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You got the timing right, and now you’re eager to know if you are pregnant. As a result, you have been counting the days past ovulation (DPO) to see if you have a big fat positive. Sounds like you, right?
It’s normal to think every minor symptom is a sign that you’re pregnant, especially in your early stages. However, getting a positive test for pregnancy at 5 DPO is rare.
In this article, we’ll talk about what you may be experiencing at these early stages, plus what your pregnancy test result at 5 DPO may show.
What happens at 5 DPO?
Your body is a complex system that works its head off to ensure everything goes right. And yes, that includes implantation.
Every month, your body prepares for implantation by thickening your uterine lining for an incoming fertilized egg.
Now, the corpus luteum is the brain behind this cycle. It is formed in the ovary when a follicle bursts to release an egg. With the help of the pregnancy hormone progesterone, the corpus luteum ensures you get a big fat positive.
As we know, successful fertilization increases your progesterone levels. This is needed to support the growing baby in your womb.
Consequently, rising progesterone levels may resemble early pregnancy signs and could be mistaken for premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Learn More : What your progesterone levels means after ovulation
But what if the egg doesn’t get fertilized? Unfortunately, the corpus luteum becomes smaller, and the progesterone level decreases. This stops your uterine lining from thickening and the timely visit of lady red (menstrual flow).
Even though there are chances of getting pregnant and feeling those symptoms at 5 DPO, it’s not typical for most people.
If the sperm fertilizes the egg, you are on the highway to implantation. At 5 DPO, this is possible; nevertheless, studies confirm that implantation happens 6-12 days after ovulation. In other words, there’s no certainty that a fertilized egg will implant into the uterus at 5 DPO.
Regardless of all this, don’t fall for this trap!
Early signs of pregnancy can mimic your premenstrual symptoms because of the peak in progesterone. If you usually experience PMS symptoms, you might have 5 DPO symptoms and be completely unaware.
Learn More : Implantation: Everything You Need to Know
Symptoms at 5 DPO
If implantation is successful, the famous pregnancy hormone, progesterone, continues to secrete and rise. So, of course, as we said earlier, you might think it’s your period coming.
Most women may not differentiate 5 DPO symptoms from the early signs of an oncoming period as they look alike. This is why we have highlighted the common symptoms at 5 DPO below.
Implantation Cramping:
Some women may experience specific symptoms like cramping and faint brown or reddish discharge as implantation happens. But this is rare and affects about 25% of women who are not in their menopause.
Just like the cramps you experience during your period, implantation cramps begin in your uterus. They are generally mild to moderate sensations or prick in the lower back area.
These cramps happen where the fertilized egg implants into the womb. The significant difference between them and period cramps is that they occur between 6 DPO and 12 DPO, as against period cramps that happen at 14 DPO.
Implantation Bleeding:
Although this may sound funny, bleeding could be an early sign of pregnancy. Studies show that the blood flow is not as heavy as menstruation and occurs in 15-25% of pregnancies.
Before you ask what causes bleeding in the first place, keep calm because it is normal. You might bleed a little when implantation occurs. But, even though it is normal, it shouldn’t linger on for more than a few days.
Learn More: Implantation bleeding Vs. Periods | What Does Implantation Bleeding Look Like?
Constipation
Remember when we said that an increase in your progesterone level is necessary for implantation to occur? Well, it turns out that the side effect is constipation. This is because high progesterone levels can disturb the normalcy of your digestive system.
Things like the smooth muscles in your stomach could be affected and cause either bloating or constipation after meals.
Mood Swings
As your baby develops, your body experiences hormonal imbalances, which may affect your mood constantly. For example, it is normal to feel happy this minute and throw a tantrum the next minute.
The real culprits behind this are the trios–progesterone, estrogen, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Their extremely high levels flood your body, responsible for mood swings.
Nausea
From the beginning, nausea has been the number one symptom of pregnancy. Even though we can’t say the exact cause, hormonal changes are the prime suspects.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, 4 out of 5 women experience morning sickness (nausea) before a missed period, so some people might begin to feel nauseous at 5 DPO.
Although it happens early on, some women don’t experience it until weeks after their BFP.
Fatigue
Yet again, hormones are responsible for extreme tiredness in pregnant women. The rapid increase in progesterone can make you feel like a log of wood.
Fatigue is one of the frequent symptoms that come with pregnancy. Pregnant women may notice this unusual tiredness in the first week after conceiving.
As your hormonal level increases, your body begins to double-time to ensure your baby develops properly. Consequently, you may feel exhausted even though you are well-rested.
What if there are no symptoms at 5 DPO?
Since the symptoms at 5 DPO and your oncoming period look like the same thing, it will be an arduous task to tell the two apart.
Did you know that you could be pregnant yet not experience any symptoms at 5 DPO? Yes, and this is not a cause for alarm!
Most women won’t experience pregnancy symptoms until about eight weeks of their last menstrual period. However, some signs may be expected, and you will not have experienced them yet.
When to test
Before you take a pregnancy test, the wait can be long and tortuous, but it is always better to wait than take a test too early. Taking a test earlier than expected can lead to a false negative, which means you could be pregnant, but the result didn’t pick it up.
Home pregnancy testing monitors work by checking the level of the hormone hCG in your blood and urine after implantation. If this hormone’s level is low, the test result will come out as a negative result.
But if you wait and test from 6 DPO – 12 DPO, your chances of getting a positive test increase. Don’t get this mixed up. It doesn’t mean you are not pregnant at 5 DPO; instead, it is still too early to test.
What does a BFP mean at 5 DPO?
If the results from your home pregnancy test come out positive, then the level of hormone hCG in your body has peaked to a high level.
Sometimes, this increase might be because of abnormalities like problems with your ovaries, some medications, or menopause, instead of pregnancy.
Looking at how pregnancy works, it is too early to get a big fat positive at 5 DPO. However, if you get a positive result at 5 DPO, some issues may be. Hence, you should repeat the test later.
Summary
- Early signs of pregnancy can mimic your premenstrual symptoms because of the peak in progesterone.
- If you usually experience PMS symptoms, you might have 5 DPO symptoms and be completely unaware.
- Some common 5 DPO symptoms include; cramping, bloating, constipation, fatigue, mood swings, and bleeding.
- Taking a pregnancy test 5 days past ovulation is a bit early, but waiting till 6 DPO will yield a better result.
- If the results from your home pregnancy test come out positive, then the level of hormone hCG in your body has peaked to a high level.
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- Sharma A, Kumar P. Understanding implantation window, a crucial phenomenon. J Hum Reprod Sci. 2012;5(1):2-6.
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- Şükür YE, Göç G, Köse O, et al. The effects of subchorionic hematoma on pregnancy outcome in patients with threatened abortion. J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc. 2014;15(4):239-242.
- Vomiting and morning sickness. NHS.uk.
- Common discomforts of pregnancy. March of Dimes.
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