10 DPO: Symptoms, Signs & What to Expect

If you’re 10 DPO, you may have just experienced the longest 10 days of your life. You’re not alone.
If you’re 10 DPO and your eyes are glued to the calendar, we feel you.

Is your period coming? Not coming? Can you test? Should you not?

And did someone change the laws of time? Why is everything moving so slowly?

Knowing that everyone has a different experience when they’re TTC, here is some of what you might expect at 10 DPO ‒ this exciting, nerve-wracking, beautiful, confusing time.

(This article has been medically reviewed by embryologist and fertility expert, Navya Muralidhar.)

In this article 📝

What is 10 DPO?

10 DPO means 10 days post ovulation (also known as 10 days past ovulation or 10 days after conception).

DPO is an acronym used by those who are trying to conceive to track when they should take a pregnancy test.

Many people who are trying to conceive will have unprotected sex at the point of ovulation ‒ when you’re at your most fertile (also known as your fertile window).

Then, at (usually) 14 DPO (14 days past ovulation), or roughly when your period is due to start, that’s the ideal point to take a pregnancy test.

Using the DPO method is a way of avoiding unnecessary disappointment or wasting pregnancy tests (after all, those things can be expensive!).

This is because your pregnancy may not show up as a 10 DPO positive pregnancy test (or BFP ‒ big fat positive) for up to 14 DPO, due to rising hormone levels.

What can I expect at 10 DPO?

First, a quick spin around the basics.

Once every 28 days (approximately), one of your ovaries releases an egg into your fallopian tube.

This process is ovulation and happens at about Day 14 of your cycle (Day 1 is the first day of your period).

Fertilized egg = pregnancy. 🤰🏽
Unfertilized egg = period. 🩸

If an egg is fertilized, it travels down your fallopian tube and attempts to embed itself into the lining of your uterus.

This part of the puzzle is tricky—up to two-thirds of pregnancy losses happen at this critical point.

What’s happening 10 days after ovulation?

At 10 DPO, what’s happening?

Well, there could be one of two things going on.

One is implantation ‒ this may have already happened, be happening, or be about to happen.

The other could be that you’re about 4-7 days away from your next period.

You may be feeling early pregnancy symptoms or notice signs that your period is on the way in the next week or so.

Unfortunately, sometimes, both of these can look very similar ‒ downright identical.

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Can implantation happen at 10 DPO?

Yes, implantation usually happens somewhere between 6 DPO and 12 DPO, with the average being eight to 10.

So, does that mean that if you take a 10 DPO pregnancy test, you’ll get a reliable result?

Well, things are a little more complicated than that.

How common is implantation on day 10?

Implantation at 10 DPO is actually quite common ‒ most implantations tend to happen between 6 and 12 DPO, so if you’re cramping or see some light 10 DPO bleeding, there’s a good chance it could be a sign that your little zygote is implanting.

The most common day of implantation is about 9 DPO, but it’s not always the case ‒ some zygotes implant sooner, others later.

Is 10 DPO implantation late?

Not at all, it’s right on time!

If you think you’re experiencing implantation symptoms at 10 DPO, that’s pretty common!

Is 10 days DPO too early?

Probably not the answer you’re looking for right now, but it’s best to wait until you’re at least 12 DPO to 14 DPO before you test.

Pregnancy tests work by checking your pee for a hormone called hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin, if you want to impress your dinner guests) that is secreted somewhere around six days after fertilization.

By this time, there’s a tiny bunch of cells in your uterine lining called placental cells, secreting this hormone.

By 10 DPO, you may not have sufficient amounts of the hormone in your system to get an accurate result.

Can you test positive at 10 DPO?

Wondering whether you could get a 10 DPO positive pregnancy test?

Well, because hCG might be present in your pee at this point (at very low levels), it’s possible to get a 10 DPO BFP.

But—and this is why it’s best to wait—this 10 DPO positive pregnancy test cannot necessarily be trusted.

A positive test at 10 days post-ovulation has a good chance of being a false positive.

You may either get your period a week later, test negative, or have a chemical pregnancy, which is when the egg is fertilized but is unable to implant or grow.

This will lead to an early miscarriage, and it can definitely be disappointing.

Before the invention of ultra-sensitive pregnancy tests, many women had chemical pregnancies and didn’t even know it, since this early miscarriage can lead to a heavier cycle of menstrual bleeding and cramps.

This again, could be easily mistaken for a period.

On the other hand, a 10 DPO pregnancy test, before the hCG levels have built up, can also produce a false negative. Also super stressful.

So, at 10 days past ovulation (and around Day 24 of your cycle), you’re pretty much in the waiting room to find out whether you have a reliable BFN or BFP.

(We know, so many acronyms. Here’s a glossary if you need.)

How many DPO will a pregnancy test be positive?

Generally speaking, 12-14 DPO is the recommended time to take a pregnancy test, for the most accurate results.

This is because your hCG levels have built up (in the event of a positive pregnancy) enough to show up on a 10 DPO pregnancy test.

And if you see a 10 DPO faint positive, it can still be worth taking a test again in a couple of days.

It’s easy to misread a faint line on a pregnancy test, particularly if it’s an evaporation line or if the pregnancy test has expired.

Can you test negative at 10 DPO?

Yes, it is possible to get an early false negative pregnancy test at 10 days post ovulation.

This is because your hCG levels may be a little too low to register on a pregnancy test as positive at this stage.

So if you have a negative pregnancy test at 10 DPO, remember that it’s not definite at this stage.

But there is also the possibility that a 10 DPO negative pregnancy test (or 10 DPO BFN) is correct, too.

Can you get a negative pregnancy test at 10 DPO and still be pregnant?

Yes, it is possible to have a 10 DPO negative pregnancy test but still be pregnant.

This is because your hCG levels may not have risen enough to be clearly detected on a pregnancy test.

That’s why it’s recommended to wait until the day after your missed period (usually 14 or 15 DPO) for the most accurate results.

So there is a chance that your 10 DPO BFN isn’t actually a BFN.

If I have a 10 DPO BFN, when should I test again?

It’s recommended to take a pregnancy test at between 12 DPO and 14 DPO for the most accurate result.

A 10 DPO negative pregnancy test doesn’t always mean that you’re not pregnant ‒ it might just be that the hCG levels aren’t yet recognized on your pregnancy test.

Give it a couple more days and try again.

What are 10 DPO symptoms?

If you are pregnant, you may have some symptoms at 10 days post-ovulation.

The problem is, they may look a lot like PMS symptoms—and appear at about the right time in your cycle.

So it’s often hard to trace them back to their source.

Plus many women can have no symptoms at 10 DPO and still go on to have a healthy pregnancy.

It just goes to show that there’s no one way to do this whole pregnancy thing.

Here are some of the most common 10 DPO symptoms ending in BFP, according to our Peanut mamas and moms-to-be:

Implantation bleeding

If you’re spotting at 10 DPO, this could be because a fertilized egg is attaching itself to the wall of your uterus.

Implantation bleeding is usually quicker and lighter (pinkish—red blood) than your period and may only last anywhere from one to three days.

So if you’re experiencing 10 DPO implantation bleeding, you’re not alone, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not pregnant.

Even brown spotting at 10 DPO or 10 DPO brown discharge may be an indicator of pregnancy, too ‒ although it’s not guaranteed.

Is cramping at 10 DPO normal?

It may be quite tricky to differentiate between implantation cramps and period cramps.

Pregnancy cramps are often in your lower abdomen and/or lower back.

If you experience severe 10 DPO cramps or any point in your cycle, get to your doctor.

This could mean something else is up.

Tender breasts

Yup, tender breasts may also be a sign that your period is on the way, so while it’s not a telltale sign, it may be a symptom of early pregnancy.

Headaches

Hormone fluctuations and increased blood flow may be responsible for some early pregnancy headaches.

So a 10 DPO headache might be on the books before you see your BFP.

Exhaustion

After implantation, you‌ produce more progesterone to support the growing embryo in the uterus.

Great support for the embryo and the womb, but not so much for your exhaustion levels.

Hello, fatigue!

Full license to nap.

Nausea

That’s right ‒ nausea at 10 DPO can happen ‒ even this early in your pregnancy.

Sometimes pregnancy nausea with vomiting, sometimes without.

Always annoying.

Peeing. A lot.

Your kidneys get so excited by the increase in blood flow that they produce more urine.

(Thanks.)

Digestion troubles

Really gassy right now?

You might just have an excellent excuse.

Constipation is another issue that can stop you from going with the flow.

How do you feel at 10 DPO?

Now you know a bit more about what to expect at 10 DPO, here are some of our Peanut TTC community sharing their experiences with 10 DPO symptoms ending in BFP and negatives, so you know you’re not alone:

• “I’m 10 DPO, I feel pregnant but test are negative… My uterus feels full and I am nauseous and I am not a nauseous person at all!! I am super tired and emotional!” ‒ Ebonie
  
• “I tested at 10 DPO and got a BFN but tested again when AF didn’t show up and it was positive.” ‒ Nicky
  
• “I had a no on 10 DPO but a positive on 11 DPO.” ‒ Ellie
  
• “Im 10 DPO and still no period after being off birth control pill for a little over a month. I’ve had some signs the past week and a spiked temperature of 1 degree as of 2 days ago. Monday I had these twinges in my stomach and weird sensations. I have cramps but today is my first day of actual cramps. Not too bad though.” ‒ Liv
  
• “10 DPO with incredibly tender boobs and some on-and-off cramping… Been TTC for almost 3 years.” ‒ Kirsty
  
• “I’m 10 DPO, my boobs/nipples have been hurting like crazy so I finally tested this morning and got a BFP.” ‒ Haley
  
• “I got my first ever BFP this morning, at 10 DPO. I’ve been feeling some cramping and was definitely nauseous this morning when I woke up. I thought a BFP would be the end of worrying, but it seems like it’s only the beginning!” ‒ Joanna
  
• “I have started spotting 10 days after DPO. Feels like implantation bleeding with mild to heavy cramps and some clots.” ‒ Ratna
  
• “I’m 10 DPO, see some very faint lines on the pregnancy test. I’m puking like crazy 🤢 And I’m having very light and random cramping. I normally cramp very heavily. Then at 17 DPO, had a much stronger positive line!” ‒ Leah
  
• “I’m freaking out, 10 days DPO, the test came up really quick as positive on early detection.” ‒ Liz
  
• “I’m having some milky white discharge at 10 DPO, accompanied by sore nipples, heavy boobs and dull cramps/twinges that keeps coming and going (pelvis, lower abdomen right above pubic bone, right side of abdomen). My left leg also has this tendency of cramping every now and then.” ‒ Basetsana
  
• “I had a BFN at 10 DPO then my BFP at 12 DPO!” ‒ Claire

You may also be pregnant and experience no symptoms at 10 DPO at all.

There’s no single journey to pregnancy and mamahood.

And if you’re concerned about not having a positive pregnancy test or any symptoms at 10 DPO, know that you’re not alone.

If you want someone to talk to who’s going through their own TTC journey, you’re welcome to join our community on Peanut.

➡️ Read next: 11 DPO: Symptoms, Signs & What to Expect