Reviewed by Traci C. Johnson, MD on August 11, 2022 Implantation bleeding is light
bleeding from the vagina that happens in some women 10 to 14 days after conceiving a baby. You may think it’s just a light period, but it’s an early sign of pregnancy. It’s not dangerous, and you don’t need treatment. But heavy bleeding
(more than you’d have with a typical period) can be a sign of a problem. Call your doctor if you bleed a lot, with or without fever, chills, or have cramps that get worse. After a sperm fertilizes your egg, the combination becomes an embryo. It travels to your uterus, where it implants itself into the lining. Sometimes, as the embryo attaches, it causes a little bleeding. This usually happens about the time you would have your period. You may even confuse it with your
period and not realize you’re pregnant. Implantation bleeding is normal and doesn’t mean you or your baby will have problems. Implantation bleeding tends to happen before you notice morning sickness. You might have: It’s probably implantation bleeding if you have
some of the other signs of early pregnancy, including: If you’re not sure whether you’re having implantation bleeding or your period, take a pregnancy test or talk to your doctor. Unlike most periods, it usually stops after 1 or 2 days. It will stop on its own. If you're worried that you've bled a lot, call your doctor. They may want to know how much blood you saw
and what color it was. Many things can cause bleeding in pregnant women, some of them harmless and some serious. If you’re bleeding a lot, with or without pain or cramping at any time, call your doctor. If you’re pregnant and see blood in your underwear, it
may be caused by: Sex. Hormonal and physical changes may be to blame for this. It should stop on its own. Fibroids and polyps. Your doctor might do some tests to check for these growths on your uterus. Cervical problems. Conditions like
infection or growths on your cervix can also cause bleeding. Infection. Sexually transmitted diseases like trichomoniasis can cause light bleeding as well as more serious problems. Starting
treatment as soon as possible will keep your baby healthy. Ectopic pregnancy. This is when an embryo implants outside your uterus. You may have bleeding with pain and cramps. It’s dangerous and needs medical care right away. Miscarriage. About 15% of known pregnancies end during the first few months. Most women bleed and cramp afterward. Call your doctor right away if you know that you're pregnant and you have these symptoms. Call your doctor if the bleeding doesn’t stop after a few days or if you’re worried about how much you are
bleeding. When a fertilised egg attaches to the wall of the uterus, some light spotting may occur. This is called implantation bleeding, and it can be one of the earliest clues that you may be pregnant. Some mums-to-be don’t experience this type of bleeding, and some simply don’t notice it. Read on to find out when implantation bleeding happens and what it looks like. What Is Implantation Bleeding?Implantation bleeding is harmless light spotting that can happen after a fertilised egg – by this time called an embryo – embeds itself in the lining of your uterus. Although it might seem similar to a very light period, it has a very different cause: Implantation spotting is due to tiny blood vessels in your uterus bleeding as the embryo implants itself. What Does Implantation Bleeding Look Like?If you have implantation bleeding, the first thing you’ll notice is probably a few streaks or smears of pink or red blood on the toilet paper when you wipe, or maybe some spots on a sanitary pad or your underwear. Is it Implantation Bleeding or a Period?It’s possible to mistake implantation bleeding for a very light period at first, especially if it occurs about when you’d normally expect your period to arrive. Implantation bleeding can also sometimes be accompanied by mild cramping. However, there are some clues to pay attention to. Although every woman’s period is different, implantation bleeding is usually very light, or even just a little spotting. So, it’s likely that there will be much less blood than you usually see during a regular period – especially if you usually have relatively heavy periods. Keep in mind, though, that heavier bleeding may also occur in early pregnancy, and this is not always a problem either, so it’s always best to see a doctor if you think you may be pregnant and experience any kind of bleeding. It’s also worth looking out for other early signs of pregnancy. Some of those signs might include more frequent trips to the loo, fatigue or morning sickness. Not all mums-to-be experience these symptoms straight away though, especially during the very early weeks, so if you haven’t yet noticed anything other than some very light bleeding or spotting – or even if there are no signs at all – it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not pregnant. When Does Implantation Bleeding Happen?You may notice implantation bleeding anytime between 7 to 14 days after conception. So, if you have a regular cycle, there’s a change it could happen more-or-less when you’d expect to have your next period (if you weren’t pregnant). This is why some people mistake implantation bleeding for a very light period, especially if they weren’t expecting to get pregnant. For someone with a regular, 28-day menstrual cycle, the timing of implantation bleeding could look something like this:
Keep in mind that it’s difficult to know exactly when you ovulate or conceive, especially if your cycle is irregular. When you last had sex is not a reliable indicator either, because sperm can live for up to seven days inside a woman’s reproductive tract. This means conception might not occur for several days after sex. How Long Does Implantation Bleeding Last?Implantation bleeding usually clears up in a few days at most, but even light bleeding or spotting that lasts for longer than this is not always a cause for concern. This is because there are other causes of light bleeding in early pregnancy – including hormonal changes, a yeast infection or polyps – that are not necessarily harmful to your pregnancy. Some of these may last longer than implantation bleeding. If you’re unsure whether you’re experiencing implantation bleeding or some other kind, get in touch with your doctor or midwife to arrange an examination. This is really the only way to find out whether the bleeding is harmless or potentially more serious. Should You Take a Pregnancy Test During Implantation Bleeding?You can take a home pregnancy test during implantation bleeding. Keep in mind that the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (or hCG) that pregnancy tests detect only starts being produced in your body the moment the fertilised egg is implanted in the uterus. This is also the trigger for implantation bleeding, so when you notice any spotting it might still be very early in your pregnancy. The earlier you take the test, the less hCG there is to detect, meaning that the test may not yet be accurate. Some tests are more sensitive than others, and some claim to detect hCG as early as eight days after conception. If you have the patience to wait, however, you’ll get a more accurate test result if you leave it until at least until after the day your period would normally be due. If you’re not sure when that is, then for more accurate results try at least 21 days after you last had unprotected sex. If you get a positive test result, get in touch with your GP or a midwife to confirm your pregnancy and start your antenatal care. While you’re waiting for your first antenatal appointment, you can use our handy due date calculator to get an estimate of when your little one might arrive. When to See the DoctorImplantation bleeding is usually nothing to worry about, but it’s best to talk to your doctor or midwife about any bleeding you experience during pregnancy. Keep in mind that there are other causes of bleeding in early pregnancy, and many of these are not a cause for concern, although they do need to be checked out. For example, pregnancy hormones may cause changes to the cells on the cervix (the opening to your uterus), resulting in bleeding. Even a heavier ‘gush’ may be harmless, and the colour of the bleeding may be light, pink, dark or red, so try to stay calm and make an appointment with your doctor, who’ll be able to determine whether it’s implantation bleeding or if there’s another cause. Although light bleeding or spotting in early pregnancy can be totally normal, there are some reasons for bleeding in early pregnancy that need to be addressed immediately. These can include infection, miscarriage, or ectopic pregnancy. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSEvery woman’s period is different, but – as a general rule – if it seems much lighter than your usual period it might be implantation bleeding. Other early signs of pregnancy – such as feeling sick or tired, food cravings or the frequent urge to pee – can also indicate that it was more likely to be implantation bleeding than a menstrual period. Implantation bleeding may sometimes be mistaken for a light period, especially if you have light or irregular periods normally. But these drops of blood could also be a sign that you’re about to embark on a very exciting journey. If you’re at all unsure, check with your doctor. If you are pregnant, congratulations! Read up on how far along you are in this wonderful journey, and find out what’s to come over the coming weeks, months and trimesters. How we wrote this article The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the National Health Service (NHS). You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment. |
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