When a woman is trying to conceive, the two-week wait can feel like an eternity. Women often start to speculate about whether or not they are pregnant during this time. One of the most common questions asked is ‘when can I take a pregnancy test?’ A pregnancy test should be taken after a missed period, or at least 14 days after unprotected intercourse. However, some women may choose to test as early as 12 days post ovulation (DPO). A negative pregnancy test at 12 DPO can be disheartening, but it is important to remember that this does not necessarily mean that the woman is not pregnant. In this blogpost, we will discuss the potential reasons for a negative pregnancy test at 12 DPO, as well as what to do if it happens. We will also explore the implications of an early test and the importance of waiting until a missed period to test.
12 DPO BFP: Positive test result
Some people question whether 12 DPO is too early to test for pregnancy using an at-home pregnancy kit because the early pregnancy symptoms are so similar to premenstrual symptoms.
The hCG hormone, which the body begins to produce shortly after the fertilized egg attaches to your uterus, is detected in pregnancy tests to determine whether you are pregnant. After missing a period, a urine pregnancy test may be helpful. hCG hormones continue to rise quickly in the days that follow, so at 12 DPO you may get a clear positive on your test.
You can speak with a doctor to get the results confirmed if you have symptoms of the 12th day of menstruation and a positive pregnancy test.
What Are the Pregnancy Symptoms at 12 DPO?
At 12 DPO, you may be able to spot some early pregnancy symptoms in your body even though you are unable to take a pregnancy test yet. Your body undergoes a lot of changes during early pregnancy as levels of the hormone hCG rise, which you might start to notice by this point.
You might notice slight cramping at 12 DPO. Don’t give up hope, though; cramping at 12 DPO can also be brought on by implantation, which is the process of a fertilized egg penetrating into the uterine lining. You may experience mild to moderate cramps as a result of the uterus stretching that can result from this process.
Breast changes are one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. Around 12 DPO, if you’re expecting, you might start to notice some of these changes, such as nipple and areola aching, sensitivity, or darkening. Rising hormone levels in anticipation of breastfeeding a newborn baby cause all of these changes. Although early pregnancy and PMS can both cause breast sensitivity and ache, nipple changes are almost never caused by your period.
You may experience light brown or pink discharge during implantation; however, this does not necessarily mean that your period has arrived early, so there’s no need to freak out if you start spotting at 12 DPO. This spotting, also known as implantation bleeding, happens as the embryo implants in the uterine lining and is another indication of an early pregnancy.
Some women always experience fatigue at 12 DPO due to PMS — but for others, it may be unusual to find themselves more tired than usual around this time of the month. If this is the case for you, then feeling unusually fatigued at 12 DPO may be a sign of early pregnancy. Unsurprisingly, pregnancy takes a huge toll on your body, even in the early stages. All the prep work your body has to do to grow a baby can result in some serious fatigue!
At 12 DPO, frequent urination could indicate an early pregnancy. The uterus may begin to press on your bladder as it expands and stretches to accommodate the fetus. You may feel the need to urinate more frequently as a result of this. The pressure of your uterus on your bladder, even if you just went, can deceive your brain into believing that your bladder is full.
By 12 DPO, you may start to experience nausea or vomiting. Morning sickness is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy — and, despite the name, can take place at any time of day. If you’re TTC and find yourself feeling sick around 12 DPO, you might want to rethink whether it’s just food poisoning. There’s always a chance that you could be pregnant!
When to check?
Eight days after conception, the blood will contain hCG. e. 9-10 days after ovulation. The level of hCG concentration doubles every day from the first day after conception until it reaches a plateau phase after 45 days. Try not to drink too much before the test to prevent dilution of the hCG level in the urine. It is advised to conduct any test the morning of your anticipated next period because the urine becomes concentrated over night.
Home pregnancy test kits provide clear indications of positives and negatives. But there might be false positives and false negatives, which could make the kits’ results cause for concern. When the kit indicates that you are pregnant when you are not, a false positive result is seen. Although unlikely, it is possible, and some medications could result in such confusion. A false negative, on the other hand, occurs when the kit indicates that you are not pregnant when you are. Read further to understand more about false negative results. It’s too soon to think about having an IUI at this time as well.
FAQ
Can you get a negative pregnancy test at 12 DPO and still be pregnant?
Why is my pregnancy test negative at 12dpo?
Is 12 DPO considered late implantation?
How late DPO can you get a positive pregnancy test?