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. Show
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:
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:
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. Published on March 12th, 2022 and Updated on June 22nd, 2022 Check out SneakPeek Gender Test to find out your baby’s gender as early as 6 weeks at 99.9% accuracy! You’ve circled your ovulation days on the calendar. You’ve tracked your basal body temperature like a pro. You practically feel butterflies in your stomach. But, when it’s time to take your pregnancy test, you look down and see… blood. What’s the deal? When trying to conceive, vaginal bleeding can be disappointing, especially when you hear that a missed period is one of the first pregnancy symptoms you may experience. However, a few drops of blood might actually be a good thing. In fact, it may be an indication that your fertilized egg has implanted itself onto the lining of your uterus. Implantation bleeding is a fairly common early pregnancy sign —and it’s nothing to fear. But how can you tell the difference between implantation bleeding and menstruation? Will a pregnancy test clue you in to what’s really going on? While you can take a pregnancy test during implantation bleeding, you’re more likely to get an accurate result if you wait at least 5 days after bleeding has stopped. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at implantation bleeding so you can better understand why you may want to wait to take a pregnancy test. What Is Implantation?You can consider implantation to be the second major step of your pregnancy journey. After conception (the first major step), the fertilized egg must attach to the wall of the uterus in order to survive. But when does implantation occur? Let’s take a look at this process, step-by-step:
How Can Implantation Cause Bleeding?Even though your blastocyst is only a tiny cluster of cells, it can nevertheless cause quite the commotion with things like bleeding and cramping. This is because, during implantation, the blastocyst creates a mini rupture in your cushy uterine lining (you know, trying to get comfortable). This rupture leads to bleeding in about 1 out of 4 pregnant women, making it a relatively common early sign of pregnancy. Let’s explore some factors that can differentiate implantation bleeding from other types of vaginal bleeding. Timing of Implantation BleedingImplantation bleeding occurs between 1 to 2 weeks following conception. Here’s where things can get tricky. Because you’re most likely to conceive during ovulation, the timing of implantation bleeding might overlap with the timing of your next menstrual period. This isn’t always the case, as each week of your cycle has a certain amount of fertility potential. For instance:
So, if you have the rare experience of conceiving outside of ovulation, your implantation bleeding won’t occur the same week as your period. However, most women will conceive during ovulation, so it’s good to know other identifying characteristics of implantation bleeding, such as its appearance and duration. Appearance of Implantation BleedingMenstrual blood can come in a variety of looks—red, brown, pink, thick, thin. However, implantation blood tends to maintain the same appearance for all women. Happily, for identification purposes, the appearance of implantation blood is quite different from that of your menstrual blood. Implantation blood has traits like:
Duration of Implantation BleedingDuring menstruation, your body sheds its now unneeded uterine lining, along with your unfertilized egg. This results in menstrual bleeding that can last between 3 to 7 days. However, during implantation, the uterine lining is only mildly ruptured—not totally shed—so bleeding isn’t nearly as long. Typically, implantation bleeding will only last 1 to 2 days. If you are experiencing severe pelvic or abdominal pain accompanied by vaginal bleeding and extreme lightheadedness, you could be experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, and you should seek emergency medical help immediately. Are Pregnancy Tests Accurate during Implantation Bleeding?After those first few drops of blood appear, it can be tempting to run to the nearest drug store to stock up on your pregnancy tests (if you don’t already have a collection under the bathroom sink). However, taking a pregnancy test during implantation bleeding may not give you accurate results. This is all due to a key pregnancy hormone—hCG. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin—the Key to Pregnancy TestsAfter implantation, your body releases a cascade of hormones to prepare itself for pregnancy. One of these hormones is human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Once pregnant, hCG levels begin to rise, signaling to other hormones (like estrogen and progesterone) that there’s a baby on the way and assisting in fetal growth over the course of the first trimester. Hormone hCG is what at-home pregnancy tests measure to determine if you’ve got a bun in the oven. Here’s why:
Timing Your Pregnancy TestAfter implantation, hCG levels start to climb rapidly. However, it may still take between 7 to 12 days for hCG to reach a detectable level. This is about the same amount of time it may take for you to experience implantation bleeding. This leads to a gray area for testing, where some pregnant women may get a positive result and others may not. For the most accurate, dependable results, doctors recommend waiting until about 7 to 12 days after implantation to ensure your hCG levels are soaring and save you from having to retest. This means waiting to test until at least 5 days after bleeding has stopped. More Tips for Pregnancy Test AccuracyFor results you can rely on when you do take a pregnancy test, here are tips for accurate testing:
Learn More About Your Newest Family Member With SneakPeekSo, can you take a pregnancy test during implantation bleeding? In short, yes, but keep in mind that your result may not be as accurate as it would be a few days later. If you test negative, don’t feel discouraged. You can simply wait a few days and try again. The longer you wait, the more time you give hCG levels to accumulate, and the more accurate your test will be. And when you do test positive? Share the news with your friends and family, start stocking up on diapers, and order your SneakPeek At-Home Early Gender Blood Test. From the comfort of your own home, SneakPeak’s test can tell you if you’re having a little boy or a little girl with clinically-proven 99.9% accuracy. Even better? You can take the test as early as 6 weeks into your pregnancy. That’s months before a traditional anatomy ultrasound at 20 weeks can tell you. It’s no wonder SneakPeek Gender is the #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home fetal sex test on the market today, trusted by over 500,000 moms just like you. So, after you test for hCG, test for gender, with SneakPeek Gender. This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional: Dr. Heather Soper, Certified Nurse Midwife Heather has 15 years of women’s health and obstetrics experience. She is the owner of The Genesis Resort for Birth and an Assistant Professor of Nursing at James Madison University. Sources:
|