1 DPO: Symptoms, Signs & What to Expect

Welcome to the two-week wait!

If you’re trying for a baby or you’ve already been on the journey for a while, you might want to know more about what to expect in the time between having sex to conceive and getting your positive pregnancy test.

We’re breaking it down day-by-day, starting right here at 1 DPO, or days past ovulation.

So at 1 DPO, you’ve already done the, (ahem), fun part.

An egg can be fertilized for up to 24 hours after it’s released, but now the waiting game is on.

So let’s find out all there is to know about what happens at 1 DPO, with a little help from embryologist and fertility expert, Navya Muralidhar.

In this article: 📝

What does 1 DPO mean?

If you’re wondering “what does DPO stand for”, 1 DPO means one day post ovulation or one day past ovulation.

The term “DPO” is used throughout the two-week wait to describe each day that passes (1 DPO, 2 DPO, etc).

If you’re trying to conceive, the best time to have sex to increase your chances of conception is during your fertile window ‒ the time during your menstrual cycle when you’re ovulating.

So 1 DPO is one day after your peak fertile window, which would be 1 day after sex to conceive.

Every woman is different but, on average, ovulation happens around day 14 of your menstrual cycle, which would make 1 DPO day 15 of your cycle (AKA CD15)

The days following ovulation (about days 15-28) are your luteal phase.

During this second half of your cycle, two things can happen:

1. If the egg met sperm and was fertilized, it heads down the fallopian tube to your uterus where it burrows into your uterine wall and grows into your baby.
   
2. If the egg wasn’t fertilized, it’s reabsorbed into your body and you gear up for your period instead.

Do you count the day of ovulation as 1 DPO?

So how do you count your DPOs?

Well, since 1 DPO is one day post-ovulation, it’s the first day after your peak ovulation.

So you don’t count the day of ovulation, but the day after ovulation.

What can I expect at 1 DPO?

So what happens at 1 DPO?

Well, in all honesty, not a whole lot.

It’s very soon to be able to feel much of anything, if the egg was fertilized.

And, at this point in your cycle, your body will start to produce more progesterone, which might make you feel like you’re experiencing pregnancy symptoms at 1 DPO.

But it’s really hard to pinpoint these to potential 1 DPO pregnancy symptoms ‒ your progesterone levels will rise at this point in your cycle whether you’re pregnant or not.

(And don’t even get us started on symptom spotting ‒ let’s face it, we all do it!)

And as for the egg at 1 day past ovulation, well, that’s where the magic is happening.

If sperm and egg met and fertilized, then the embryo is starting to develop, but it won’t have implanted yet.

Can implantation happen at 1 DPO?

Not often, no.

Implantation usually happens at about 6-12 DPO, so you’ve got just under a week until that starts happening.

And if you’re going through an IVF cycle, this is about day 5 past your egg retrieval, which is when you may be called for an embryo transfer in a fresh transfer cycle.

After implantation, your body starts releasing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the hormone that pregnancy tests detect for a positive result.

You’ll still have to wait a few days before the levels are high enough to register on a test, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Find out more about Your hCG Levels by DPO & Week-by-Week of Pregnancy

Can you have symptoms at 1 DPO?

Possibly, yes.

But when we’re trying to conceive, that often means we’re hyper-aware of everything going on in our bodies, more than ever before.

Every weird smell, every ache, and every emotion starts to feel like a symptom, even if you’re only at the beginning of your TWW.

But can you have symptoms at 1 DPO?

Sure, there are some hormonal changes in your body after ovulation, the big one being a jump in your progesterone level, which can cause some 1 DPO symptoms to occur.

The catch?

There’s an uptick in this hormone at this time every month, whether the egg is fertilized or not, so it can be tough to distinguish early pregnancy symptoms from PMS.

Even though 1 DPO symptoms aren’t necessarily pregnancy symptoms, here are a few things you might be experiencing:

• Breast and nipple tenderness: Often one of the first signs.
  
• Cramps: 1 DPO cramping and pain in your pelvis, abdomen, or lower back is normal and probably linked to ovulation itself.
  
• Headaches: After ovulation, your body sends more blood to your uterus, which can throw things out of balance and give you a headache.
  
• Mood swings: Euphoric one minute and angry the next? Rushing hormones don’t make for stable moods.
  
• Fatigue: Big changes are going on in your body and it’s hard work. Give yourself a break and rest if you need to.
  
• Changes in cervical mucus: After ovulation, your cervical mucus might go from a stretchy egg white consistency to thicker and stickier.
  
• Discharge: This is a tricky one, because your body can product more discharge by 1 DPO and as part of your normal ovulation cycle.
  
• Bloating, gas, and nausea: There’s a link between high progesterone levels and slower digestion.
  
• Basal body temperature: Tracking this can be done with a simple basal body thermometer. Usually, there’s a slight increase in resting temperature (0.5-1 degrees Fahrenheit) when ovulation occurs. If you’re pregnant, the temperature rise remains, but if not, it drops. BBT is often measured first thing in the morning.

What does 1 DPO feel like?

Frustratingly, 1 DPO symptoms can feel pretty much exactly like your normal symptoms at this point in your cycle.

But if you’re TTC, it can be worth keeping a log of your DPO symptoms each day, to see if there’s anything different from usual.

If you find that it’s playing with your headspace to keep track of your symptoms, you don’t have to at all.

You do whatever feels right for you ‒ this is your journey, and you’re doing great.

How many DPO do pregnancy symptoms start?

Well, there’s no single answer to this question.

Every pregnancy journey is different ‒ some women can have pregnancy symptoms at 1 day post ovulation, while others feel nothing until their positive pregnancy test, or even after then.

Your true pregnancy symptoms won’t start until after implantation (around 5-12 DPO) when your body recognizes that there’s something up and starts to make the unique cocktail of hormones that gets things ready for your little peanut.

Can you take a pregnancy test at 1 DPO?

Well, yes, you can, but you won’t have a 1 DPO positive pregnancy test, even if you do get pregnant.

This is because your hCG levels haven’t risen enough to show as a positive on a pregnancy test just yet.

It’s best to wait until the day of (or the day after) your next expected period, so your hCG levels have reached the point where you can see an accurate result on your pregnancy test.

However, some of our Peanut moms-to-be have shared their positive pregnancy test results from as early as 6 DPO!

But if you don’t get your positive at 1 DPO, 6 DPO, or even 12 DPO, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not pregnant.

Take a test the day after your next expected period for the most accurate result.

But some of our Peanut mamas have had some experiences with LH (luteinizing hormone) strips having higher results than usual, which can also sometimes be a super early sign of pregnancy at 1 DPO.

How many DPO will test positive?

It depends ‒ some women can get a positive pregnancy test at 5 DPO, while others don’t get their BFP (big fat positive) until 14 DPO.

But the most accurate time to take your pregnancy test is the morning after the day of your next expected period ‒ morning pee is best, and waiting until the day after your period will have the highest levels of hCG.

Can you feel pregnant after one day?

If you’re noticing symptoms, it’s natural to wonder if you can feel pregnant at 1 DPO.

We’ll be honest: It’s really hard to say.

You might have the same symptoms every month and just not pay attention to them.

If they’re still hanging around in a week or so, there’s a higher chance that they mean you’re pregnant.

But the TTC community is also full of mamas who just knew, and it’s never a bad thing to trust your gut.

What can you do at 1 DPO?

If you’re at the start of your two-week wait, what can you do to keep yourself distracted?

Here are some top tips on what to do at 1DPO from our Peanut TTC community:

• “I’m gonna reorganize my wardrobe!” ‒ Diana
  
• “I already tested!” ‒ Beth
  
• “I’m going to work and work and not pay attention to the calendar. My baby goes back to school in a week so that’ll help pass the time.” ‒ Veronica
  
• “I personally find distracting myself by going outdoors, gym, trying not to Google as much helps.” ‒ Louise
  
• “I’m in my first cycle of TTC, and for 1DPO, I found distracting myself with a plan on how to change up my diet and exercise routines really helped. That way, I still felt like I was actively doing something to help my chances. Even if it is a placebo, it can still only do good, if not for this cycle, then for the next.” ‒ Tassia
  
• “Pamper yourself, get a massage, plan your next vacation… these are all things that help me during 2WW. Good luck!” ‒ Sarah
  
• “I just decided that I’m going to book a massage or manicure for around the time I expect AF every month.” ‒ Madeline
  
• “I’ve found that counting your DPO 4 days later so you are always 4 days behind is helping me! So at 10 DPO you’re actually counting it as 6 DPO and once you’ve got that in your head don’t check any apps. I am actually 4 DPO, but in my head, I am 1 DPO!” ‒ Tracey

So if you’re at the start of your two-week wait at 1 DPO, we feel you ‒ the excitement, nerves, trying-not-to-get-your-hopes-up, and the downright impatience… it’s all good.

It’s still early days, but you’ll be at the end of your two week wait soon, we promise.

Remember, even if there are times when the TWW feels lonely, you can always turn to your Peanut community.

There, you’ll find advice from moms sharing their 1 DPO symptoms that led to BFPs along with support from other women who are at day 1 after ovulation, just like you.

You’re not alone. 🫶

➡️ Up next: 2 DPO: Symptoms, Signs & What to Expect