1 DPO: Symptoms, Signs & What to Expect

Taking the first steps of your TTC journey? We’re exploring everything from 1 DPO symptoms to 1 DPO pregnancy tests. So at 1 DPO, what is happening?
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 during the two-week wait (TWW) between ovulation and your missed period.

We’ll track all the changes you might see over the next few weeks – signs, symptoms, BFPs, BFNs, and what’s going on inside your body if you have conceived.

We’re starting right here at 1 DPO, or days past ovulation.

If you’re new to the TTC community, you can find a guide to more of these TTC acronyms in our complete glossary.

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 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 DPO abbreviation is used throughout the two-week wait to describe each day that passes.

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.

The days following ovulation (about days 15-28) are the 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 after 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.

However, it’s really hard to pinpoint these to potential 1 DPO pregnancy symptoms ‒ your progesterone levels will rise regardless of pregnancy.

And as for the egg, well, that’s where the magic is happening.

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

Can implantation happen at 1 DPO?

Not often, no.

If you find yourself going through door number one this month, 6-12 DPO is prime time for implantation.

And if you’re going through an IVF cycle, this is about Day 5 past your egg retrieval.

This 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 pick up.

You’ll still have to wait a few days before the levels are high enough to register on a test (check here to see your hCG levels by DPO), but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

What are the positive signs of implantation?

Well, this is where things get a bit tricky.

While there are some implantation symptoms, they’re often similar to PMS symptoms, so it’s hard to tell what’s implantation and what’s your regular cycle just from how you’re feeling.

Plus, at 1 DPO, it’s likely too early for implantation ‒ this usually happens at about 6-12 DPO.

But you may experience implantation bleeding from 5 DPO, which can be confusing, as it can look a little like some early period spotting.

And if you’re experiencing spotting at 1 DPO, there’s a chance that could be ovulation bleeding.

Sigh. Why can’t it be simpler to tell if you’re pregnant or not?!

Is the day I ovulated the day I conceived?

Yes, this is often the case.

Conception is the moment when the sperm and egg meet to fertilize the egg ‒ turning it into an embryo.

Can you have symptoms at 1 DPO?

Possibly, yes.

TTC can mean that we pay more attention to our bodies 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, you might want to be on the lookout for:

• 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.

So keep an eye out for any breast tenderness, cramping, headaches, mood swings, fatigue, changes in 1 DPO cervical mucus, bloating, changes in your cervix at 1 DPO, gas, or nausea that’s out of the ordinary.

How many DPO do pregnancy symptoms start?

Well, there’s no one 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, you can, but you won’t have a 1 DPO positive pregnancy test, even if you are 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 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
  
• “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 day later so you are always 4 days behind is helping me! So 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 4 DPO but today in my head, but I am actually 1 DPO!” ‒ Tracey

Your TTC journey is unique to you, but the only way you can be sure that you’re pregnant is to stick out the TWW and do a test in about 14 days.

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