What is implantation bleeding

In addition to light bleeding, some women also have these other implantation symptoms:

How Long Does Implantation Bleeding Last? What to Expect

Implantation bleeding may occur in early pregnancy. It’s generally light and lasts just a few days. It usually occurs 10-14 days after conception, or around the time of your missed period.

How long does it last?

Implantation bleeding is one type of bleeding that may occur in early pregnancy. Some doctors believe that implantation bleeding occurs when an embryo attaches itself to the lining of your uterus. However, not everyone will experience implantation bleeding or spotting.

Implantation bleeding is generally light and short, just a few days’ worth. It usually occurs 10-14 days after conception, or around the time of your missed period. However, vaginal bleeding has been reported anytime in the first eight weeks of pregnancy.

Spotting is also common before the start of a menstrual period. So — is your bleeding pregnancy-related? Here are some additional identifiers, other early pregnancy symptoms to watch for, and notes on when to see a doctor.

Implantation bleeding may appear as light spotting — blood that appears when you wipe — or a light, consistent flow that requires a liner or light pad. The blood may or may not be mixed with cervical mucus.

You may see a range of colors depending on how long the blood has taken to exit the body:

A fresher bleed will appear as a shade of light or dark red.
Blood may look pink or orange if it’s mixed with other vaginal discharge.
Older blood may look brown due to oxidation.

Be sure to take note of the color and consistency — as well as the frequency — of your bleeding. These are details you’ll want to share with your doctor for diagnosis.

Implantation bleeding is diagnosed through a process of elimination. This means that your doctor will rule out other possible causes of bleeding, such as polyps, first.

If you experience heavy bleeding or clotting, see your doctor right away. This may be a sign of an early miscarriage.

The color and consistency of implantation bleeding may vary from person to person and pregnancy to pregnancy. But if you think you might be pregnant, there are other symptoms that you can watch for.

Frequent urination, fatigue, and nausea are some of the earliest pregnancy symptoms. Your breasts may also become tender or swollen due to the hormonal changes that occur shortly after conception.

Other pregnancy symptoms include:

cramping
constipation
bloating
moodiness
food aversions

Early symptoms aren’t always the best indicator of whether you’re pregnant. Some women will have all of these symptoms even when they aren’t pregnant, and others may have none of these symptoms even though they are pregnant.

One of the most reliable symptoms is a missed menstrual period. But if your cycles are irregular, it may be difficult to tell if you’ve truly missed your period.

If you do think you’ve missed a period — or are experiencing other unusual symptoms — it may be time to pick up a home pregnancy test. You can also get a pregnancy test done at your doctor’s office.

Pregnancy test makers claim home pregnancy tests are up to 99 percent accurate. Tests may pick up the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as soon as the first day of your missed period, sometimes earlier.

This hormone doubles in concentration every two or three days in early pregnancy. How soon you may test positive or negative depends on the sensitivity of your test and how long it’s been since the embryo has implanted inside the uterus.

The closer you are to the start of your normal menstrual period, the less chance you’ll have a false negative on a pregnancy test. You may consider testing if your period is late or you have many early pregnancy signs. For the most reliable reading, consider waiting a week past when your period should have started.

If you’re unsure of your results, you may also request a blood pregnancy test through your doctor. Concentrations of hCG reach the blood before the urine, so a blood test may give a positive result sooner than a urine test.

It’s important to tell your doctor whenever you experience abnormal spotting or bleeding — regardless of whether you’re pregnant. Although light bleeding during early pregnancy doesn’t necessarily mean anything negative, you should still see a doctor to be safe.

If you do get a positive home pregnancy test, make an appointment with your doctor. They can confirm your test result and discuss your options for family planning. This may mean navigating prenatal care or discussing choices.

No matter what you decide, your doctor can connect you with resources for support and answer any questions you may have.

Last medically reviewed on March 8, 2018

What is implantation bleeding?

Implantation bleeding is light bleeding that may occur about seven to 14 days after fertilization. It’s caused by a fertilized egg implanting in the blood-rich lining of your uterus. Implantation bleeding is a normal part of pregnancy, and usually lasts for a day or two. Because it happens around the time you’d expect a period, you may mistake it for menstrual blood at first.

Photo credit: Offset
IN THIS ARTICLE

Implantation bleeding, explained
Implantation bleeding symptoms
When does implantation bleeding occur?
How long does implantation bleeding last?
How common is implantation bleeding?
How can I tell if it’s implantation bleeding or my period?
When to see a doctor for bleeding in early pregnancy

Implantation bleeding, explained

Implantation bleeding is light bleeding that you might experience if a fertilized egg implants in the lining of your uterus. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Opens a new window (ACOG), this can happen 1 to 2 weeks after fertilization.

Here’s why experts think it happens:

After the sperm fertilizes the egg, it starts the three- or four-day trip from the fallopian tube to your uterus. During this time, it divides into hundreds of identical cells. Meanwhile, your ovaries release estrogen that causes the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) to thicken and develop more blood vessels. The uterine lining is preparing to host the quickly growing embryo.

Once the embryo enters the uterus, it’s called a blastocyst, a tiny ball of several hundred cells. A day or two later, it begins burrowing into the blood-rich lining of your uterus, where it continues to grow and divide. As it burrows into the endometrium, the blastocyst may cause little blood vessels to burst, resulting in a small amount of vaginal bleeding.

Implantation bleeding symptoms

In addition to light bleeding, some women also have these other implantation symptoms:

Light cramping (implantation cramps)
Nausea
Breast tenderness
Lower back pain
Mood swings
Headaches

These symptoms are no guarantee that you’re pregnant – breast tenderness can be a sign of ovulation or PMS, for example. And several others – cramping, headache, backache, and mood swings – can also be signs of PMS. Taking a home pregnancy test is the best way to find out if you’re pregnant. (Though you may have to wait a few more days to get an accurate result.)

When does implantation bleeding occur?

Implantation bleeding tends to occur about seven to 14 days after conception – about the same time or just before you’d be expecting your period. This is around the same time a fertilized egg would be attaching itself to the uterine lining.

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How long does implantation bleeding last?

Unlike a regular menstrual period, implantation bleeding usually lasts no more than a day or two, three at the most. This is the amount of time it takes for the fertilized egg to become implanted into the lining of the uterus.

How common is implantation bleeding?

Implantation bleeding doesn’t happen in every pregnancy. Between 15 and 25 percent of pregnant women experience some light bleeding or spotting in the first trimester. Some of this is due to implantation bleeding.

Some women don’t realize they’re pregnant and think they’re having a light period when they see implantation spotting, especially because it happens around the time you’d expect a period.

How can I tell if it’s implantation bleeding or my period?

Here’s how to tell whether your bleeding is more likely to be implantation bleeding or your period:

Amount of blood. Implantation bleeding is a lot lighter than a typical period. It’s usually just a little spotting.
Length of time. Most women bleed for three to seven days during their period. Implantation bleeding often lasts only one to three days.
Color. Menstrual blood is usually bright red or dark red, but implantation bleeding tends to be a light pink, brown, or rust-colored discharge.
Clotting. Many women bleed enough during their period that some of the blood clots or becomes thick like a gel. Implantation bleeding is too light to clot.

When to see a doctor for bleeding in early pregnancy

If you have bright-red bleeding at any point after a positive pregnancy test, or if you develop other symptoms (such as pelvic or abdominal pain, dizziness, or lightheadedness), call your provider immediately. Bleeding and spotting during pregnancy is common, but even so ACOG recommends contacting your ob-gyn if you have bleeding at any time during pregnancy.

You may need an exam to make sure you don’t have an ectopic pregnancy. This happens when the fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. (It’s possible to have an ectopic pregnancy even if you don’t get a positive result on a pregnancy test.)

Bleeding or cramping in early pregnancy may also be a sign of a molar pregnancy (when the cells in the placenta don’t develop normally) or an impending miscarriage.

“Many women spot in the first trimester for no apparent reason and go on to have a healthy pregnancy,” says Shannon Smith Opens a new window , an ob-gyn at Brigham Faulkner Ob/Gyn Associates in Boston. “But if you’re worried for any reason, or if you have other symptoms, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your healthcare provider.”

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