1 DPO: What to Expect at the Start of Your Two-Week Wait

Welcome to the two-week wait!

If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), 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.

Your egg may have been fertilized in the last 24 hours, or it might be taking its final bow and disintegrating.

Either way, 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.

But you can still have sex to conceive at 1 DPO, since an unfertilized egg can survive for around 24 hours, so there’s still a chance for it to bump into a sperm.

On average, ovulation occurs around day 14 of a 28-day cycle, which makes 1 DPO fall around day 15 (AKA cycle day 15 or CD15).

But every body is unique — ovulation can happen anywhere between day 10 and day 20 (or even later).

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?

Nope — 1 DPO is that day after your ovulation.

Ovulation day is simply… ovulation day!

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.

There aren’t really any potential 1 DPO pregnancy symptoms ‒ your progesterone levels will rise at this point in your cycle whether you’re pregnant or not.

(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.

Hormonal shifts are happening behind the scenes, and if fertilization occurred, the egg and sperm are busy forming an embryo.

Can implantation happen at 1 DPO?

No — implantation can happen at about 6-12 DPO, but typically 8-10 DPO so you’ve got just under a week until that starts happening. [1]

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:

What does 1 DPO feel like?

Frustratingly, 1 DPO symptoms if pregnant can feel pretty much exactly like your normal symptoms at this point in your cycle — it’s too early to feel any different at this point.

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 after implantation, while others feel nothing until their positive pregnancy test, or even after then.

Can you take a pregnancy test at 1 DPO?

You could, but it’s way too early for a reliable result.

You likely won’t have built up enough (if any) hCG to register on a test, even if you are pregnant — because, at this point, since the embryo wouldn’t have implanted by now, you’re technically not pregnant yet.

Most healthcare professionals recommend waiting until at least the day of your missed period — or 14 DPO if you have a regular 28-day cycle — to reduce the chances of a false negative.

Some of our Peanut moms-to-be get a positive earlier (as early at 10 DPO), but if you test too soon and get a negative, don’t count yourself out.

Test again in a few days, with morning pee, when your urine is more concentrated and the levels of hCG are highest (the hormone that pregnancy tests test for).

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, and it’s not for us to dismiss any woman’s experiences.

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

Every body is different, so if something feels off (or on), tune in.

But scientifically, 1 DPO is usually too soon for clear-cut pregnancy signals.

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’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.

Hang tight.

Before you know it, you’ll be at the finish line of your two-week wait, and that pregnancy test will be ready for its big reveal.

Good luck and baby dust to you! ✨

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