Either | If your boob soreness is more intense than usual, it could be from pregnancy. |
| Increased urination | Higher amounts of progesterone make your bladder contract more often. | Either | If you’re making more trips to the bathroom than normal to pee, it could be due to pregnancy. |
| Feeling bloated and constipated | Increased progesterone leads to more relaxed sphincters and gut muscles. This causes digestion to slow. | Either | As standalone symptoms, bloating and constipation aren’t a reliable pregnancy marker. |
| Backache | Rising progesterone causes ligaments to relax. | Either | This is not a very reliable pregnancy marker on its own. |
| Vaginal discharge changes | Decreasing estrogen levels before your period can cause a thick, sticky discharge. However, if pregnant, there may be an increase in the amount of discharge. | Either | For some women, this could be a helpful marker. But for others, it may not be. |
Here’s an even deeper look at each of these 13 DPO symptoms:
Implantation bleeding
Remember, only 15 – 25% of women experience implantation bleeding. If you are one of these women, you’ll notice spotting or light pink or brownish bleeding. And it will last for no more than a day or two. It’s much lighter and lasts for a shorter time than menstrual bleeding.
Increased tiredness
Feeling fatigued at 13 DPO is quite common. But using this as a pregnancy marker is usually only reliable if you have a good idea of what your baseline energy levels are. This is why tracking your symptoms throughout your menstrual cycle is so helpful.
Cramping and upset stomach
Feeling queasy and crampy is also normal around 13 DPO. Period cramps tend to be more noticeable than cramping from implantation.
Mood swings
You may notice changes in your mood around 13 days past ovulation. Your increased levels of progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) can leave you feeling extra cranky.
Breast tenderness
Noticing fuller-than-normal breasts is a common 13 DPO symptom. This is because of having more blood flowing through the vessels in your breasts. Again, all thanks to progesterone.
Increased urination
When progesterone is on the rise, your bladder contracts more frequently. This can make you have to pee more often than usual.
Feeling bloated and constipated
Surprise, surprise, progesterone is also the reason for this symptom. If you feel bloated or constipated, it’s because this hormone has caused your digestion to slow down. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell if this is due to your expected period or early pregnancy.
Backaches
Progesterone relaxes your ligaments. This can cause you to feel backaches in early pregnancy or before your period.
Vaginal discharge changes
Noticing a stickier, thicker discharge? It’s probably from decreasing levels of estrogen due to your period coming soon. What about 13 DPO discharge if pregnant? In this case, the discharge could be increased in volume and whitish in color. This is due to your vaginal wall changing after the embryo implants. But this marker really varies from woman to woman, so having a baseline of what’s normal for you is important.
Some additional symptoms you could notice include:
- Heartburn
- Heat flashes
- Increased appetite
- Heightened sense of
- smell
- Dizziness
As mentioned, many of these PMS and early pregnancy symptoms vary for each individual. But knowing what’s normal for you cycle to cycle can help you spot signs that are out of the ordinary.
Using a hormone and symptom tracker can be very useful. The Inito fertility monitor helps you predict AND confirm ovulation. The charts even keep track of how many DPO you are. And Inito’s free app can be used without purchasing the monitor. The app lets you log your symptoms so you can make note of any unusual signs after ovulation.
So there are a ton of symptoms you could be experiencing at 13 DPO. But what if you don’t have any of these symptoms? What does that mean? Keep reading.
What if I have no symptoms at 13 DPO? Is that a bad sign?
Don’t think your chances are over! If you’re not seeing any unusual symptoms at 13 days past ovulation, there’s still hope for you.
All women experience pregnancy symptoms differently. And some women don’t notice any symptoms this early.
In the image below you’ll see the percent of women in a study who reported symptoms at varying stages of early pregnancy.
Though this was from a relatively small study, even at week 8, some women still didn’t notice any symptoms. And they went on to have a successful pregnancy.
Sure it can be helpful to notice early signs and symptoms. But the only way to confirm a pregnancy is by taking a pregnancy test. So let’s dive into what to expect with a 13 DPO pregnancy test.
Positive pregnancy test at 13 DPO
If you got a positive on your home test, you are pregnant! How exciting! You can wait a few more days to a week to take a pregnancy test again. But you should also consider calling your doctor to schedule a prenatal appointment. Congrats!
Check out the chart below for a helpful action plan based on your pregnancy test results at 13 DPO.
Your 13 DPO test result is… | This means… | What next? |
Positive | The embryo securely attached to your uterine lining, and you’re pregnant! Your urine hCG levels are higher than 25 mIU/mL. But if the amount of hCG is still relatively small, the line on the test could be faint. | Test again after you pass the date of your expected period. This will allow time for hCG to continue to double so you can confirm the pregnancy is progressing. |
Negative | The embryo may have implanted later in the 6 – 12 DPO window. In this case, you could be pregnant but hCG isn’t high enough to show up on a pregnancy test yet. | Wait a few more days to a week before testing again. If you are pregnant, hCG levels will keep rising. So this extra time will allow hCG to increase to a detectable amount. |
Still want more guidance on what to do if you test negative at 13 DPO? Keep reading.
13 DPO negative test
Getting a 13 DPO BFN (big fat negative) can certainly feel disheartening. You’re not alone in feeling that way. Especially if you’ve been trying for a baby for many cycles. But if you tested negative, don’t count this cycle out quite yet.
You could be pregnant, but your hCG levels aren’t high enough for detection. Remember, even though hCG begins doubling every 48 hours, the initial levels are small.
There’s also a chance that the specific test you used wasn’t sensitive enough. Pregnancy tests work off of hCG thresholds, and certain brands can detect lower levels of hCG than others can.
It’s recommended that you wait until the day after your missed period to test again. Of course, in the meantime, call your doctor if you have any concerns.
Why am I feeling period-like symptoms at 13 DPO?
A lot of early pregnancy symptoms are caused by rising progesterone. Progesterone is the same hormone that causes many of the PMS symptoms you may notice each month. That’s why it can be a challenge to rely on symptoms alone as a sign of pregnancy.
Takeaways
- At 13 DPO, the embryo has already successfully implanted. Implantation can happen between 6 – 12 DPO, but 8 – 10 DPO is most common.
- hCG and progesterone both increase after implantation. These rising pregnancy hormones can cause you to feel a variety of symptoms at 13 DPO. Some include cramping, breast tenderness, constipation, and mood swings.
- It’s also possible to notice implantation bleeding around 13 DPO. But most women won’t have this symptom.
- Not having any pregnancy symptoms at 13 DPO is also totally normal. Every woman will react to fluctuating pregnancy hormones differently.
- Logging your symptoms is useful for spotting any unusual symptoms that could be pregnancy signs. The Inito app is perfect for this!
- If you are pregnant, you are more than likely going to get a positive test result. But if you test negative, there’s still a chance you conceived this cycle.
- Try your best to be patient and avoid getting worked up with symptom spotting in the two week wait. You can take a pregnancy test again after your missed period if you got a big fat negative the first time.
FAQs
Yes, this is totally possible! At 13 days post ovulation, most women who are pregnant will see those two lines (or the smiley face). But for those who had later implantation, hCG levels may not be high enough yet. Most home pregnancy tests only show positive if your hCG is 20-25 mIU/mL or higher. So waiting a few more days to retest can give your levels time to reach detectable levels.
Definitely! Implantation occurs from 6 to 12 days post ovulation. So if the fertilized egg implants closer to the end of that window, your hCG levels could be too low to detect at 13 DPO.
When used according to the brand’s instructions, home pregnancy tests are 97% accurate. For most brands, this means testing on the day of or day after your missed period. If you do get a positive result, that means you are definitely pregnant! If you didn’t, wait until after your missed period to retest.
Was this article helpful?
- Strips of Hope: Accuracy of Home Pregnancy Tests and New Developments – PMC
- Bleeding During Pregnancy | ACOG
- Neurophysiological and cognitive changes in pregnancy
- A prospective study of the onset of symptoms of pregnancy – Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
- Pregnancy Tests: American Pregnancy Association
- Relationship Between the Menstrual Cycle and Timing of Ovulation Revealed by New Protocols: Analysis of Data from a Self-Tracking Health App
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