7 DPO: Are there any pregnancy symptoms 7 days past ovulation?

At seven days past ovulation (or 7 DPO), you’re about one week away from your period — and if you’re trying to conceive, you might be ticking down the days until you can take a pregnancy test. This can be quite an emotional time, and it’s totally normal if you’re aware of every new feeling, ache, or potential symptom. But is 7 DPO too early to know if you’re pregnant? 

Due to changes in your hormones that happen just before your period begins and just after you become pregnant, it can be hard to spot the differences between premenstrual symptoms and early pregnancy. So, here’s the lowdown on 7 DPO, including what’s going on in your body and when you can take a pregnancy test. 

Key takeaways

• At 7 DPO, it’s still generally too early to experience early pregnancy symptoms, as implantation (when the egg implants into the lining of your uterus) may have only just happened. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t become pregnant this cycle. 
• It’s recommended that you wait until after the first day of a missed period before you take a pregnancy test. 
• Pregnancy tests work by detecting the pregnancy hormone hCG in your pee, which your body starts to produce following implantation. Your hCG levels rise during the first few weeks of pregnancy, making it easier to detect with a test. 

7 DPO: What to expect?

At 7 DPO, one of your ovaries released an egg seven days ago. This means you’re in the luteal phase of your cycle. If you’re reading this and thinking, “What is the luteal phase?” here’s what you need to know. 

Your menstrual cycle can be split into two stages: 

• The follicular phase: Every new menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period. That’s easy to remember, right? Your cycle can vary in length, and the first part of it is called your follicular phase. If your cycle is typically 28 days, then this usually lasts around 14 days. During this time, your estrogen levels rise, and the lining of your uterus thickens in preparation for a potential fertilized egg to implant. 
• The luteal phase: Between days 14 and the end of your cycle, you enter the luteal phase. It starts after ovulation, which is when one of your ovaries releases an egg. Following this, your progesterone levels rise, and if your egg was fertilized by a sperm, then it may implant into the lining of your uterus, and you may become pregnant. 

Seven DPO can be seen as a pretty important time in your cycle if you’re trying for a baby. According to Dr. Sara Twogood, obstetrician and gynecologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group, California, US, “Implantation occurs as early as six days after ovulation,” so it is technically possible for you to become pregnant at 7 DPO. 

For this to happen, your egg needs to be fertilized by a sperm and then travel down your uterine tube and implant into your uterine lining. This signifies the start of pregnancy. Implantation can take place between six and 10 DPO. 

After implantation, your body starts to produce the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). It helps to support your pregnancy and thickens the lining of your uterus to make implantation easier. While your hCG levels start low, they rise rapidly in the first few weeks of pregnancy. In some cases, they can almost double every three days, but this isn’t the same for everyone. At-home pregnancy tests work by detecting hCG in your pee. 

Can I take a pregnancy test at 7 DPO, or is it too early? 

If your fertilized egg has implanted at 7 DPO, then your body will have started producing hCG. However, your levels will still be very low. It’s crucial to give your body enough time to produce high enough hCG levels to be detected by an at-home test. This is why it’s best to wait until after the first day of a missed period. At 7 DPO, it’s unlikely that a test will pick up your pregnancy. 

If you do wait until after the first day of your missed period, most at-home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate, provided you use them at the right time and exactly as instructed. You can rest assured that you’ll get an accurate result. However, your period may not be due for another week, and waiting to take a test may feel like you’re in limbo. 

If you feel it might help, go out and buy a test so you can take it on the morning of your missed period. Talk to loved ones about how you’re feeling or distract yourself by getting into a new series or starting a new book. 

Pregnancy symptoms at 7 DPO

The luteal phase is often described as the two-week wait (TWW) because, when you’re trying to conceive, the time between ovulation and when your period usually starts can feel like an eternity. And it doesn’t help that early pregnancy symptoms are rather similar to some of the symptoms you might experience ahead of your period starting. Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS for short, is the term used to describe the different physical and emotional symptoms that you might feel at this time. So it’s hard to know what’s really happening. 

That said, understanding the early signs of pregnancy and knowing what happens during this stage of your menstrual cycle can help you feel more prepared and in tune with your body. 

The earliest 7 DPO symptoms you might start to notice include:

Cramping

You may be no stranger to cramping in the week leading up to your period. It’s caused by hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. As your uterus releases them, they can cause it to contract, and you to feel cramps, so make sure you have a hot water bottle on hand to soothe any aches. 

Alternatively, at 7 DPO, you might feel cramping when your fertilized egg attaches to your uterine lining (implantation). It’s important to note that there’s little scientific evidence to suggest that cramping is a sign of implantation. However, some people say they feel it. Just to make things even more confusing, the timing of premenstrual cramps and implantation cramping often line up, so it can feel very similar.

Mood swings

In the week leading up to your period, you might feel more irritable, upset, or stressed out. The highs can feel a lot higher and the lows a lot lower. This could be another symptom of PMS and may be due to hormonal fluctuations. However, as your hormone levels change in early pregnancy, you may also experience similar mood changes. Confusing, right?

Food cravings

We all have our own remedies for the symptoms that show up ahead of our period, and treating yourself to your favorite foods may help you. Food cravings have been linked to changes in your hormone levels during the luteal phase of your cycle (before your period). Your estrogen levels, in particular, can be linked to your appetite. Estrogen has been found to inhibit appetite. So, when levels of this hormone are low, you might feel hungrier. 

While they could be a sign that your period is coming, food cravings are also a symptom of early pregnancy. But at 7 DPO, it’s probably too early to tell why you’re reaching for particular foods. 

Breast pain

In the weeks before your period, your boobs may look and feel different. This is because your breasts can be sensitive to fluctuations in your hormones — sometimes known as cyclical breast pain. Similarly, after you’ve conceived, the blood flow to your chest increases, and your hormone levels change, meaning your breasts may feel swollen and tender. 

Fatigue

As your hormone levels fluctuate in the week before your period begins, you might find yourself feeling much more exhausted than normal. But — you’ve guessed it — hormone changes are also a contributing factor as to why fatigue is considered to be a common pregnancy symptom. Listen to your body and catch a lunchtime nap if you can. 

If you’re trying for a baby, then it’s totally normal to be on the lookout for telltale signs of pregnancy or want to compare notes with friends or relatives who have had a baby. However, every pregnancy is different, so try not to fixate on their experience.

It’s also true that waiting to take a pregnancy test can feel like a lifetime, so try to distract yourself by doing the things you love. Maybe that’s watching a new show or getting lost in a new novel, whatever takes your mind off things and helps you to relax a little.

7 DPO and no symptoms 

Implantation may have happened at 7 DPO, which may mean you’re officially pregnant. This can be pretty exciting, but you may not feel any different because it’s still very early. In fact, you might not have any symptoms for a few weeks — and that’s completely normal. Remember: Every pregnancy is different.