MyFertilityGuide

Every woman’s body is different. Even in the same woman, every pregnancy is different. However, there are some common symptoms that can indicate pregnancy long before a home pregnancy test or physical exam. Some possible symptoms of pregnancy include:

• Extended elevated Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
• Sore breasts
• Extreme fatigue
• Unusual hunger
• Spotting before period is expected
• Slight abdominal cramping
• Late period

When attempting to conceive, every pre-menstrual symptom is suspected as a pregnancy symptom. Knowing the symptoms that you usually present with when you are about to menstruate will help you distinguish between the two. Similarly, by charting your cycle and the fertility signs that you exhibit through the month will also help you to notice patterns. Against these patterns, pregnancy signs will stand out vividly.

What is Implantation?

Another symptom of pregnancy, implantation is what happens a few days after ovulation if the egg has been successfully fertilized when the resulting embryo attaches itself to the endometrium or uterine lining. Some women experience a cramping sensation—not severe, but noticeable. It is sometimes accompanied by light spotting or pink tinged cervical fluid. Many women, however, do not notice when implantation occurs while others find that it is merely their menses arriving early.

The length of time that implantation lasts and the amount of bleeding that accompanies it, if at all, is different for each woman. In general, implantation generally occurs between five and eight days after ovulation and any bleeding is just a few drops that is pink or rust colored.

When Will a Home Pregnancy Test Report a Positive Result?

If you are pregnant, you will not have enough human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone in your urine to test positive until after the end of the luteal phase of your cycle or about 14 days after ovulation. This usually coincides with day one of menses in women with a 28-day cycle. Pregnancy tests that purport to detect pregnancy before your period is late may or may not actually work for you. Again, every woman is different and this would mean testing positive for pregnancy as few as nine or 10 days after ovulation, which is extremely rare.

In general, if you are unsure when you ovulated, then wait until your period is at least four days late. If you are unsure when your period is expected, then test about 18 days after ovulation. Testing too early wastes tests, costs money and causes confusion.