Implantation Bleeding: When Does It Happen?

Implantation bleeding, or spotting, is among the first symptoms of pregnancy. However, not all women get to experience this symptom of pregnancy, some of them even confusing them with menstruation.

How Long Does It Take for Implantation Bleeding to Start?

Have you ever wondered when does implantation bleeding happen? This symptom of pregnancy appears 10 – 14 days after conception and something perfectly normal.

It`s considered that appears when the fertilized egg attached itself from the internal layer of the uterus. Often, it appears rather the same time when you expect your period to happen. Still, compared with the regular menstruation, this type of bleeding lasts for a shorter period of time, it`s in less quantity or just as a few drops of vaginal blood and has a lighter color, almost as pink.

Sometimes, implantation bleeding may come with abdominal cramps, similar to those from menstruation. It can also consist as one of the early signs of pregnancy. – Read more!

Implantation bleeding may stop on its own and doesn`t require any treatment. If it persists and you are concerned by any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, contact your obstetrician.

How Long Does Implantation Bleeding Last?

The exact moment when the bleeding appears always depends on the menstrual cycle and the moment of implantation. From the fertilization of the egg, a few days from ovulation, there are 4 – 6 days until implantation. This bleeding may appear during the period of implantation which can last a few days. If and when the bleeding appears, it will differ from one woman to another, as well as if the bleeding will be heavy enough to be noticeable. Because of this reason, it`s not really a good symptom to suspect a pregnancy. A pregnancy test is more recommended.

Causes

In case you are wondering why this pregnancy symptom appears, here are the causes! Implantation bleeding means the attachment of the fertilized egg from the uterine wall. The implantation occurs averagely 9 days after ovulation and fertilization, with an interval of 6 to 12 days.

This is one of the early signs of pregnancy and appears during implantation. It`s also known as spotting because is similar to a small bleeding, a few drops of pinkish or brownish blood. It occurs at 6 – 12 days after ovulation, and 1 – 2 days after the arrival of the blastocyst in the uterus. But how long does implantation bleeding last? It doesn`t usually last for more than 1 – 2 days and is often confused by women with menstruation.

At the moment of the implantation, the blastocyst is barely visible, smaller than the dot on the “i” letter. Once the implantation occurs, the blastocyst becomes an embryo.

The result of the pregnancy test usually becomes positive at 3 – 4 days after implantation, and the urine test at 4 – 5 days after implantation.

Characteristics

• When it appears? – 2 to 7 before menstruation. In rare cases, it appears during menstruation.

• Duration – Implantation bleeding lasts from 1 – 2 hours to 48 hours in more rare situations.

• Color: Generally speaking, it has a pinkish color. In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, implantation bleeding has a brownish color because it takes more time until the blood comes out from the womb tubes.

• Intensity: Most of the time, implantation bleeding is easy, almost unnoticeable.

Can Implantation Bleeding Be Heavy?

In case that such bleeding become abundant, somehow similar to menstrual cycle, it`s possible that the woman may experience an irregular menstruation. Also, if these discharges are indeed abundant, this may be a clear sign for the woman to visit an obstetrician for further investigation.

Whenever you suspect you might be pregnant, it`s recommended to take a pregnancy test, but only after your menstruation has passed. This way you`ll be able to detect the level of the hCG hormone. If the test will detect a higher level, then the result will become positive, detecting the long-awaiting pregnancy. In case the test doesn`t show the existence of a pregnancy test, and such bleeding repeat themselves, it`s recommended to contact a medical specialist.

How Do We Recognize It?

It isn`t always easy to make the difference between this bleeding and other types of vaginal bleeding. Unlike menstrual bleeding, the color is lighter, but it will differ from woman to woman. In case of an unexpected bleeding, any woman should contact her gynecologist. This type of bleeding doesn`t present any risks for the woman who experiences it, but others types of bleeding might be harmful and if you aren`t sure which is it, it`s best to contact your doctor. For example, a vaginal bleeding can be a sign of deficiency of progesterone. Also, hormonal fluctuations or inflammations of the uterine mucosa can cause bleeding. Your doctor will be able to identify the type of bleeding you are experiencing.

Can Implantation Bleeding Be like a Period?

Generally speaking, this bleeding can be considered a sign of pregnancy. However, this doesn`t always show the presence of a pregnancy. The reason is because lots of women don`t even experience these types of bleeding or they don`t notice them; and it isn`t easy to make the difference between the color and intensity of this type of bleeding compared with other types or period. Other symptoms, such as darker areola, swollen breasts or morning sickness, indicate more clearly the presence of a pregnancy. Women who track their menstruation by measuring their basal temperature may notice a pregnancy if they notice an increase of the temperature for more than 18 days.

Basal Temperature & Implantation Bleeding

Generally, the implantation of the fertilized egg on the uterine wall appears at around 9 days after ovulation. Although the exact number of days varies, it will usually appear during the 4^th week of pregnancy.

If at 9 – 10 days after ovulation the basal temperature increases and you experience a bleeding, there are high chances for a pregnancy to already be installed.

Implantation vs. Menstruation

Since implantation bleeding appears before the results of the pregnancy test to be positive, it`s pretty difficult to know if the small bleeding that just appeared is an early sign of pregnancy or just spotting which appears before menstruation.

The safest way to know for sure if we are talking about a pregnancy or not is to wait a few days to do a pregnancy test. It`s also useful to know the date of the last sexual contact – if there were more than 2 weeks, it`s unlikely for this bleeding to be caused by the implantation of the fertilized egg.

Implantation Symptoms

Implantation bleeding is one of the most obvious symptoms of pregnancy. Implantation refers to the attachment of the fertilized egg from the uterine wall and occurs at little time after the fertilized egg, also known as “blastocyst,” has arrived after its journey through fallopian tubes in the interior of the uterus. This usually happens at 6 – 12 days after ovulation and fertilization.

Signs of implantation as a possible pregnancy symptom are:

• Implantation cramps: easy cramps in the interior of the uterus;
• Implantation spotting or bleeding: a few drops of blood;
• The second change in temperature;
• A temperature drop of 7 – 100 days after ovulation.

Positive Pregnancy Test

Despite implantation bleeding, only a pregnancy test can confirm with certainty that you are or not pregnant. Doctors recommend doing a pregnancy test if you may think you are pregnant or experience any possible pregnancy symptoms.

Most women don`t have subjective pregnancy signs (signs that cannot be precisely measured), such as cramps or bleeding during implantation. Because they are so small bleeding, most women don`t even notice them. However, some women claim that they had small bleeding and felt small cramps.

These pregnancy symptoms can appear without conception or implantation. Women have these symptoms often without any pregnancy being involved.

What to Do if You Experience Implantation Bleeding?

Even if you know that within 2 weeks ago you had an unprotected sexual contact, you were ovulating (or near your ovulation period) and you experience implantation bleeding, it isn`t really necessary to do a pregnant test just yet. – Visit here!

The result of a pregnancy test might mislead you. On one side it`s way too early for the organism to produce enough pregnancy hormones for the test to be able to detect them and offer a precise result. On the other hand, the simple fact that a fertilized egg was implanted in the uterus doesn`t guarantee that this will transform itself in an embryo that will grow and develop normally.

Most pregnancies are lost immediately after implantation, but before a possible delay of the menstruation; because of this reason, most women aren`t aware that they are pregnant.

So, if you want a higher accuracy of the results of your pregnancy test, the best possible period in which you should it is immediately after you notice the delay of your menstruation, about 1 – 2 days after (even more days if you have an irregular period).