Chest Pain After Conception: Why and When It Occurs, How to Reduce It

A woman may recognize possible conception by various indirect signs. Before she can perform a pregnancy test to confirm this, she may sense it through her feelings. One of the main symptoms of fertilization, which can appear even before the delay of menstruation, is typically breast pain during conception. 

However, it should be noted that similar symptoms can also be characteristic of pathological processes. Determining the nature of the discomfort in the breast can only be done through an in-person examination by a doctor. It is absolutely necessary to diagnose the presence of pregnancy or to identify another cause of breast tenderness to rule out severe illnesses, promptly prescribe adequate treatment, and prevent serious consequences. 

Is Chest Pain a Sign of Conception

In a woman’s body, hormonal changes occur with the onset of pregnancy, preventing further ovulations. These changes are necessary to maintain the pregnancy, prepare the body for childbirth, and breastfeeding. The breast pain after conception occurs for several reasons, including due to the change in the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which starts to be produced by embryonic tissues after it is anchored in the uterine lining. 

HCG affects the production of hormones (including progesterone), the development of mammary gland ducts, and the formation and shaping of new lobules. The level of progesterone changes as well, under the influence of which the endometrial lining of the uterus thickens. The breast begins to prepare for lactation – glandular tissue expands, and blood supply increases. The tissues compress vessels, causing swelling and irritation of nerve endings, leading to painful sensations.

Other Causes of Breast Pain After Fertilization

In addition, breast pain after conception can occur due to changes in prolactin levels — this hormone also participates in maintaining pregnancy and preparing the mammary glands for lactation. Its level begins to rise after the 8th week, reaching a peak by mid-term. Prolactin affects the condition of the mammary glands after conception, causing rapid growth of the secretory tissue intended for the production of breast milk, which happens precisely due to prolactin’s influence on the mammary glands after fertilization. 

As with the production of HCG and progesterone, physiological changes induced by prolactin are accompanied by pain sensations. This may not only be pain, but also:

• itching;
• burning;
• feeling of heaviness;
• tingling;
• swelling;
• overall discomfort.

These sensations spread to the back, armpits, and arms; they intensify with body position changes and movement. Darkening of the areolas and nipples, as well as swelling, are characteristic. 

When Breast Pain May Occur

Women are interested in when breast pain starts after conception. This can happen no earlier than 5 – 10 days post-conception, when implantation occurs after fertilization. The embryo embeds into the uterine endometrium 2 – 3 days before the start of the next menstruation. Until then, the fertilized egg is not connected to the maternal organism and exists autonomously. By the second trimester, fluid begins to accumulate in the alveoli, ducts expand, leading to breast enlargement. Nipples darken, dilated veins become visible, and stretch marks appear on the skin. 

In the third trimester, the milk glands mature, and at this stage, the breasts usually do not hurt with conception. On average, throughout the pregnancy, the breasts increase by 1-2 sizes. The timing of specific sensations in the breasts depends on the woman’s constitution. For asthenics and normostenics, it’s about a week after conception, for hypersthenics – in 2-4 weeks.

Do painful sensations always occur

Breast pain after conception does not happen to all women. Breast development may occur without any unpleasant sensations. In some cases, the venous network may simply appear on the skin of the mammary glands, and nipple sensitivity may increase. In repeated pregnancies, this situation could recur, especially if the gap between children is small. The absence of pain is also considered normal if the breast size was initially large.

It’s important to know that if there is a sudden disappearance of breast pain at 8-9 weeks or later during conception, it may indicate a missed or ectopic pregnancy, or a miscarriage. Hormonal pathologies should also be ruled out, as they can prevent breast tenderness during pregnancy from appearing.

Breast Pain and False Pregnancy

Women who have long dreamed of motherhood may experience a condition called false pregnancy, during which all the signs of conception may appear. This condition is a psycho-physiological disorder that a woman mistakenly believes to be pregnancy. False pregnancy is typical for women with emotional disturbances. In reality, it does not involve the physiological act of fertilization of an egg by a sperm or embryo implantation in the uterus.

The woman simply convinced herself that conception had occurred. In this case, the psyche mimics breast pain during conception and other signs of pregnancy – menstruation stops, the mammary glands and abdomen enlarge. In such cases, a comprehensive treatment is undertaken with the participation of an endocrinologist, gynecologist, and psychotherapist. 

How Conception Pain Differs from PMS

Breast pain during conception should be distinguished from the sensations typically characteristic of PMS. The symptoms that appear in many women are identical in nature to the tenderness in the mammary glands during pregnancy. Not confusing PMS symptoms with the hormonal changes that occur during conception, and consequently, changes in the breasts, is possible by recognizing distinctive features. 

The symptoms of premenstrual syndrome occur relative to menstruation at the same time, namely about a week before the period. In addition to pain, PMS also comes with general emotional instability, irritability, and tearfulness. These manifestations last for several days, gradually decreasing in intensity, and disappear just before the period.

How long does breast pain last after fertilization

If a woman experiences breast tenderness, she cannot help but be concerned about how long the breasts will hurt after conception and for how long these unpleasant sensations will affect her quality of life. Experts have found that the duration of breast tenderness during conception depends on the individual characteristics of the woman’s body. For most pregnant women, the peak of unpleasant symptoms occurs in the first trimester. 

This is because significant hormonal changes occur during this period. Generally, the pain subsides in the 2nd trimester. However, in the 3rd trimester, such feelings may reappear due to the production of colostrum. Tenderness persists after the baby is born, manifesting with every feeding. This is due to milk production, which occurs each time the baby is latched onto the breast.

Ways to Reduce Pain

Breast pain symptoms can be reduced in several ways. By the second half of the day, with normal blood circulation, an active lifestyle, and good lymphatic flow, breast sensitivity decreases, and tissue swelling diminishes. By morning, discomfort returns, and swelling increases.

The following help reduce breast pain during conception:

• physical exercise;
• specialized underwear;
• diet.

Of course, none of the suggested methods guarantee immediate relief from pain. However, if a woman follows the recommendations of her obstetrician, she can alleviate her condition and reduce breast pain symptoms before the discomfort is naturally resolved.

Underwear and Nutrition

To reduce breast pain during conception, experts advise choosing a bra that fits well, is made from breathable natural materials, has wide straps, and is without underwire. It should not compress the chest or chafe the nipples. It should only be worn during the day, as the breasts need to rest at night. If nipple hypersensitivity interferes with sleep, it’s advisable to wear a seamless top at night.

Enhancing the situation by enriching the diet with vegetables and fruits optimizes metabolic processes. Nipple sensitivity is reduced by greens, legumes, nuts, flax seeds, and ginger, which improve blood circulation in the chest and relieve pain. Lemon helps reduce the symptoms of toxicosis and improves blood flow by increasing the tone of the blood vessels. It’s worth limiting the consumption of salt, including preserved, salty, smoked products, and hard cheeses.

Physical Activity

Improving blood circulation and lymph flow, reducing tissue swelling is helped by exercises for the hands, chest, and shoulder girdle. However, caution should be exercised, especially if the woman was not engaged in physical activity before pregnancy. Even if the breasts are sore after conception but the body is used to training, it is worth continuing them after consulting with a doctor. Strength sports, as well as those associated with lifting weights and jumping, are strictly contraindicated during this period. 

In the absence of contraindications, moderate physical activity is needed even in the later stages. Exercises normalize blood circulation and tone the vessels. Nordic walking, which can be replaced by a simple walk in the fresh air, as well as daily morning warm-ups and exercises for the chest muscles, is very beneficial for pregnant women. A good choice is swimming or special fitness for expectant mothers.

Water Procedures

When breast pain occurs after conception, a warm shower can help reduce the pain. It should specifically be warm, not hot. Such a water procedure improves blood flow in the mammary glands, expands blood vessels. A good result is given by a contrast shower – alternating warm and cool water, if the woman does not experience discomfort. This will help reduce heaviness and pain in the chest during conception, keep the skin toned, and prevent stretch marks. For breast hygiene, it is worth using gentle soaps and gels. 

After water procedures, dry the skin with a soft towel, using gentle touches without squeezing or rubbing the mammary glands, and then apply natural, high-quality moisturizing and nourishing products. A couple of times a week, you can make masks from blue clay, which alleviates skin dryness and reduces swelling. After this, apply cream.

When there’s a reason to see a doctor

Even knowing how soon after conception breast pain begins during a normal pregnancy, not all women can distinguish the natural signs and sensations of fertilization from those that indicate a pathology. There is reason to suspect its presence if:

• there are dimples or lumps — a benign or malignant process should be ruled out;
• there is a fever — it could be a sign of infection, mastitis;
• discomfort is only in one breast — a tumor or inflammation is possible;
• there is lower abdominal pain, bloody discharge, nausea with vomiting, accompanied by weight loss — may indicate a pregnancy pathology;

You should also see a doctor if there is purulent discharge from the mammary glands. Only a doctor can help understand if the breast pain is due to conception or the presence of an endocrine pathology, especially if the pregnancy test is negative or weakly positive.