17 DPO: Symptoms, Signs & What to Expect

Feeling impatient? Everyone promised a two-week wait, but here we are at 17 DPO. BFP or not, here’s your guide to this part of the TTC journey.
Have you made it to 17 DPO (that’s 17 days past ovulation, by the way) with no sign of your period?

You’re probably late by now, which is a great sign if you’re trying to get pregnant.

But, if you’re still waiting for your BFP (big fat positive), it can be hard to stay patient.

When they said TWW (two-week wait), you thought it would end at 14 DPO, right?

Whatever’s going on, you’re not alone.

Now let’s take a look at what might be happening at 17 DPO, with a little help from embryologist and fertility expert, Navya Muralidhar..

In this article: 📝

What should I expect at 17 DPO?

Pregnant or not, your hormone levels at 17 DPO can cause some symptoms (more on this later).

Whether your body is getting ready for a period or a baby, your progesterone level will probably be high, which can drain your energy and make you feel uncomfortable.

But it can be just as common not to feel any different than usual ‒ many moms-to-be don’t have any symptoms at 17 days post-ovulation.

Rest up if you need to, either way ‒ you come first.

Can you get your period 17 days after ovulation?

At 17 DPO, you might be about three days late for your period.

Doctors work off the assumption that you have a 28-day cycle.

Day one is the first day of your period, day 14 is the day you ovulate, and Aunt Flo is due again on day 28, aka 14 DPO.

Of course, there’s no such thing as “normal” when it comes to TTC.

If you have a 32-day cycle instead of a 28-day one, you might not be as far along as the maths above says.

Cycles vary, and everything from a cold to a stressful time at work can delay ovulation and throw your TTC calculations out of whack for a month.

So at 17 DPO, no period might not necessarily mean you’re not pregnant ‒ it might just mean that your cycle is a bit longer than anticipated.

In the TTC game, if you have no period, there could be a positive around the corner.

But there is also the chance that your period could be late for another reason ‒ stress, body changes, travel, lots of exercise, or medical conditions like PCOS (polycystic ovaries syndrome).

If you’re worried about your late period, check in with your doctor.

Can implantation take 17 days?

Not often, no.

Implantation usually happens between 6 to 12 DPO, but it is possible to have implantation at 17 DPO, particularly if you have a longer cycle.

So if you’re experiencing some implantation bleeding at 17 DPO, it could be your period or some spotting during pregnancy.

And if you have what feels like implantation cramping or mood swings, those could be early pregnancy symptoms ‒ your body getting ready to make a home for baby.

Can I take a pregnancy test 17 days after ovulation?

And more importantly, Can I get a positive pregnancy test at 17 DPO?

We have some good news: a 17 DPO BFP is definitely possible.

It’s early days, so follow the instructions closely to minimize the chance of a false negative but, from today onwards, there’s never really a bad time to test.

If the test comes back negative, take a deep breath.

It’s frustrating, but even if you ovulated two days later than you thought, your 17 DPO hCG levels might not have climbed high enough for the test to pick them up (the embryo may not have produced detectable levels of hCG yet).

Just to show how different every woman is, a home pregnancy test will usually come back positive if it detects 25mIU/ml in your urine.

At 17 DPO, hCG levels can be anything from 17–429 mIU/ml ‒ sometimes even more!

If you end up with a 17 DPO BFN (that’s a big fat negative pregnancy test result), try to take your mind off things and repeat the test in a couple of days.

What is the latest DPO to get a BFP?

Even if you don’t see your 17 DPO positive pregnancy test, it might be just around the corner.

There are many of our Peanut moms-to-be who didn’t get their BFP until as late as 22 DPO, so there’s still hope until your next period.

What are 17 DPO symptoms?

You can get early pregnancy symptoms, whether you’ve already got your BFP or you’re still waiting.

Some of the more common 17 DPO symptoms, according to our Peanut moms-to-be, are:

• Headaches: These are usually related to dehydration and blood pressure changes as your body adjusts to its new mix of hormones.
  
• Mood swings: You’ve either been waiting for weeks for some life-changing news, or you’ve just found out that you’re going to be a parent. We think that heightened emotions (good and bad) are justified.
  
• Cramps: 17 DPO cramping can be from your uterus adjusting to early pregnancy or from late implantation. It can also be your body getting ready to make a home for baby.
  
• Cravings: That’s right, pregnancy cravings can start as early as 17 DPO ‒ sometimes earlier! And with that can come…
  
• Aversions: Your favorite meal might not be your favorite for much longer. And that cup of coffee might not smell as appealing as usual.
  
• Bleeding: It is possible to have a light bleed around the time you expect your period, which can be due to the embryo implanting in your uterine wall. This is known as ‘spotting’ and is light pink or brown in color.

How did you feel at 17 DPO?

There’s no one way to feel at 17 DPO ‒ there are so many potential symptoms, and there’s a chance you won’t have any symptoms at all.

But however you’re feeling, you’re not alone ‒ we asked our Peanut community how they felt at 17 DPO, and, let’s just say, it’s varied!

• “I am 17 DPO, I thought I was getting my period at 12 DPO with cramping and spotting when I wiped. AF was due on 14 DPO so now 3 days late. I tested on that day and I think I got a very faint line too but today isn’t much better. Update: So I did a digital test this morning ‒ positive! It feels too good to be true! I pray to God that this is our rainbow baby. 🌈” ‒ Louise
  
• “I’m 17 DPO, I had what I thought was implantation bleeding on Friday last week. (Brown discharge) since then I’ve had headaches, nausea, and extreme bloating. I’ve taken some tests, pink dye, and blue dye but they come back negative or super faint second line within the time frame.” ‒ Chloe
  
• “I’m 17 DPO and tested this morning and my results are clearly positive! I’m worried however that they’re not as dark as you’d expect at 17DPO.” ‒ Lucy
  
• “I am 17 DPO, I keep getting weird symptoms and had what I thought was implantation twinges and mild cramps but I’m still getting BFN.” ‒ Alisha
  
• “AF is officially 1 day late. 17 DPO today and AF is due. Afraid to test! Got some light cramping, sore boobs, and increased hunger.” ‒ Mae
  
• “17 DPO, BFN so far, no period. I normally get cramps before my period but I’ve not had that this month. Only symptom so far is a cold sore! Update: tested again on 20 DPO and I’ve got my BFP!” ‒ Lia

So after 17 DPO, what comes next?

If you have a BFP, make an appointment with your healthcare provider to start your prenatal care, and connect with the mamas-to-be on Peanut to share the ride.

And if you’re still looking at a BFN, hang in there and keep testing every few days. It’s not over until your period arrives.

➡️ Read next: 18 DPO: Symptoms, Signs & What to Expect