11DPO: pregnancy symptoms and testing at eleven days post ovulation
Dan Collins
WriterWondering what symptoms to expect at 11dpo? Trying to figure out if it's time to take a pregnancy test yet? Here's everything you need to know about what to expect at eleven days post ovulation.
If you’re trying for a baby, you probably already have a head full of acronyms. One of the more important ones for tracking what’s going on with a potential pregnancy is ‘dpo’ or days post ovulation. It’s exactly what it sounds like: how many days have gone by since you ovulated.
The NHS advises that ovulation usually occurs roughly two weeks before your next period would start. If you need help working out when you last ovulated, or when to expect it next, you can try out our ovulation calculator, as well as getting more details on how ovulation works.
If you already know where you are in your cycle and that you’ve reached 11 days post ovulation, then you probably want to know what you can expect. We’ve brought together the research from the NHS, Healthline, and other fertility experts to help you to understand the symptoms you might experience at 11dpo and when you can start accurately testing.
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What’s happening in my body at 11dpo?
Exactly what’s going on depends on a few factors, from how long and regular your menstrual cycles are to when you last had sex. However, there are a few specific options as to what’s happening.
At 11dpo, it’s possible that:
- an egg has been released and made it down the fallopian tube without being fertilised (you’re not pregnant)
- an egg has been released and fertilised, but hasn't yet implanted in your womb (you may be pregnant)
- an egg has been fertilised, and has implanted in your womb (you are pregnant)
Here’s how it works:
On the day of ovulation, one of your ovaries releases an egg, which starts to make its way down your fallopian tube to your womb. In this 24-hour journey, if it comes into contact with a sperm there is a chance that it will be fertilised. If this doesn’t happen, then the egg will carry on to your womb and leave your body during your next period.
Sperm cells can survive for up to five days inside your body. If you’ve had sex a few days before ovulation, or up to 24 hours after, then the egg could have been fertilised by the time it gets to your womb.
If the egg has been fertilised by the time it reaches your womb, then it might implant into your uterus. This implantation generally occurs between 6-12 days post ovulation, meaning that at 11dpo there’s a pretty good chance that if implantation is going to happen this time, it already has!
When a fertilised egg implants in your uterus, your body begins to produce the pregnancy hormone hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin. This is what pregnancy tests are looking for in your urine, though according to Healthline it can take around 7-12 days after implantation for there to be enough hCG for pregnancy tests to pick up. hCG is also responsible for some of the early pregnancy symptoms like nausea, sore breasts, and fatigue.
What symptoms might I experience at 11dpo?
It’s still a bit early in the process, so you’re unlikely to experience pregnancy symptoms at 11dpo. That’s not to say you’re not necessarily pregnant, but it takes time for the hCG levels to build up to levels that a test can see, and the same is true for it to start causing symptoms. It doesn’t help that a lot of the early pregnancy symptoms can be similar to PMS.
Even so, it’s certainly not out of the question for you to start feeling certain symptoms at this stage, particularly if you had an early implantation. According to the NHS here are some of the symptoms that you might experience:
- feeling or being sick
- feeling more tired than usual
- sore or tender breasts
- peeing more often
- strange tastes, smells or cravings
Learn more about the early signs of pregnancy.
What do other Netmums experience?
Our Forum is full of women who are, or have been, in a similar situation to you. Here’s what they’ve shared about their experiences at 11dpo:
'I've been getting some weird twinges today. Mild cramping but also a twinge/pulling sensation that feels like it's behind my belly button, but when I pay attention it's lower down in my pelvic region.'
- Anon (later updates suggest she was not pregnant)
'So today I'm 11 DPO for the past few days I've had loads of symptoms such as headaches, feeling tired, nausea, cramps. Then yesterday I was in such a bad/emotional mood, I felt so sick and had this strange feeling really low down that I can only describe as a bloating/stretching feeling lasted pretty much all day to the point my back really started to hurt. Then I woke up today feeling great, no symptoms apart from a little tired. Has anyone else ever had this and still got a BFP? I feel like I'm out.'
- Stacey L (later updated to say she had a positive pregnancy test)
'Hi so today I’m 11dpo and took a FRER BFN. From 3 days past ovulation I’ve had really sore nipples, few days after weird dreams, creamy like discharge, few days ago had some mild stomach cramps and have just felt off! Last night at 10dpo my temp was high been feeling like I’m getting hot flushes so felt pretty hopeful and did the test today and nothing...'
- Ameliaaaaa (later updates suggest she was not pregnant)
'I'm currently 11DPO, AF is due Tuesday. When I'm due AF I usually get tender boobs, but it's only noticeable when I'm washing myself in the shower and it's not really painful, just slightly tender. Since last night I've had really painful nipples, to the point where I couldn't wear a top in bed last night. I don't know whether I'm imagining it but they also seem more firm / heavier. Took a cheapie Sainsbury's test this morning and was BFN.'
- mrsh307 (later updated to say she was not pregnant)
'1-6 DPO Felt normal had milky Cm... Normal amount.
7 DPO Cramping and bad backache, a little pink when I wiped.
8 DPO Heightened sense of smell for tea and coffee.
9 DPO Brownish CM on one occasion, like before a period
10 DPO a faint shadow on an IC test backache from HELL
11 DPO BACKACHE IS GOING TO KILL ME
12 DPO IC tests faint but there, small amounts of yellowy CM.
13DPO Did a first response, came straight up! As did CB Digital. Backache subsiding. small amounts of yellowy cm.'
- Anon (part of a post indicating that she had a positive pregnancy test)
'Has anyone had back pains before their BFP? I’ve had backache for a few days now & I don’t want to symptom spot but it’s so noticeable I can’t help wonder about it. I’ve never had back ache before my period before!!'
- Anon (later posts indicate she was not pregnant)
'From 10DPO - 13DPO I had cramps and was convinced my period was coming and even told my husband we were out, on 12DPO I had a light pink patch when I wiped and though that was it! But after that cramps went and no more blood. Also in this time I was getting yellow green snot like cm, very stretchy but not much of it. Also at 12DPO just below my ribs was so painful! So uncomfortable I had to go to bed, I also felt very sick on this day but had just had my vaccine so put it down to that!'
Aimee (part of a post detailing her positive pregnancy test)
Can I take a pregnancy test at 11dpo?
The NHS recommends not taking a pregnancy test until the day that you’re expecting your next period to start, which is generally around 14dpo if you have an average 28-day menstrual cycle. In other words, at 11dpo it’s still a few days too early to take a pregnancy test.
There are some extra-sensitive tests that might give you a result from 9dpo, though the longer you wait the more accurate they are. Getting a negative result this early doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not pregnant, so if you can wait a bit longer you’ll save yourself some money and potentially some unnecessary heartache.
By around 14dpo, if the egg was fertilised and implanted in the womb then the hCG levels will probably have built up enough for you to get an accurate result.
Learn more about when to take a pregnancy test.
How can I get through the TWW?
The Two-Week Wait can feel like it’s taking ten times as long as it should, as you do your best to wait for the right time to take a pregnancy test. Try to be kind and patient with yourself, and don’t judge yourself for symptom-spotting or even if you snap and take an early test. It’s perfectly normal!
One way to help you to get through the waiting period is to try to distract yourself with something you enjoy. It could be finally reading that book you’ve heard so much about, re-watching your favourite TV series, or even learning a new skill or craft. Try to remember that every day you wait is one day closer to an accurate result on your pregnancy test.
It might help you to talk your situation and any potential symptoms through with other parents and parents-to-be on our Forum. Find a new clan of women in the same boat in one of our Trying to Conceive Clubs, and together you might just be able to break the back of the TTW.
You can also read our top tips on how to survive the TWW. Whatever happens, we wish you the best of luck!
More on DPO
If you want to keep an eye on your potential pregnancy symptoms and what's going in your body on each day post ovulation, check out our articles from day 1 to 19:
1DPO • 2DPO.• 3DPO • 4DPO • 5DPO • 6DPO • 7DPO • 8DPO • 9DPO • 10DPO • 11DPO • 12DPO • 13DPO • 14DPO • 15DPO • 16DPO • 17DPO • 18DPO • 19DPO
