18DPO: pregnancy symptoms and testing at eighteen days post ovulation
Zara Mohammed
WriterWondering what symptoms to expect at 18dpo? Want to know if it's too early to take a pregnancy test, or what it means if you get a BFN? Here's everything you need to know about what to expect at eighteen days post ovulation.
If you want to know more about when to take a pregnancy test and when to expect pregnancy symptoms you'll need to know how many 'days post ovulation' ('dpo') you are. This refers to how many days it has been since you started ovulating and essentially lets you know whereabouts you are in your menstrual cycle.
To work out your dpo you'll first need to work our your ovulation date. Ovulation happens around the middle of your cycle. Because your cycle length may be different (longer or shorter) your ovulation date may not land directly in the middle though. So more precisely, the NHS says that it occurs about two weeks before your next period, and this is regardless of how long your cycle is.
You can work the date out a number of ways. For example, you can track your basal body temperature or observe the changes in your cervical mucus. If you're having trouble you can use our ovulation calculator to check your dates. We also have more info about how ovulation works.
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At 18 days post ovulation (18dpo) you have probably already taken a pregnancy test. The results may be straightforward or they may be unclear. Either way, we know you'll want to know more about what could be happening in your body. So we've looked at research from the NHS, Healthline and other experts, so that we can help you know what to expect...
What’s happening in my body at 18dpo?
What's going on in your body right now will depend on a number of things, like how long your menstrual cycle is, when you last had sex.
We know that you've come to the end of your TWW (two-week-wait) so you should be able to take a pregnancy test and get an accurate result. Sometimes it's not that simple though, and you might be confused about the results.
If you haven't taken a test yet, or you're unsure what the results mean, at 18dpo, it's possible that:
- an egg has been released from your ovary, but made it through your fallopian tube without being fertilised (you’re not pregnant)
- an egg has been released from your ovary, was fertilised, and has now implanted in your womb (you’re pregnant)
Here's how it works:
'Ovulation' took place two weeks before your period was due. This means that your ovaries released an egg and the egg had a 24 hour window to get fertilised.
If you had sex during your 'fertile window' then your egg had a good chance of being fertilised by sperm. Your fertile window includes the five days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation, and the day after.
Because sperm can live up to five days in the body, they will have the opportunity to wait for the egg to be released. If they succeed in fertilising the egg the event is called 'conception'.
The egg travels down the fallopian tube towards the uterus. When it arrives, if it wasn't fertilised by sperm it will leave the body when you have your period. If it was fertilised and conception occurred, then it will attempt to burrow into the wall of your uterus. this is call 'implantation'.
Implantation normally happens between 6 – 12 days past ovulation, so if you are pregnant this will already have occurred. Successful implantation officially marks the beginning of your pregnancy as your body starts to produce human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is the pregnancy hormone. This is what pregnancy tests detect in order to give you a bfp (big fat positive). It takes time for levels of hCG to build up in your body before it can be detected though.
Expect to wait around 7-12 days after implantation for hCG to build up to levels that will give a positive result. This is usually around the time you might start to notice early pregnancy symptoms like nausea, fatigue, and sore breasts.
What symptoms might I experience at 18dpo?
By 18dpo, pregnancy test results should be accurate enough to tell you whether or not you're pregnant.
If you've taken one and the results are negative or unclear, don't lose hope just yet. You may have got your dates slightly wrong, which will mean there could still be time for more hCG to build up in your body.
We know you're eager to know what to expect next in terms of pregnancy symptoms. It's still too early for you to experience many pregnancy symptoms at 18dpo because the hCG levels are still pretty low. So it's perfectly normal if you feel no different. However, there are some women who do report early symptoms.
The biggest sign to look out for at this stage is your missed period! But be aware that there could be many different reasons for a missed period, and at 18dpo your period could still arrive any day.
According to the NHS, the main early symptoms of pregnancy to watch out for are:
- feeling or being sick
- feeling more tired than usual
- sore or tender breasts
- peeing more often
- strange tastes, smells or cravings
What do other Netmums experience?
Here are some quotes from the Netmums forum, sharing real-life experiences at 18dpo:
'Hey all! This is my first time using forums, but this is my first month TTC. I am 18 DPO and my period is 4 days late, and I am getting negative tests (...) I have sore boobs but they started a couple days before my period was due when usually it's 2-3 weeks out that they start. At 7dpo I was throwing up suddenly and was fine an hour after. My lower back was hurting really bad but that only lasted 2 days. I had a miscarriage 5 years ago and my periods have been spot on with my period tracker ever since. I've had some lower abdominal cramping and I'm one of the lucky ones who don't get mentral cramps, never have. Other than that nothing and no symptoms if my period starting. I usually get nauseous before my period and haven't had any of that.' (Confirmed – NOT PREGNANT)
'Hey ladies! My period is currently about 3 days late (average 30-32 day cycle) but I'm still testing negative. I have been TTC for almost a year, and this cycle I had (what I believe and hope to be) implantation spotting 6/7 days ago. I can't remember ever experiencing this before. I have NO PMS symptoms which is unusual for me as I normally have very painful swollen boobs for about a week before AF due. Nothing else out of the ordinary...I just feel normal but have an overwhelming incline that I am pregnant!' (Confirmed – NOT PREGNANT)
– Dan74pmi
'Hi, AF is 4 days late which NEVER happens like ever, this is my 5th cycle ttc and I'm still getting BFN.
I haven't been on any contraceptive pills or anything since DD was born 2018 so I know it can't be that mucking me up. 7 days ago I had cramping in my lower abdomen which was pretty painful and it came and went over a couple of days so I was hoping that was implantation but I really would have thought I may have had a bfp by now. After the painful cramps I've just had on and off cramping every day where my stomach feel like it's stretching and it tightens but it goes after 15 mins and then back a few hours later. CM hasn't dried up either and I've has quite a but over the last 7 days, I'm just so confused as to what's going on!' (Pregnancy not confirmed)
'Hi all! 1st time post but my mind is racing all over the place so why not!? The background- I had my last period on the 9th feb and I have it for 5 days! I’m using the Ovia app and it says my average cycle length is 32 days! (one month it was 27, the next 35) I did ovulation tests on the 26th, 27th and 28th all positive. Did another on the 29th -negative so ovulation was over. Expected period on the 13th March.. no Aunt Flo, I am now on calender day 38! 18 days past ovulation and 6 days late, I missed my whole period window! 6 Negative pregnancy tests with the 1st wee of the day! My husband and I have been trying for 6 months so I’m settled into my monthly’s by now and we take pre conception vitamins. We are trying for our 2nd baby! Thanks I would love your input as I’m losing faith in this waiting game! Do I request a blood test?' (Confirmed - PREGNANT!)
'Today's my 18th dpo (if i calculated it correctly) and on my 4th day of missed period and I keep getting faint lines. Here are the tests i've taken 16, 17, and 18dpo with very faint lines. i'm pretty sure they're not evap lines as these results showed up within the 3-5 minute timeframes. I also felt all pregnancy signs like very sore breasts and nipples, a little bit of cramping from time to time, etc. I've read that positive lines should get darker each day but wondering if it's still too early for me to test and there's a possibility that i'm really pregnant.' (Pregnancy not confirmed)
'Hi, Me and my partner have been TTC (trying to conceive) since August '18 - I have been diagnosed with PCOS as I have always had irregular periods and I was a "late" starter - I used to literally go 4-5 months without a period. Since I had my implant removed in May 2018 my periods regulated themselves and I have pretty much been regular - I was also diagnosed with a Thyroid condition early '18 which is why I had the implant removed and since then the blood tests for my Thyroid have been fine and my periods have been fairly regular, some months I can have a 28 day cycle and some months I have a 32/34 day cycle. My last period was 25.01.2019 and lasted 3 days - My app then predicted I could ovulate between the 3rd February - 16th February with the 11th being the highest fertile date. I don't temp or use OPK's as I feel it would just put too much stress on me as I overthink it enough as it is and it drives my partner NUTS! I was due to come on on the 27.02.2019 but nothing... I am currently on 18DPO and 3 days late - X3 BFN's on IC (incompetent cervix) and I purchased a FRER last night as after reading some forums - I don't know whether I trust IC (incompetent cervix) that much. I am so scared to take this though - As it's something I want so much and for the past 7 months it's been hard just seeing the one-line pop up. But I have had an abundance of water/clear cm over the past 2 days, I am normally dry when AF (Aunt Flo - menstruation/period) is due, waves of nausea, weird cramping on my pubic line and my nipples are so SENSITIVE(TMI) that I have to stop my partner touching them because they're sore!' (Pregnancy not confirmed)
'Hello ladies, Looking for a bit of advice. At this point I'm feeling sad and frustrated as my hubby and I really tried in Feb (first time using ovulation tests to help). We were hopeful. I'm now 4 days late, slight cramming, very sore boobs and very sleepy. I did a test last night which was a bfn and then thought maybe still early so I'll do a morning wee.....got up just now 4.30 and did another test and again bfn! It's unusual for me to be late and I feel the way I did last year when I fell pregnant for the first time ( sadly mmc @ 9 weeks). Should I keep testing? Wait it out a few more days? This waiting about when you want something so bad is brutal' (Confirmed – NOT PREGNANT)
What if I’m spotting or bleeding at 18dpo?
Without a positive pregnancy test at 18dpo, a small amount of bleeding that doesn't seem like your period might be sending your mind whirring! Is it your period? Is it implantation bleeding?
According to Healthline, 'Early pregnancy bleeding is fairly common and may occur in up to 25 percent of the population. In many cases, it’s the first sign of pregnancy.' They say that implantation bleeding can take place 'between 7 and 14 days after conception.'
Implantation bleeding is thought to occur when the fertilised egg burrows into the uterine wall and ruptures a small amount of blood vessels in the lining. Unfortunately, if you're already 18dpo it's unlikely that the bleeding you have noticed is related to implantation, unless you have got your ovulation dates mixed up.
If you're struggling to tell the difference, implantation bleeding is typically lighter than period bleeding, and it will only last a few days (24 - 48 hours). Other symptoms of implantation bleeding can be similar to the symptoms you get with your period.
According to Healthline implantation symptoms can include:
- mood swings
- nausea
- headaches
- back pain
- light cramps
- tender or swollen breasts
Can I take a pregnancy test at 18dpo?
If you haven't already taken a pregnancy test, or you have and got a bfn but your period hasn't arrived yet, then you can take a pregnancy test at 18dpo and expect accurate results. The NHS recommends taking a pregnancy test from the day your period is due, which is typically about 14dpo. Just keep in mind that the results may vary if your cycle is different.
Some very sensitive tests may be able to give you a result even before your period is due (from as early as 9dpo), but we recommend waiting to get the most accurate results. If you took an early test and received a BFN (big fat negative) then now is a great time to try again.
Pregnancy tests detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Your body doesn't start producing hCG until after a fertilised egg has implanted in your womb, and it takes several days for your body to produce enough hCG to be detected by a pregnancy test. Around 18dpo there should be enough hCG in your system for a pregnancy test to detect.
Learn more about when to take a pregnancy test.
If you get a BFP (big fat positive) congratulations! Now's the time to call your GP or midwife to book your first antenatal appointment.
My period hasn’t arrived, but the pregnancy test is still negative
Your TWW (two-week-wait) ended a few days ago and so you've probably taken at least one pregnancy test by now. If you've received a bfn (big fat negative) what does it mean if your period still hasn't arrived?
A pregnancy test at 18dpo is likely to be accurate, which means that unfortunately you're probably not pregnant this time. But you can try taking another one if you're not sure, because you may have got your dates mixed up and not be as further along in your cycle as you thought.
There are a few reasons your period may be late:
1. You could be pregnant but have low hormone levels
If your hCG levels are low, a pregnancy test might not be sensitive enough to detect them. This is unlikely if you're 18dpo, but it may be the case if you conceived later on in your cycle or calculated your ovulation date incorrectly.
According to Healthline, ''there can be as much as a 13-day difference in when ovulation occurs, meaning that you may think you are 4 weeks pregnant when you’re only two weeks along. Pregnancy bleeding, recent hormonal contraceptive use, or breastfeeding can all interfere with accurately knowing your dates, as well.'
2. You may be experiencing an ectopic pregnancy
According to the NHS, 'an ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes.'. Healthline adds that, in about 3% of cases, an ectopic pregnancy doesn't lead to a positive pregnancy test.
If you notice any of the following symptoms you should seek immediate medical advice:
- severe pain in your lower abdomen or on one side
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- bleeding or spotting
- nausea and vomiting
3. Your lifestyle may have an effect on your cycle
Irregularities in your menstrual cycle are common, often impacted by stress or a poor diet. What you eat and drink can have an impact, for example, drinking too much caffeine or not eating enough food. Sudden changes like starting a new intensive exercise routine, or doing a lot of overtime at work can also cause changes to your periods, as can being very overweight or underweight.
4. Breastfeeding could cause irregularities in your cycle
After having a baby, it'll take some time for your period to settle back into its usual flow. Breastfeeding is also unpredictable because your growing baby's needs are constantly changing, so growth spurts and more frequent night feeds could have a knock-on effect on your periods.
5. Medical conditions can affect your period
Irregular cycles, heavy periods and missed periods are common if you suffer from certain medical conditions. You should speak to your doctor if you are concerned about any of these things.
Here are some of the medical conditions likely to impact your cycle:
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- thyroid problems
- menopause
6. Medications can interfere with your menstrual cycle
Medications, including birth control, can have an impact and throw your menstrual cycle off. If you're taking any medication, it may be worth having a chat with a pharmacist or GP, to check whether it could be affecting your cycle.
If you still think you might be pregnant, it's worth testing again in a few days. If tests continue to be negative, there are plenty of other reasons that you might miss your period this month, and many don't mean there's anything wrong. According to the NHS, you should see your GP if you've missed more than three periods in a row with no positive pregnancy test (but do speak to them sooner if you have any other symptoms that concern you).
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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
