How to tell if you got pregnant during ovulation

Early Pregnancy Symptoms at 4 Days Post Ovulation

Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — By Madison Manske on July 29, 2020

If you are trying to conceive, it may be hard to wait until you take a pregnancy test to see if you’re pregnant. In fact, you may wonder about some of the things you’re feeling shortly after ovulation — could they be pregnancy symptoms?

While taking a home pregnancy test a day after your missed period — or even a few days after that — is the best way to determine if you’re pregnant, some women may wonder about symptoms as early as 4 DPO, otherwise known as 4 days past ovulation.

In reality, your symptoms aren’t likely to start until around the time of your missed period (about 14 DPO). But anecdotal evidence suggests it’s possible to have signs earlier. Let’s take a closer look.

4 DPO is a very early stage in your cycle’s luteal phase, or time after an egg is released. If the egg released during ovulation is fertilized, it’s an early step toward becoming pregnant.

If the egg was fertilized by a sperm cell when you ovulated, the fertilized egg will transform into a zygote. Eventually, the zygote will travel down the fallopian tubes, making its way to becoming a morula or a blastocyst. This is the beginning stage for an embryo. When an embryo implants in your uterine lining, you’re considered pregnant.

But all this takes time. At 4 DPO, fertilization, if it occurred, has only just occurred, and the fertilized egg is just starting its journey toward the uterus.

It’s normal for women to have a heightened awareness of any bodily changes when they’re actively trying to conceive. Some women may experience symptoms this early on, but don’t worry if you aren’t exactly feeling pregnant at 4 DPO — because technically, you’re not.

Some women may start to experience mild symptoms at 4 DPO but it’s more likely that you’ll need to wait a few weeks.

The earliest symptoms of pregnancy you may start to notice include:

Cramps. The earlier days of pregnancy may include abdominal cramping. However, this is also a sign that you may be starting your menstrual period.
Spotting. This may be implantation bleeding and typically happens around 6 to 12 days after the egg gets fertilized. (The egg needs time to travel to the uterus before it can implant.) You may want to talk to your doctor if you begin spotting at 4 DPO since it’s not likely caused by implantation bleeding.
Nausea. This is a common sign in pregnancy and is caused by rising hormone levels. At 4 DPO, you may not experience nausea quite yet.
Tender breasts. Your breasts may become sensitive due to hormonal changes. This is also a sign that you may be starting your menstrual period.

A missed period is the most telltale sign of pregnancy, but if you’re 4 DPO, you likely have around 9 to 12 days before you’ll experience this sign.

Other symptoms that you may experience within the first trimester of pregnancy include:

fatigue
bloating
food cravings
mood swings
headaches
constipation
nasal congestion

It’s important to pay close attention to your body as it changes. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about early pregnancy symptoms.

If you’re trying to conceive, it’s normal to be antsy for results! The most accurate and reliable results will show up best from the first day of your missed period — likely around 13 to 15 DPO. It may be best to wait at least three weeks after conceiving before taking a test if you don’t have regular menstrual periods.

Some pregnancy tests may have instructions specific to the test you take. Check the packaging on the test before taking it.

Can I be pregnant and test negative?

If your test comes back negative and you still think you’re pregnant, it’s certainly possible! You may have taken the test too early and need to produce more pregnancy hormones first.

You can talk to your doctor, who may recommend taking a blood test for the earliest and most accurate results.

False positives are rare. Positive pregnancy tests rarely indicate something other than pregnancy, including:

a problem in the ovaries
menopause
medication containing the hormone hCG

While it’s unlikely for signs of pregnancy to show at 4 DPO, some women report symptoms.

Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your pregnancy or have questions about conception.

Last medically reviewed on July 29, 2020

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How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Foxcroft K. (2013). Development and validation of a pregnancy symptoms inventory.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3599678/
Harville EW. (2003). Vaginal bleeding in very early pregnancy.
academic.oup.com/humrep/article/18/9/1944/708284
Stages of pregnancy. (n.d.).
womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what/stages-pregnancy
What are common signs of pregnancy? (n.d.).
nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/signs

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Jul 29, 2020

Written By

Madison Manske

Edited By

Jessica Jondle

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Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT

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Lissa Poirot

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Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R. N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — By Madison Manske on July 29, 2020

Ovulation signs | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

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If you are trying to become pregnant, your chances will be improved if you have sex at a particular time of your cycle. Knowing when you ovulate – when an egg is released from your ovaries – is the key to knowing when that right time is.

When you are most fertile

The 5 days before ovulation, together with the day you ovulate, are the days when you are most likely to conceive. Sperm can live up to 5 days inside your body, so if you have sex up to 5 days before your egg is released, you can get pregnant. After ovulation, though, your egg can only live for 12 to 24 hours. After this time is up, your time for getting pregnant has gone for now till the following month.

Your chances of getting pregnant are at their highest in the 3 days leading up to and including ovulation.

Predicting ovulation

Ovulation usually happens about halfway through your menstrual cycle, about 14 days before the first day of your next period, but the exact time can vary. Although signs that you are about to ovulate can be subtle, there are some things you can pay attention to and track over time to help you predict your fertile window.

Changes in mucus

Noticing how your vaginal secretions change during your menstrual cycle is the basis of the Billings ovulation method. Around the time of ovulation, you may notice your secretion is clear, stretchy and slippery — similar to egg whites. After ovulation, when the chances of becoming pregnant drop, the secretion tends to become cloudy and thick, or disappear entirely.

Changes in body temperature

When you’ve just ovulated, your body temperature may increase very slightly, by about half a degree Celsius. If you’re using temperature as a means of keeping track of when you are most fertile, you need to use a special thermometer to take your temperature every morning before you get out of bed. If you record the readings every day using a graph or a spreadsheet, it’s possible to learn your pattern over time. The time when you are most fertile is 2 to 3 days before the rise in temperature.

Other signs

There may be other signs that you are near the time of ovulation, such as mild abdominal cramps, breast tenderness or increased sex drive. However, using these signs to predict when you’re fertile is not the most reliable method.

Using ovulation calculators and kits

Ovulation calendars and kits can also help you predict ovulation.

Ovulation calendars are available on websites such as www.yourfertility.org.au, and use the date of your last period and the length of your cycle to predict when you are likely to be most fertile.

Home ovulation predictor kits are available from pharmacies. You use the kit a few days before your predicted ovulation day, to test for a rise in the level of a hormone called luteinising hormone (LH) in your urine. A positive result indicates you will ovulate within the next 24 to 36 hours.

A blood test, which your doctor can order, can also detect ovulation by measuring levels of the hormone progesterone.

If you are trying to get pregnant, there are also a number of other things you should consider, such as taking folate, maintaining a healthy diet and making sure your vaccinations are up to date.

For more information and support, call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436.

Sources:

Billings Life (Key to fertility control – the mucus), Your Fertility (Your Fertility right time for sex), Your Fertility (Understanding ovulation and the fertile window), Women and Children's Health Network (Getting pregnant), Family Planning NSW (Maximising natural fertility)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: July 2020

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The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.

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How to know if you are pregnant?

143180, Russia, Moscow region, Zvenigorod, st. Komarova, 10

+7 (495) 597-73-00

This is not about the subjective signs of pregnancy, such as nausea, breast enlargement, etc., but about more reliable methods that you should rely on.

So you had unprotected sex. When and how to find out about the onset of pregnancy?

Pregnancy test

The first thing that comes to mind of any woman is a pregnancy test. nine0003

It is better to purchase a test with a high level of sensitivity (the sensitivity of rapid tests is indicated by numbers - 10, 20, 25, 30, they indicate the concentration of hCG in the urine that they are able to catch). 10 is ideal.

Read the instructions carefully before using the test! It spells out what your health conditions are, what medications can affect the test result, and what conditions must be met to get a reliable answer. nine0003

The test is carried out strictly in the morning in the first portion of urine, as it is the most concentrated and contains the highest level of hCG.
To get the most accurate result, you should test on the 5-7th (and even better 10th) day from the start of the delay of menstruation , although the instructions for many of the rapid tests promise a reliable result on the first day of the delay.
The fact is that not every woman has an ideal 28-day menstrual cycle, and even if so, ovulation does not always occur by the hour on the 11-14th day, late ovulation often occurs (on the 21st day and later) , which means that even a highly sensitive test can give a false negative or weakly positive result and mislead you. nine0003

Pregnancy blood test

There is a more sensitive method for confirming pregnancy. It is also based on the determination of the content of hCG, but now in the blood serum.
Already 8-10 days after ovulation (that is, even before the delay or in the first days of the delay in menstruation), during which there was unprotected sexual contact, the level of hCG becomes sufficient so that pregnancy can be fixed using this method. nine0019 Blood is taken in the morning (until 12:00), on an empty stomach (at least 8 and not more than 14 hours of fasting). You can drink water without gas. The intake of drugs on the eve or on the day of the study must be agreed with the attending physician.

Ultrasound to determine pregnancy

The next step is ultrasound.
After receiving a positive pregnancy test and in the absence of complaints (drawing pains in the lower abdomen, frequent vomiting, bloody discharge from the genital tract), do not rush to sign up for an ultrasound scan. nine0019 An ultrasound diagnostician will be able to reliably visualize a fetal egg in the uterus not earlier than the 5th week from the moment of delayed menstruation, and see the embryo itself and determine the heartbeat only from the 7-8th week (sometimes from the 6th week).

The author of the article is an obstetrician-gynecologist Tarakanova M.Yu.

How to independently determine the beginning of ovulation and not make a mistake

Ovulation is the release of an egg from the follicle. It can be tracked with an ultrasound. Or you can do an ovulation test. But some women claim that they feel it without any auxiliary means. Are you one of those? nine0003

Ovulation formula

Knowing when ovulation occurs is important for two things: if a woman wants to get pregnant, or if a woman chooses a calendar method of contraception. The fertile period - the period when fertilization can occur - lasts approximately six days: five days before ovulation and the day of ovulation. The highest probability of conception is within two days before and on the day of ovulation.

Calculating the day of ovulation mathematically makes sense if you have a very clear and stable menstrual cycle. The length of the first phase of the cycle varies. The second phase is more stable and lasts 14 days. Accordingly, to calculate the day of ovulation, it is necessary to subtract 14 from the cycle length. In an ideal 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs exactly in the middle: 28-14 = 14. In a short cycle, it will occur earlier: for example, with a cycle length of 24 days, ovulation will have to around day 10. In the long - later: 33-14 \u003d 19. For women whose menstrual cycle fluctuates by several days, the formula becomes more complicated: you need to take into account the duration of both the shortest and longest cycles, calculate the average. Still, the figure will only be approximate.

A woman can determine the days favorable for conception if she pays attention to the changes that occur to her on certain days of the cycle. These changes are most noticeable in the uterine mucosa and cervix.

Mucus

Neck glands produce mucus. Usually it is thick: a real cork that closes the cervical canal and prevents infections from passing into the uterus. In such thick mucus, sperm cells quickly lose their mobility, and it is difficult for them to rise into the uterine cavity. But the main (dominant) follicle growing in the ovary, from which the egg will be released, produces the hormone estradiol. The more estradiol, the more cervical mucus becomes and the thinner it is. On the eve of ovulation, it becomes extensible, like egg white. In some women, this viscous transparent discharge in the middle of the cycle is very noticeable. For some - a few days before ovulation, for others - only on the day of ovulation itself. This is individual. nine0003

Pain

Ovulation may be indicated by pain in the lower abdomen on the days of the cycle, not associated with menstrual bleeding. The pain can be in the lower abdomen in the center or on the right / left - depending on which ovary the dominant follicle matures. The pain is often of a pulling nature. It may be accompanied by slight bloating or a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen. At first, the pain is slight, but within a couple of days it can intensify. These pains are associated with an increase in the level of biologically active substances in the body of a woman before ovulation - prostaglandins. Prostaglandins dissolve the wall of the follicle and ovarian tissue so that the egg can be released into the abdominal cavity, and from there into the fallopian tube. The "side effect" of prostaglandins is pain. Just like a change in the nature of cervical mucus, pain associated with ovulation may occur only on the day of ovulation itself or be noted on the eve of ovulation and even a day or two after it. nine0003

How to understand that pain is associated with ovulation

It is important to understand that pain in the lower abdomen can be associated with much less pleasant causes than ovulation.

How to understand that this is exactly “it”.

The pain lasts 1-3 days and goes away on its own.
Pain recurs in several cycles.
Approximately 14 days after such pain comes the next menstruation.

Pain during ovulation is moderate and does not require pain medication. Severe pain indicates a health problem. If the pain on the days of the alleged ovulation is severe, you need to contact a gynecologist. Other alarming symptoms accompanying pain in the lower abdomen and which may indicate a problem with the uterus and appendages: fever, increased discharge (leucorrhoea) from the genital tract, discoloration of the leucorrhoea from transparent or white to yellow-green, spotting. By the way, taking painkillers and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) on the days of expected ovulation or shortly before ovulation can reduce the chances of conception. nine0003

Technical aids

Home test

Ovulation can be determined with a home test available from a pharmacy. The principle of the study is based on determining the concentration of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. The level of LH in women fluctuates depending on the period of the menstrual cycle. Just before ovulation, it reaches its maximum values. The ovulation test makes it possible to register the peak of LH release into the blood. After the maximum LH surge, ovulation occurs within the next 36 hours. Therefore, with a positive ovulation test, this and the following days are most favorable for conception. nine0003

Folliculometry

This is a series of ultrasound examinations carried out during one or more menstrual cycles. During folliculometry, the growth of follicles and changes in the endometrium are assessed according to the day of the menstrual cycle, and the fact of ovulation is also ascertained. The average size of the dominant follicle, at which ovulation can occur, is 18-25 mm. If during folliculometry the size of the dominant follicle is 18 mm, this and the next few days are most favorable for pregnancy.