Are you trying to conceive or looking for patterns in your menstrual cycle? No matter your reason, knowing your 10 DPO symptoms helps you understand changes in your body during your menstrual cycle.
As you educate yourself further about your menstrual cycle, you will encounter terms such as 10 DPO and BFP. In this article, we will cover these terms and talk about some common symptoms to look out for.
The term “10 DPO” means 10 days past ovulation, and it is the usual time when women feel either pregnancy or PMS symptoms.
To be able to understand this, let’s review what we know about ovulation. This is the time when your ovaries release an egg to be fertilized.
So, depending on your situation and timing, the egg could be fertilized by a sperm or it could die and be shed by the body through menstruation, along with the uterine lining.
Ovulation usually happens 12 to 14 days before your next period.
Let’s move on to different hormones that are present throughout your menstrual cycle. And, yes, there are several ones we have that affect our moods and bodily changes.
There are three hormones, namely the luteinizing hormone, estrogen, and the follicle-stimulating hormone, that serve as catalysts for the egg to be released from your ovaries.
Two hormones are present after ovulation, and these are progesterone and estrogen.
Progesterone levels increase significantly after ovulation and cause premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms like tender breasts, headaches, and mood swings.
It is also in charge of regulating your menstrual cycle and preparing your body for pregnancy. Simultaneously, estrogen levels also increase but to a lesser extent.
If the egg is fertilized and fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining, the very early placenta starts to produce the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone. The hCG is a substance that can be identified when you take a pregnancy test.
That is, the higher the levels of this hormone, the easier the pregnancy test can identify its presence, thus offering a more accurate result. It is considered positive for pregnancy if hCG levels are above 25 mIU/mL.
Now that we know more about what hormones cause changes in our bodies, the question remains: When should I take a pregnancy test?
When an egg is fertilized by a sperm, it usually takes a few days to travel to the uterus. Once the egg is in the uterus, it implants itself into the uterine lining. Implantation usually happens 6 to 12 dpo with an average of 8 to 10.
However, even if 10 dpo is the average, it might not be the best time to take a pregnancy test because the hCG hormone levels may not be high enough to be detected. 10dpo is when the waiting game starts to know if you have a BFP or a BFN.
And this is where the terms “BFP” and “BFN” come in. These are the terms for the results of a pregnancy test. BFP means “big fat positive,” while BFN means “big fat negative.” It is important to time your pregnancy test for you to make sure that the results are reliable. To be completely sure, you can take pregnancy tests at 12 dpo.
Knowing your symptoms can also assist you in determining the best time to test. After all, it differs for each and every woman.
We all know that PMS symptoms and early pregnancy symptoms are almost the same, so how can we differentiate them to help us know when to test? Generally speaking, PMS symptoms lessen in intensity after 10 dpo.
However, early pregnancy symptoms become more intense and are partnered with a missed period. Here are some early pregnancy signs you should look out for:
Abdominal cramps happen both before menstruation and during the early stages of pregnancy. Pregnancy cramps come from implantation and uterine growth later on, which prepares your body for pregnancy. Sharp pains or pressure around the abdomen are common pregnancy symptoms.
Excessive fatigue is caused by a change in hormone levels and your body’s putting in more work to support the growing baby in your womb. That is, you may get the feeling that you are too tired even if you had a restful sleep.
Breast pain is a common symptom throughout pregnancy. During the early stages, it is caused by hormonal changes that result in increased blood flow and fluid retention. The pain is at its peak during the first stages of pregnancy.
Bloating, constipation, and gas are some of the early signs of pregnancy. Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle tissues and slows down the digestive system.
Headaches are usually caused by hormonal changes and an increase in blood flow. Moreover, progesterone is also the cause of back pains. It loosens the ligaments and joints, which leads to a lot of discomforts.
I hope this information helps you understand your menstrual cycle a little bit more. Remember that you are the one who knows your body the best, so try to observe your symptoms and align them with the pattern of your menstrual cycle to better understand if it’s time to do a pregnancy test!
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