13 DPO: What’s happening to you and what to expect next

13 DPO is almost the end of the two-week wait and an important milestone in your TTC journey. By this time, the implantation has likely finished, and your body is undergoing hormonal shifts, which can cause the following symptoms:

• Implantation bleeding
• Cramps
• Breast swelling and sensitivity
• Fatigue
• Mood swings
• Nausea and food aversions
• Cervical mucus changes

These symptoms might be early signs of pregnancy. However, it’s important to remember that common PMS symptoms are similar to them. So, it’s important to do a pregnancy test to know for sure.

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Days post ovulation (DPO) are important small milestones for couples on their trying to conceive (TTC) journey. Many women count down these days during the two-week wait to understand what’s going on inside their bodies, find the right time for testing, and, hopefully, notice early pregnancy signs that can bring clarity and help reduce the emotional tension of waiting.

Since the typical luteal phase lasts for 14 days, 13 DPO is one of the final days of the two-week wait and the time when you will soon be able to learn whether you’re pregnant or not. In this article, we’ll tell you more about 13 days post ovulation, the symptoms you may experience at this time, and the changes that might be going on in your body. We’ll also discuss the possibility of doing a 13 DPO pregnancy test and its accuracy, and answer other common questions that you may have.

Understanding 13 DPO

In order to understand 13 DPO, you need to understand the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The luteal phase is the second part of your cycle. It begins after ovulation (day 14 in a 28-day cycle) and lasts until you get your next period. Basically, the two-week wait is the luteal phase, which defines whether you get pregnant in the current cycle or not.

So, what happens in your body at 13 DPO? This milestone is the end of the luteal phase, which means that your two-week wait is just about to end. If conception occurs, the egg’s implantation has likely finished by this time. The egg typically implants between 6-12 days post ovulation, with a large share of women having it around 8 DPO. If implantation has already finished, your human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone levels are already rising and will soon be detectable by tests.

If conception doesn’t happen, 13 DPO is the time when progesterone starts dropping, leading up to the start of your period.

Hormonal Changes at 13 DPO

As was already mentioned, in a non-pregnant cycle, your progesterone levels drop around 13 DPO, which causes the uterine lining to shed and start your period. If pregnancy occurs, your hormones will act differently to sustain early pregnancy and support fetal growth:

• Progesterone levels will continue rising instead of dropping. This is essential to prevent the shedding of the uterine lining and to cease your periods for the entire time of pregnancy.
• Estrogen will also rise, reaching much higher levels than in non-pregnant women.
• From the moment of implantation, your body will start producing the essential pregnancy hormone – hCG. The levels of this hormone will double every 48 to 72 hours in early pregnancy until they reach their peak around weeks 8-10.

13 DPO Symptoms

Due to hormonal shifts that are already happening in your body, it’s possible to start experiencing some early pregnancy symptoms at 13 DPO. The most prominent signals to look out for include:

• Implantation bleeding – Although implantation usually occurs between 6-12 DPO, sometimes, it’s possible to experience light bleeding or spotting at 13 DPO. This can happen because of a later implantation or simply because some women have implantation bleeding that lasts for 2-3 days.
• Cramps – Light to mild cramping in the abdominal area is also a common 13 DPO symptom. It can occur for a number of reasons. Firstly, it can be one of the implantation symptoms. Also, cramping can occur due to the changes in the size, texture, and location of the uterus.
• Breast swelling and sensitivity – Fluctuations in progesterone and estrogen levels can naturally change the tenderness, size, and density of your breasts, making them feel fuller and sore.
• Fatigue – Many women report feeling more tired and sleepier than usual at 13 DPO. Fatigue is one of the main symptoms of high progesterone.
• Mood swings – Rapid hormonal shifts can have a strong effect on your nervous system, making you more emotionally sensitive and creating rapid changes in mood.
• Nausea – In most pregnancies, morning sickness doesn’t begin until around the 4-7th week. However, some females may start experiencing the first food aversions and nauseous sensations as early as 13 DPO. It’s believed that nausea is among the primary 13 DPO symptoms leading to BFP.
• Cervical mucus changes – Due to hormonal shifts, your cervical mucus can change its volume and consistency. 13 DPO discharge if pregnant can increase in amount and become more sticky or creamy.

Some other early pregnancy signals can include bloating and more frequent urination. Basal body temperature (BBT) may also be increased.

Overlapping PMS Symptoms

Since 13 DPO is very close to your possible period, it’s common to experience PMS symptoms at this time. Many common PMS symptoms, such as fatigue, bloating, and mood swings, mimic those early pregnancy signs described above, which makes it easy to confuse them.

It’s nearly impossible to distinguish early pregnancy and PMS symptoms at this time without testing. So, the best strategy to gain clarity is to wait for a missed period and do a pregnancy test.

What If I Don’t Have Any 13 DPO Symptoms?

While it’s absolutely natural to look out for early pregnancy signs if you are trying to conceive, it’s important to note that not all women feel different so early into their pregnancies. It’s absolutely normal not to have any signs at 13 DPO, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are not pregnant.

Is 13 DPO Too Early to Test?

Being at the very end of the two-week wait, 13 DPO can feel rather emotional. If you’ve been trying to conceive, chances are that you can’t wait to do a test to learn if you’re pregnant or not. So, is there a chance of getting a 13 DPO positive pregnancy test?

The short answer is “yes.” Since the implantation has likely finished by this time, your body is already producing hCG that’s detected by pregnancy tests. Furthermore, if implantation occurred at 8 DPO, your hCG levels might have increased by 13 DPO. And this means that it’s possible to get a positive pregnancy test.

Still, 13 DPO remains a “gray zone” for pregnancy testing. Depending on the time of implantation and your current hCG levels, there is a chance of getting a false negative result or a faint line. Thus, even if you do a 13 DPO pregnancy test, it’s recommended to retest after several days to confirm the result.

Here are a few additional tips to ensure the maximum accuracy of the test result:

• Choose a sensitive (early detection) test by a trusted brand.
• Always follow test instructions.
• Do a test early in the morning when the urine isn’t diluted and the hCG concentration is the highest.
• Don’t rush to get upset if you receive a negative result. If ovulation or implantation took place later than expected, your hCG levels might just not be high enough for a test to detect. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not pregnant.

What to Expect in the Days Following 13 DPO?

In a typical 28-day cycle, the two-week wait ends on the 14th day after ovulation, which is the time when your next period should begin. That is, 13 DPO is just one (or a few) days away from the most important milestone of your TTC journey – the time when you can finally confirm pregnancy.

So, what should you expect in the upcoming days? If you are pregnant, whether you decide to do a pregnancy test at 13 DPO or wait a little longer, at 14-15 DPO, you can expect a more accurate pregnancy test that will confirm your pregnancy. Also, in the following days, your hCG levels will rise further, which can result in intensifying early pregnancy symptoms.

If you’re not pregnant, you can expect your period to begin somewhere around 13-15 DPO. However, even if you do get your period, don't get too upset or stressed over it. According to the UK’s National Health Service, most couples conceive within a year of actively trying. The TTC journey doesn’t always start from the first couple of attempts. So, stock up on patience and continue trying.

FAQ

Can implantation take place at 13 DPO?

Most often, implantation takes place between 6-12 DPO. 13 DPO is typically quite late for an egg to implant, but it’s still possible to experience implantation at this time. If this happens, it can be rather confusing because you may have implantation bleeding, which often resembles the beginning of a period, and you can mistake them. Yet, there are a few signs that can help you distinguish period bleeding from implantation bleeding.

Is 13 DPO BFN definitive?

Not necessarily. If you decide to do a pregnancy test at 13 DPO and get a negative result, it can simply mean that your hCG levels are still not high enough to be detected by a test. This hormone doubles every several days and, depending on the implantation timing, you might have to wait a few more days and retest if you miss your period. A negative result can also be caused by a low test sensitivity, wrong testing time, and other factors.

What does it mean if my test shows a faint line?

Seeing a faint line on a pregnancy test can feel confusing. However, it’s not uncommon, especially when you’re testing early, because insufficient hCG levels are among the most common causes of a faint line. Other causes can include diluted urine, test sensitivity, and others. Regardless of the reason for getting a faint line result, it’s recommended to retest after some time, especially if your period doesn’t start.

Conclusion

13 DPO is the final stage of your long wait and the time when your pregnancy might be officially progressing. It’s common to start experiencing some early pregnancy signs at this time. Though it’s also okay not to feel any different yet.

13 DPO is also the time when doing a pregnancy test is possible, and you can get a more reliable result. Still, testing isn’t 100% foolproof at this stage. Depending on the test type and implantation timing, it’s still possible to get a false negative or faint line result. If this happens, it’s recommended to retest in several days, when you miss your period.

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