Signs and Symptoms of Implantation Bleeding

It is a common fact that the reproductive cycle in a woman's life consists of various phases, like puberty, menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause. Pregnancy is the most important and wonderful phase in every woman's life. A missed period is often taken as an indication of pregnancy, there are some other early signs too. One such symptom is implantation bleeding. What is implantation bleeding? How is it associated with pregnancy? What are the signs and symptoms of implantation bleeding? If you are interested in knowing more about this condition, scroll down.

What is Implantation Bleeding?

Pregnancy happens when the egg released by the ovary is fertilized by a sperm, to form a zygote (fertilized egg). This process happens inside the fallopian tube. From the fallopian tube, the zygote travels to the uterus and during this period, it divides further to form the blastocyst, which can be described as a ball of cells with an outer covering. Once the blastocyst reaches the uterus, it gets out of the protective outer covering and attaches itself to the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium). Through this attachment, the blastocyst forms links with the mother's blood vessels, in order to receive oxygen and nutrients which are necessary for its growth.

The blastocyst may cause a slight amount of bleeding, as it penetrates the endometrium and gets attached to the uterus. This blood comes out of the uterus, through the vagina and this occurrence is called implantation bleeding, which is considered one of the earliest pregnancy signs. Though, implantation bleeding is a sign of pregnancy, its absence does not mean that there is no pregnancy. In other words, every pregnant woman may not experience this bleeding, as it is not necessary for the blastocyst to cause bleeding while implanting itself in the uterine wall. It is said that only one-third of women experience this condition. A basic idea about the signs and symptoms of implantation bleeding and its time of occurrence may prove useful in recognizing the condition.

When Does Implantation Bleeding Occur?

Implantation bleeding normally happens just before the expected date of menstruation. The average date of menstruation is calculated as the fourteenth day from the date of ovulation (the cycle may vary between women) and implantation bleeding occurs between six to twelve days after ovulation. In other words, implantation bleeding usually occurs in the third or fourth week from the date of the last menstrual period. The fertilized egg or zygote take around five to six days to travel from the fallopian tube to the uterus. After that, it gets attached to the endometrium. So, it is said that implantation bleeding occurs within nine to twelve days of ovulation. But in some cases, it may happen as early as six days too. So, the time frame for the occurrence of implantation bleeding is usually given as 6 to 12 days after ovulation. Even the time that is taken by the blood to come out of the uterus can affect the timing of implantation bleeding. Now that you know more about the possible time for implantation bleeding, let us take a look at some of the common implantation bleeding symptoms.

Signs of Implantation Bleeding

As mentioned above, implantation bleeding is caused by the small amount of blood that is released from the location of attachment of the blastocyst on the endometrium. First of all, you have to understand that implantation bleeding may not occur in all woman. It may happen that the endometrium does not bleed at all, while the blastocyst gets attached. Even the amount of bleeding may vary from one woman to another. The following paragraph deals with some details about the signs and symptoms of implantation bleeding.

So, the first and foremost sign of implantation bleeding is bleeding itself. Such vaginal discharge may be too scanty or spotty in some women, whereas in some others it may be little more heavy. However, in this type of bleeding, the blood will be pinkish or brownish, as it is old blood (it takes some time for the blood to come out of the uterus). Some women may have black-colored discharge too. Clots are usually not found in this type of bleeding, which may last for a few hours to two, three days. Generally, implantation bleeding is not associated with any symptoms, but some women may experience minor cramps in the uterus and an increase in the basal body temperature (lowest temperature attained by the body during rest, usually during sleep).

Apart from implantation bleeding, the other symptoms of pregnancy include nausea or vomiting, tender and swollen breasts, frequent urination, fatigue, abdominal bloating and increased sensitivity to odors. If such symptoms develop after implantation bleeding (along with a missed period), they may indicate pregnancy. However, confirmation of pregnancy is done with blood and urine tests as well as obstetric ultrasonography. If implantation bleeding is accompanied with pain, you should consult a gynecologist, as it may be a sign of ectopic pregnancy, which is a complicated condition, where the fertilized ovum gets implanted in any tissue other than the uterine wall. Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tubes, but can also occur in the cervix, ovaries or abdomen.

Difference Between Implantation Bleeding and Menstruation

The main difference between implantation bleeding and regular menstruation lies in the nature of vaginal discharge. In regular menstruation, there is heavy bleeding which can last for three days and the menstrual discharge is red in color, but in implantation bleeding, there is no actual bleeding. Implantation bleeding is like spotting, which is pinkish or brownish in color. Usually, it is not associated with the symptoms of menstruation like pain, backache, cramps, etc. It does not last for three days, but in some women, intermittent spotting may occur for one or two days. Implantation bleeding happens before the date of menstruation (2 to 7 days prior to menstruation date). It can be mistaken for menstruation, if the dates coincide. You have to wait for one or two days. If the spotting does not transform into heavy bleeding, then it means that it is implantation bleeding.

Even though some experts doubt the very presence of this phenomenon, studies show that about one-third of pregnant women experience implantation bleeding and there is no health problem associated with it. While some may not even notice it, in some women, signs and symptoms of implantation bleeding will be more pronounced. Its absence is not a cause of worry and those who experience it should confirm pregnancy with other tests.