If you are pregnant, it can become very worrisome to experience vaginal bleeding. One possible cause is implantation bleeding, which can present like a light period. Implantation bleeding is not usually a cause for alarm. However, it may be tough to distinguish implantation bleeding vs. a miscarriage. Show
Other causes of bleeding during early pregnancy include ectopic pregnancy and infection. Since these can be dangerous, it is important to know how to recognize implantation bleeding and to get medical attention if you experience bleeding in pregnancy. What Is Implantation Bleeding?Implantation bleeding happens during the very early stages of pregnancy. It appears as a smear of blood on your underwear or toilet paper a few days before or after the time when you can first test positive on a pregnancy test. Implantation means that a fertilized egg has implanted, or attached to the wall of the uterus. It occurs around ten days after fertilization. Sometimes, a small amount of bleeding or spotting happens around this time. Implantation bleeding typically occurs close to the time that you would expect your monthly period. Due to this timing, implantation bleeding could be mistaken for an extremely light menstrual period, especially for people who normally have light menstrual flows. Implantation bleeding does not affect the viability of a pregnancy and is not a cause for concern. Similarly, not having implantation bleeding is also OK and should not worry you. But it is important to recognize that it is a sign of pregnancy and not a period. If you know you are pregnant, you can discontinue activities that may affect your developing baby, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking certain medications. If you have unusually light bleeding around the time of your menstrual period and the bleeding does not turn into a heavier flow (one that is more typical for you), it's a good idea to take a pregnancy test. A few spots of blood or a light flow should not be taken as a period or as a sign that you are not pregnant—you could be. What Are Implantation Cramps? Implantation Bleeding vs. MiscarriageBleeding from an impending miscarriage or chemical pregnancy (a nonviable pregnancy) may begin as spotting and then turn into a heavier flow with visible clots and a dark red color, similar to a heavy menstrual period. In contrast, implantation bleeding may appear as a brown or lighter-colored discharge without clots. It is a lighter flow that lasts only a few hours to a few days. Additional signs that you may be experiencing a miscarriage rather than implantation bleeding include cramping and passing tissue through the vagina. The best way to determine the cause of early pregnancy bleeding is to visit a healthcare provider. They are likely to do an hCG blood test or an early pregnancy ultrasound, in addition to a thorough medical history and physical examination. An hCG blood test measures the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is made by the placenta after the fertilized egg implants into the lining of the uterus. With ultrasound, a gestational sac becomes visible around five weeks after your last menstrual cycle if you are pregnant, and an embryo or fetal pole is visible at the end of the sixth week. Other Causes of Early Pregnancy BleedingSome people who are pregnant also experience light bleeding after sex or after a pelvic exam, due to the development of blood vessels in the cervix. Or, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy may be a sign of an infection of the cervix, vagina, or urinary tract. Vaginal bleeding may also be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilized egg implants into one of the fallopian tubes instead of the lining of the uterus. Other symptoms may include pain in the abdomen, pelvis, or even the shoulder, but sometimes vaginal bleeding is the only sign. An ectopic pregnancy is a dangerous condition because the fallopian tube can tear open and cause internal bleeding, so it is important to seek medical attention if you are experiencing these symptoms. The fertilized egg in the fallopian tube needs to be removed with surgery or medication. A Word From VerywellIf you are experiencing any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, contact your healthcare provider. While it's natural to worry about a possible miscarriage, there could be a number of reasons for spotting in early pregnancy, including implantation bleeding. A healthcare provider can identify the cause of your bleeding and make a treatment plan if necessary. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're reading. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.on August 13, 2021 Latest update:See moreStocksy  Get your period after a positive pregnancy test? Here's what you need to know about a chemical pregnancy, a very early pregnancy loss. Back to Top In This Article
Getting your period a week after a positive pregnancy test can be confusing and frightening, but it’s actually much more common than you might realize. You may have experienced what’s often referred to as a chemical pregnancy. Many women who have a chemical pregnancy actually don’t even realize they’ve conceived. But having a chemical pregnancy doesn't indicate that there’s something wrong with you or that you won’t one day give birth to a healthy baby. What is a chemical pregnancy?A chemical pregnancy is a very early pregnancy loss that happens when an egg is fertilized and implants in the uterus, but is unable to grow normally. It usually occurs at around week 4 to 5 of your menstrual cycle. In pregnancy, a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall about three weeks after the first day of your last menstrual period. Cells that would become the placenta begin to produce levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) that by the time or your expected period are high enough to detect on a blood or urine test. With a chemical pregnancy, this implantation does not progress, and the cells don’t develop all the way into an embryo and placenta. This results in bleeding a few days to a week after your regular period was due. Chemical pregnancies are extremely common. In fact, experts actually believe this very early pregnancy loss may account for up to 50 percent of all conceptions. Often, the only sign of a chemical pregnancy is a late period. You’ll only know if you had a pregnancy loss if you happened to take an early pregnancy test soon after conception. Signs of a chemical pregnancyMany women don’t realize they’ve had a chemical pregnancy. Symptoms that indicate you might have had a chemical pregnancy include: Continue Reading Below Read This NextWhat Happens After a Medical Termination of Pregnancy and How to Cope Pregnancy After a Miscarriage What Is a Rainbow Baby? What Happens After a Medical Termination of Pregnancy and How to Cope Pregnancy After a Miscarriage What Is a Rainbow Baby?
Implantation bleeding vs. a chemical pregnancyLight spotting or bleeding following a positive pregnancy test doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a chemical pregnancy. Some (but not all) women experience light implantation bleeding, which is a sign that you are pregnant. On the other hand, heavy bleeding and menstrual-like cramps in pregnancy may indicate an impending early loss. Either way, if you experience any bleeding after a positive pregnancy test, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends calling your doctor. What causes a chemical pregnancy?Most early pregnancy losses, including chemical pregnancies, are caused by chromosomal abnormalities. At the start of a pregnancy, an egg and a sperm combine 23 chromosomes from each partner to form a zygote with 46 chromosomes. The zygote begins to grow through rapid cell division, evolves into a blastocyst and implants in the uterine wall. In a chemical pregnancy:
Chromosomal abnormalities occur randomly and can happen to anyone. However, the chance of chromosomal abnormalities increases significantly with age. Chemical pregnancies definitely don’t mean you won’t be able to get pregnant and stay pregnant in the future. Chemical pregnancy risk factorsSeveral risk factors can put you at a higher risk of early pregnancy loss. These include:
Chemical pregnancies and IVFChemical pregnancies are also a possibility if you’ve gone through in vitro fertilization (IVF) — and in fact, they can occur quite frequently after IVF or another fertility procedure. But the good news is that an early pregnancy loss like this one can mean a greater chance of conceiving in future IVF cycles as compared with women who have only negative pregnancy tests. While experiencing a chemical pregnancy after undergoing infertility treatments is certainly disheartening and may even prompt you to stop IVF attempts altogether, the science is on your side. Talk with your doctor about your chances of conception and whether another round of IVF is advised. While chemical pregnancies do not occur more often with fertility therapies, they tend to be identified more often in this situation, because patients getting fertility therapies are often taking many early pregnancy tests. Recovery and grief after a chemical pregnancyA chemical pregnancy may appear more like a cycle in which a pregnancy never occurred than a miscarriage later in pregnancy. But emotionally, it can be a very different story. It’s natural to feel upset no matter how early a pregnancy loss occurs. Let yourself grieve if you need to. Remember that a chemical pregnancy is not your fault. Since most miscarriages are caused by chromosomal accidents, there’s nothing you can do to prevent them. To get through this tough time, it may help to understand the grieving process, which typically includes several stages such as denial, guilt, anger and even depression. Allow yourself to experience each phase at your own pace. You might also feel jealousy at the sight of other pregnant women or mothers and babies, and you could experience setbacks during your recovery from a chemical pregnancy. Keep in mind that it’s very normal for feelings to return and fluctuate. Consider taking some concrete steps as part of your recovery process, including memorializing your baby, finding time for self-care, writing your thoughts in a journal or joining a support group for parents who’ve experienced a similar loss. But if your grief starts to overwhelm or consume your days and prevents you from going about your daily routine, seek help from a counselor or physician. Also know that just because you had an early miscarriage doesn’t mean that you’ll have another. In fact, although it might sound unfair right now, doctors actually look at a single chemical pregnancy as a positive sign that you can get pregnant — and hopefully will again soon. Trying to get pregnant again after a chemical pregnancyVery early pregnancy losses don’t usually require medical intervention, but you can visit your practitioner if you think you’ve experienced one. They may be able to confirm a chemical pregnancy happened depending on how recently you experienced the bleeding. Be sure to see your doctor if you’ve noticed that you tend to have an irregular period or a cycle that’s over 35 days long. Your doctor may want to rule out conditions that involve anovulation, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), that can make it harder for you to get pregnant. They may refer you to a fertility specialist if necessary. It’s always a good idea to see your doctor if:
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy. Why am I bleeding after a faint positive pregnancy test?You may experience light pink or brown spotting after a positive pregnancy test. This could be due to implantation bleeding, which occurs when a fertilized egg implants in the lining of the uterus, one to two weeks after conception.
Can a pregnancy test be positive while bleeding?A helpful article reviewed by Dr. Carolyn Kay notes that small amounts of blood do not interfere with the test's ability to detect the pregnancy hormone HCG.
Does a faint line on pregnancy test mean miscarriage?A faint positive line can also be a sign of a very early miscarriage, sometimes called a chemical pregnancy, which occurs within the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy, often much earlier. If you take a home pregnancy test after a miscarriage, your test may reveal a faint positive line.
Why did I get a positive pregnancy test then start my period?Getting your period a week after a positive pregnancy test can be confusing and frightening, but it's actually much more common than you might realize. You may have experienced what's often referred to as a chemical pregnancy. Many women who have a chemical pregnancy actually don't even realize they've conceived.
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Faint line on pregnancy test and bleeding
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