Implantation bleeding: what is it?
It’s thought that up to 30 percent of women have some spotting around the time when they may have expected their period to start. It’s called implantation bleeding and is nothing to worry about. It actually signals that an egg has been fertilized and has implanted into the lining of your uterus. This typically happens in the seven to 12 days following ovulation, assuming your egg is fertilized.
Why does implantation bleeding happen?
When your ovary releases an egg it travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus. If it is fertilized on its journey, then it will implant in the endometrium (the lining of the uterus, which is shed each month during your menstrual period) typically around nine days after you ovulate. The endometrium is rich in blood and nutrients, and when the fertilized egg starts to burrow in a small amount of bleeding may occur. Occasionally fertilized eggs fail to implant and if this happens, it will leave your body when your period starts.
How will I know it’s not my period?
An implantation bleed will usually occur a few days before your period is due, and it doesn’t look like a normal menstrual period – it’s more like a pinkish or brownish discharge and there won’t be very much of it: just spotting. If it is your period then it will become heavier.
Looking out for pregnancy symptoms may not be much help, since the really early ones, like tender breasts, are also common signs that your period is about to start. However, symptoms such as cramps and backache are unlikely to accompany implantation bleeding and the bleeding also won’t become heavier.
Keep in mind that if you’ve already done a
home pregnancy test and confirmed that you are pregnant, and it’s more than 10 days since your egg was fertilized, any bleeding you may see won’t be implantation bleeding. If you do experience
bleeding in pregnancy, contact your doctor as it could signal a miscarriage or
ectopic pregnancy.
How soon can I test to find out if I am pregnant?
If you’ve been trying to get pregnant and you had sex around the time you were due to ovulate and then experience what you suspect may be an implantation bleed, roughly a week before your period would have been due, it likely is a good indication that you have been successful.
When it comes to actually testing, many home pregnancy tests claim to be sensitive enough to detect pregnancy hormones in the urine on the day you miss your period if they are used correctly and you test first thing in the morning. However these tests are expensive so it’s worth gritting your teeth and hanging on for as long as you can bear to before testing!
If you can’t resist the temptation, it’s unlikely that the spotting will interfere with the test result – if there is human chorionic gonadotropin (hcG) in your urine, the test will be positive. If you test negative but your period does not start when expected, wait a day or so to allow any hcG that’s present to build up in your body.
The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.
Related Articles
Last Modified: 29/10/2009
Related Chat
You'll need to be logged in to post new Comments and Answers or to Chat.
Login or
Register