Content table
Wondering what’s going on at 8 DPO?
At 8 days past ovulation, your body is likely still preparing for implantation. It could even be nourishing the very newly implanted embryo.
Either way, your hormones are fluctuating quite a bit. Progesterone is on the rise, and hCG is soon (or already) on the rise.
But if you’re craving the whole picture of 8 DPO symptoms and early pregnancy testing though? Keep reading!
Takeaways
- At 8 DPO, your body is preparing for implantation. Or it’s even possible the fertilized egg has already implanted into your uterine lining.
- Progesterone levels are increasing at this time. And some women may already have rising hCG.
- At 8 DPO, you could feel quite a few symptoms. These include fatigue, breast tenderness, stomach issues, and moodiness just to name a few. It’s hard to tell if symptoms at this time are from PMS or the early stages of pregnancy though.
- 8 DPO is likely too early to test for most women. There are two reasons for this. 1. Implantation didn’t occur yet. Or 2. hCG levels are so small they won’t register on a urine test. The best time to test for accurate results in early pregnancy is a day after your missed period.
- There are lots of ways to take extra care of yourself around 8 DPO. Drink plenty of water, exercise, eat a nutritious diet, and avoid testing too early or too much.
What is 8 DPO?
8 DPO means it’s the eighth day after ovulation has occurred. At 8 DPO, it’s possible you could already be pregnant. And if you’re not yet, pregnancy could be just around the corner.
What is happening at 8 DPO?
Here’s precisely what’s going on in your body at 8 days past ovulation:
Increasing levels of progesterone
Progesterone is on the rise at 8 DPO. This hormone starts rising after you ovulate. Levels of this hormone will peak around 6 – 8 DPO. And if implantation is successful, progesterone keeps rising to ensure the pregnancy progresses normally. If not, progesterone levels will drop and you will get your period.
Increased levels of progesterone may cause you to feel a variety of symptoms. But at this stage, many of these symptoms feel similar to premenstrual syndrome.
Implantation occurs
The embryo can implant into the uterine wall as early as 6 DPO or as late as 12 DPO. But according to one study, 84% of healthy pregnancies had implantation take place between 8 DPO and 10 DPO. So, at 8 DPO, you could officially become pregnant!
hCG begins increasing
If implantation occurs at 8 DPO, hCG will begin to rise. Even though the levels are low at first, you’ll begin to see hCG nearly doubling every 48 hours. But if the embryo hasn’t implanted, you’re technically not pregnant yet and you need to wait a little longer.
A word to the wise! Just because hCG starts to increase at this time, doesn’t mean you’ll test positive yet. This is because hCG levels are so miniscule in the beginning.
In one study, at 8 DPO, the average amount of hCG was only 0.06 mIU/mL. And the detection threshold for most pregnancy tests is 25 mIU/mL.
This means if you test at 8 DPO, you are likely going to get a false negative. Even if you are pregnant! (We’ll talk about the best time for testing towards the end).
Common symptoms and early signs at 8 DPO
As mentioned, pregnant or not, you could experience a number of symptoms at 8 DPO.
For a full view of possible 8 DPO symptoms and what they indicate, see the chart below.
I’m experiencing.. | Because… | 8 DPO pregnant or PMS? | Reliability of symptom |
| Implantation bleeding (light bleeding or spotting) | The embryo connects to the maternal blood supply. As a result, blood vessels could burst and cause light bleeding. | Pregnancy | Only between 15 and 25% of pregnant women experience implantation bleeding. If you do experience this symptom, it’s a good indicator of pregnancy. |
| Fatigue | The hormone progesterone is on the rise | Either | Extreme fatigue could be an early pregnancy sign. |
| Upset stomach/cramping | When the embryo implants, progesterone levels rise. This could lead to cramping. | Either | Cramping from implantation is possible at 8-10 DPO. This feels like a dull achiness for 1 – 2 days. Premenstrual cramping tends to be more intense than implantation cramping. |
| Moodiness | Your levels of progesterone and hCG are on the rise | Either | More intense mood swings could be an early sign of pregnancy. |
| Tender breasts | More blood flows to your breasts when progesterone is increased | Either | Breast tenderness that’s more noticeable could indicate pregnancy. |
| More frequent urination | When your body has increased progesterone, your bladder contracts more often | Either | Increased urination that’s more pronounced than usual could mean you’re pregnant. |
| Constipation and bloating | Progesterone causes your gut muscles and sphincters to relax. This leads to slower digestion. | Either | On its own, bloating/constipation is not a reliable pregnancy symptom. |
| Achy back | Your ligaments are more relaxed when progesterone rises | Either | On its own, not very reliable for pregnancy |
| Changes in vaginal discharge | Estrogen is decreasing or because the vaginal wall changes | Either | The reliability of this symptom depends on the specific person |
Let’s zoom in even more on each of these potential 8 DPO symptoms:
Implantation bleeding
Again, the majority of women don’t experience implantation bleeding. But if you do, you’ll notice it a few days before your expected menstrual period. It will be very light bleeding or spotting that lasts for 2 days at most.
Fatigue
Lower energy levels and feeling lethargic are common at 8 DPO. This symptom only tends to be reliable though if you have a baseline to compare it to. That’s why it’s recommended to log your symptoms with a tracker. This will allow you to decipher if your fatigue is more intense than usual after ovulation.
Cramping and upset stomach
At 8 DPO, you may notice a crampy or achy feeling in your abdominal area. For some women, this can feel like PMS cramps. A queasy stomach is normal around this time too.
Mood swings
You could find yourself more prone to irritability and moodiness during this window. Say thank you to your fluctuating hormones for this!
Breast tenderness
Higher levels of progesterone will cause extra blood flow to your breasts. And not surprisingly, this can cause breast tenderness or breast fullness.
Increased urination
Needing to pee more frequently is a common 8 DPO symptom. This is because higher amounts of progesterone make your bladder contract more often.
Constipation and bloating
Not being able to poop and feeling extra gassy are common PMS symptoms as well as early signs of pregnancy. This is due to slower digestion caused by good ol’ progesterone.
Backaches
Increased progesterone can make your ligaments more lax. This laxity may cause you to feel achiness in your back.
Vaginal discharge changes
Two distinct changes are possible in this timeframe. The first is a stickier, thicker discharge. This is caused by lower estrogen levels. The second possibility is whitish discharge in an increased amount. This is caused by changes to the vaginal wall after implantation.
In addition to the common PMS symptoms and early signs of pregnancy already mentioned, you could also experience:
- Hot flushes
- Dizziness
- Heartburn
- Increased appetite
- Heightened sense of smell
It’s important to realize that these symptoms vary from woman to woman. And as you noticed in the chart, a lot of 8 DPO signs and symptoms could be from either pregnancy or the onset of your expected period.
With that in mind, using a hormone tracker can be super helpful. For example, the Inito fertility monitor and app allow you to keep tabs on your hormones. Inito tracks LH, Estrogen, and FSH to track your fertile window and PdG (urine metabolite of progesterone) to confirm ovulation. This also helps you confirm what DPO you are!
And don’t worry! Even if you don’t have the monitor, you can use the app for free to track your symptoms. This may help you spot signs of ovulation as well as notice unusual post-ovulation symptoms.
And please know that it’s completely normal to not notice any symptoms and symptoms at 8 DPO. We’ll uncover why in the next section.
Is it Normal to Not Have Symptoms at 8 DPO?
Don’t sweat it. At this stage, having no symptoms is very normal. It’s possible that the egg was fertilized but the embryo didn’t implant yet. In that case, you’re not pregnant yet (though there’s a chance you could be soon).
And every woman has a slightly different response to fluctuating hormones. For instance, a rise in progesterone may cause many symptoms for some women. Meanwhile, other women won’t notice any difference at all.
And at 8 DPO, even if you are pregnant, your hCG levels are just beginning to rise. So it will take time for your body to show a response to this rising hormone. One study found that only half of women who had a live birth noticed symptoms even at 20 DPO.
Bottom line? It’s still probably too early to tell for sure if you’re pregnant or not. Try your best to take it easy and don’t let worry get the best of you.
Can you test positive at 8 DPO?
Taking a pregnancy test within the two-week wait can feel like an emotional roller coaster. That’s why we wanted to make it as clear as possible what you can expect with pregnancy testing at 8 DPO.
Look at the chart below to see what each pregnancy result means and what you should do next.
Your 8 DPO pregnancy test is… |
This means… |
Action plan |
| Positive | The embryo successfully implanted and you are pregnant! Your hCG levels are likely 25 mIU/mL or higher. Note: A faint line still indicates pregnancy. | If you got a positive result, take another pregnancy test after your missed period to confirm. |
| Negative | The embryo didn’t implant yet. Or, your hCG levels aren’t high enough for the home pregnancy test you’re using to detect. | Wait to test until a day after your missed period. This is usually between 12 – 14 DPO. Postponing further testing until after your expected period will yield more reliable results. |
You’ll notice in the table that it is possible to test positive at 8 DPO. But this typically only happens for women with very high hCG levels who are using sensitive tests.
If you did get your BFP at 8DPO, we’re so happy for you! You can expect your hCG levels to begin doubling roughly every 2 days. It’s recommended that you test again after your missed period to confirm the pregnancy. This later test should be even darker than the initial test line.
Frustrated about not getting a positive yet? Are your 8 DPO symptoms ending in BFN? Take a breath and keep reading.
Negative pregnancy test at 8 DPO?
Seeing that single test line can feel triggering. But remind yourself of what you learned here so far. False negatives are extremely common at 8 DPO. And most women experience implantation on 8 DPO, 9 DPO, or 10 DPO.
What if the embryo already gets implanted on or before 8 DPO though? Your hCG levels won’t have had a chance to climb high enough yet to be detected. This is especially true if you’re not using a sensitive home pregnancy test. Remember, most HPTs can only detect hCG starting at 25 mIU/mL.
Regardless of the test results, keep reading for how you can cope with this overwhelming time.
Coping with 8DPO and the two week wait
You’re not alone if you feel like you’re doing mental gymnastics during the TWW. This is a very trying time for many women.
So here are some ways you can take care of your well-being at 8 DPO:
- Keep things low-key by opting out of any events that may cause extra stress.
- Be mindful of what you consume. Eating wholesome and nutritious foods can help improve your energy levels and overall mood.
- Incorporate 30 minutes of light exercise into your day. Moving your body may help keep your mind off of pregnancy and boost your mood.
- Ensure adequate fluid intake. Drinking plenty of water is important for your overall health and even more so if you’re pregnant.
- If you experience sore or tender breasts, be sure to wear a supportive bra.
- Avoid incessantly testing and testing too early. Both of these may cause added anxiety and frustration. Instead, engage in a more grounding activity like journaling or meditation.
- Join the Inito Facebook community for more support. Connecting with other women who are also TTC can be helpful and valuable.
FAQs
Fluctuating progesterone levels can cause a variety of symptoms. And since progesterone rises after ovulation, there’s often an overlap in PMS and pregnancy symptoms. So try not to assign too much meaning to your symptoms. It’s easier said than done, but this can help eliminate extra stress.
But what if you really want to distinguish PMS versus early pregnancy symptoms? Keep a log or use a symptom tracker.
A negative test at 8 DPO is not all that reliable. Many pregnant women will get a false negative at this stage. This is because implantation has only just occurred (or will occur in the next few days).
A positive home pregnancy test at 8 DPO is most likely reliable. (This is assuming you followed the manufacturer’s testing instructions accurately.)
Not necessarily. It just depends on the person. The underlying cause of most early pregnancy symptoms is rising progesterone and hCG. But your progesterone levels start rising after you ovulate. So you could have symptoms even before you officially become pregnant.
It’s possible but not very likely. It takes a few days after implantation for the hormone hCG to reach a detectable amount. In one study of successful pregnancies, less than 8% had implantation before 8 DPO. This means the majority of the women would not have tested positive on 8 DPO.
Another study found that at 8 DPO, the average amount of hCG found in pregnant women was only 0.06 mIU/mL. This amount of hCG is too small to detect with a home urine test.
Yes, absolutely! If you test negative at 8 DPO, don’t automatically rule out a pregnancy. After implantation, it takes time for hCG to rise to a detectable amount. Want the most accurate results? It’s best to wait until at least the day after your missed period to test. If you still test negative then, wait another week and retest.
Was this article helpful?
- Time of Implantation of the Conceptus and Loss of Pregnancy | New England Journal of Medicine
- 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
