Ends up that a lot of women have. This seemed both a little backwards and to make a lot of sense:
- Backwards because, especially at 1DPO, the embryo hasn't implanted in the uterus, which causes the surge in hCG (the hormone that is detected in urine when you POAS).
- To make a lot of sense because, I imagined, your body would "know" that "something" was up with your cycle this time around, something atypical.
The most interesting part of the chapter, though, was describing not the average implantation day, but what happens even at conception:
Pregnancy-related proteins can be found in maternal circulation shortly after conception. For example, a platelet activating (PAF)-like substance, produced by the fertilized ovum, is present almost immediately (1-4). After ovulation and fertilization, the embryo remains in the ampullary portion of the fallopian tube for up to 3 days. The developing conceptus travels toward the uterus, through the isthmic portion of the tube, for approximately 10 hours, and then enters the uterus as an embryo at the 2- to 8-cell stage (5, 6). With further development, between 3-6 days after conception, the embryo becomes a blastocyst floating unattached in the endometrial cavity (6). A schematic representation of the pre-implantation phase of pregnancy is shown in Figure 2. Before implantation, the blastocyst also secretes specific substances that enhance endometrial receptivity. Successful implantation requires precise synchronization between blastocyst development and endometrial maturation.(Emphasis mine.)
To date, little information exists regarding regulation of steroid production in the embryo. The early embryo and its surrounding cumulus cells secrete detectable estradiol and progesterone well before the time of implantation (8, 9). Mechanical removal of these cells results in the cessation of steroid secretion, while return of the removed cells through co-culture results in restoration of steroid secretion (8). Given this finding, steroid production by the conceptus is thought to be negligible by the time it has reached the endometrial cavity, since it is gradually denuded of cumulus cells as it travels through the fallopian tube.
While the types and amounts of hormones given off by the fertilized egg may be negligible, to those who are sensitive to their bodies (implying the little changes, of course), they may start detecting changes as early as 1DPO or even at conception.
Of course, one must keep in mind that these same hormones, while in a slightly smaller amount, are also secreted whether or not conception actually occurred, so having symptoms that appear like pregnancy symptoms should be taken with a grain of salt. Not to say that these early signs of pregnancy aren't real (after all, I'm kind of betting on them being so! For obvious reason!), but that they are often identical to premenstrual and even simple post-ovulatory symptoms.
I sure hope it is, though. Because I can't imagine having all these stupid symptoms and nothing to show for it. ;)
Science is fun, ain't it!
Alright, gotta chime in a little here. You gotta chill :) Sure, you could be pregnant already. Or you could be doing exactly what I (and countless other women) did when we were trying, and analyze every single little thing you're feeling. If it ends up taking you several tries to get pregnant, you're going to drive yourself CRAZY doing this.
ReplyDeleteI am not pregnant. It's not possible, because of the steps we've taken. However, on any given month, I get cramping all month long, I spot, I get heartburn and nausea and constipation and sore breasts and have to pee a lot. I get tired, I get ravenous, I lose my appetite. These are all extremely normal symptoms for a non-pregnant person, for someone around ovulation or prior to their period. The metallic taste in your mouth could be from your vitamins, or from a not so great cup of coffee.
Yes, you definitely could be pregnant, but it is highly unlikely you'd feel any real symptoms until around implantation. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought for sure my period was coming because I was very, very bloated and crampy. I didn't start the nausea until week 5. (the week after I'd missed my period). And you know, I was sick the entire pregnancy.
Anyway, I hope this doesn't come off bitchy, because that's totally not my intent. I sincerely am just trying to get you to...you know..calm down and don't obsess so much. It'll get really tiring to you, really fast, and sets you up for some major disappointment when/if you don't get a positive. I've been there. 7 months of trying. I did the exact same things as you. This can only cause you stress and stress is no good for conception.
Of course! I know full and well I'm driving myself nuts thinking about this, but it's inherently natural. And this post was written with that at the forefront -- they may be symptoms of either one. The only positive way to know is by getting your BFP on a HPT (which I am anxious to find out, ha, but that won't be for another four days).
ReplyDeleteObviously, this blog was created as a way to be able to stress, worry, complain, and even obsess about every little thing going on. It's a nice way to release those obsessive thoughts and go about my day than have those same thoughts flying about my brain (thank you oh so much, OCD). So just be willing to expect all the above and more. ;) It's also to track my current symptoms, this being my first month TTC, and use them for future months if/when I experience the same, does that make sense? "I was feeling x, y, and z last month and I wasn't pregnant; I'm feeling all the same this month, but it doesn't mean I'm pregnant this month, either."
That all being said, it's not something that I'm really thinking about on a constant basis, and I have work and DH (and now this blog!) to thank for that. Oh, and the internet, when I know full well to stay the hell away from Google's evil tentacles! But I do find all things human biology-related to be fascinating, and coming across this chapter and learning about how sometimes these subtle changes can be true and the reasons why -- again, not in relation to whether I'm actually feeling symptoms or if at least some are created in my head -- was an especially interesting read.
Ok. :) I just...I know how disappointing it can be when you're not pregnant after really thinking you are. Just trying to save you some of that. I also know how hard it is to not obsess, so i hear you.
ReplyDeleteIf anything, you may have to calm DH down if I'm not pregnant this month. He's way more hopeful than I am, and if anything, I'm much more skeptical because, hey, I've read all the things that can go wrong! (Damn you again, Google...) And thanks. ;)
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