There are many early signs of pregnancy that many women experience but are unable to recognise. One of those signs is a little spotting, which is called implantation bleeding. While spotting does not mean there is an emergency, if you see too much blood, you can get it checked by a doctor. Read below to learn about implantation bleeding.
It is light spotting or bleeding that happens when, during conception, a fertilised egg attaches itself to the uterine lining called the endometrium. It later becomes an embryo when the egg is fertilised by the sperm. This embryo then travels to the uterus through the fallopian tubes. At this point in the menstrual cycle, the uterine lining is vascular and thick. This makes it ideal for the embryo to attack and develop. Why you see blood during implantation because it can disrupt the uterine lining blood vessels. While it is considered normal during pregnancy to have implantation bleeding, not everyone experiences this. If you do experience it, it is not a cause for concern.
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Many women often confuse implantation bleeding with a period, as it can happen when the period is due. The exact time it happens varies from woman to woman, it occurs about one to two weeks after fertilisation of the egg. In most cases, women do not know that they are pregnant. Though it is a normal part of pregnancy, about 25% of women experience it.
The main symptom of implantation bleeding is that the amount of bleeding is very minimal, hence the term "spotting”. Some people will have light bleeding over a few days, while others will have spotting once. It will be seen on your toilet paper or underwear as a spot. Typically, implantation bleeding is not heavy and if you see that happening, it can be a sign of a problem.
It is one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. The main symptom is spotting or bleeding along with light cramps during implantation, which lasts a couple of days. Most women are not aware that they are pregnant at that time. It is common to have the following signs and symptoms:
● Headache
● Feeling tired
● Nausea or bloating
● Breast tenderness
● Frequent urination
● Aversions or craving
The main difference between implantation bleeding and periods is that implantation bleeding is light, while the same cannot be said of periods. You will see a few drops of blood that are not even seen on a pantyliner, as opposed to bleeding during periods. The colour of the blood is also different. Implantation bleeding colour is light pink or brown in colour and dark red during periods. Some of the other differences are:
● During implantation bleeding the cramps are light and are accompanied by nausea and frequent urination. In a period the cramps are heavy, accompanied by PMS and breakouts.
● Implantation bleeding lasts for one or two days while periods can last 4 to 7 days.
● If you do a pregnancy test during or after experiencing implantation bleeding, it will give a positive test result.
Implantation bleeding happens when a fertilised egg sticks to the uterine lining or the endometrium. The endometrium is filled with vascular tissues and blood vessels. As the embryo attaches to the lining, there can be light bleeding. It is like a small animal burrowing to find a good place. While digging and burrowing, there can be some dirt that gets out. The uterine lining is the dirt and the embryo is that small animal trying to find a comfortable spot. Because of this, there is implantation bleeding.
Post implantation, the pregnancy takes its course and your uterus starts to produce HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). It is a hormone that keeps the uterine lining thick to keep the embryo in place. The presence of this hormone gives you positive pregnancy results in a pregnancy test kit.
There are no complications with implantation early pregnancy discharge which is considered a normal part of pregnancy. That is when there is light spotting that lasts for one to two days and is not accompanied by pain or cramps.
There is no treatment required or available to decrease or stop implantation bleeding. In a healthy pregnancy, it goes away on its own. Inmost cases, the only treatment aid you need is a panty liner. If you are soaking a pad, then it is most likely not implantation bleeding.
Are there other causes of vaginal bleeding aside from implantation?
Bleeding during pregnancy and vaginal bleeding are common. In most cases, it is a sign of serious compilation, but at other times it is deemed normal. There can be some causes of bleeding during early pregnancy:
● Ectopic pregnancy
● Miscarriage
● Infection
● Placentaprevia
● Sexual intercourse
Non-pregnancy-related vaginal bleeding includes:
● Infections
● Menstruation
● Infection during intercourse
● Cervical conditions
● Uterine polyps or uterine fibroids
● Hormonal changes due to birth control or fertility drugs
● Fertility treatments
● Endometriosis
If you have not conducted a pregnancy test before, you can do one right away. That is because implantation bleeding happens at the same time as your normal period. Some tests are sensitive and can detect HCG a few days before a missed period. But if you test too soon, you may get a false negative. If you still think you are pregnant, wait 3 days and take the test again, as HCG rises quickly in early pregnancy.
FAQs:
1. How to recognise implantation bleeding?
It is a little spotting that is slightly pink, brown or dark brown in colour. It is not heavy enough to soak a pad, but it is heavy enough to be recognised. It is more like a vaginal discharge than a flow of blood.
2. When does implantation bleeding occur?
It occurs 10 to 14 days after conceiving a baby and happens when a fertilised egg sticks to the uterine lining.
3. What is implantation bleeding?
Implantation bleeding is light spotting or a small amount of bleeding that happens 10 to 14 days after conception. It is believed to happen when a fertilised egg sticks to the uterine lining.
4. How long does implantation bleeding last?
Implantation bleeding lasts about two days.
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