Implantation Bleeding: A Very Early Pregnancy Sign

Women who are trying to conceive a baby often suddenly become hyper-aware of their bodies — a side effect of being on the lookout for both ovulation and early pregnancy signs pretty much constantly. Trying for a baby may lead you to notice things about your body that were routine occurrences all along, like the fact that your breasts tend to become slightly larger and more tender as your period approaches. You are also bound to actually experience new things when you do get pregnant.

Any type of ambiguous or unexpected vaginal bleeding is likely to put you on your guard, as it should: bleeding between periods can have many possible causes, some of which are serious and require immediate medical attention. However, for women who are trying to conceive a baby, one type of bleeding can be a very early pregnancy sign. Not all newly pregnant women experience an implantation bleeding, and not all even know that such a thing as implantation bleeding exists, but implantation bleeding is both harmless and normal.

What Is An Implantation Bleeding?

After conception, the moment during which sperm and egg merge, the rapidly-dividing bunch of cells that will turn into an embryo soon starts traveling down from the fallopian tubes to the uterus, where it will implant in its lining. Fertilized eggs reach the uterus and implant there somewhere between six and 10 days after conception.

As a new embryo settles into the blood-rich environment of the uterus, you will sometimes notice a little bleeding or spotting. This is what is referred to as an "implantation bleeding". The blood takes a little while to exit the uterus where you can notice it, and if you get an implantation bleeding, it will show up roughly between 10 and 14 days after conception.

Around 20 to 30 percent of brand new pregnancies feature an implantation bleeding, which the mom to-be may or may not recognized as such. An implantation bleeding goes away as soon as it started, and if the bleeding you experience really is an implantation bleeding, you will not need any kind of treatment for it. Rather, you'll be able to start shopping around for prenatal care providers!

Implantation Bleeding Or Period: Can You Tell The Difference?

The fact that an implantation bleeding is highly likely to show up just as you're expecting your period can make telling the difference between the two very hard. There is one big difference between a period and an implantation bleeding, however: an implantation bleeding tends to show its face and goes away again, whereas a period tends to last between four and seven days. 

See Also: Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Signs

An implantation bleeding can last for a few hours, or you may notice it on and off for a few days. Some rare pregnant women report that they experienced light vaginal bleeding they assumed was implantation bleeding for as long as seven days, but this is highly unusual. An implantation bleeding starts off as fairly light spotting and ends that way. A period, on the other hand, tends to start off light, and then start flowing before tapering off again. While menstrual bleeding is dark red and features bits of tissue, an implantation bleeding is almost always light-colored, perhaps even pink, and free of tissue. Mystery solved?

Other Causes Of Unexpected Vaginal Bleeding

Though bleeding around the time of expected menstruation is very likely to be either an implantation bleeding or a period in women who are trying to conceive, vaginal bleeding between periods can have numerous causes. Because some of them are serious, they deserve a closer look. When should vaginal bleeding concern you, and what are other possible causes of benign bleeding between periods?

Ovulation Bleeding

Some women, around 20 percent actually, experience a very light bleeding around the time of their ovulation. Though you are unlikely to confuse ovulation bleeding for either a period or an implantation bleeding, it could happen in women who have very irregular menstrual cycles. An ovulation bleeding would happen just after ovulation, and would be very light indeed: lighter than implantation bleeding is. Before experiencing an ovulation bleeding, some women also have "ovulation pain", one-sided cramps around the ovaries. This is of short duration. 

Coming Off Birth Control And Hormonal Imbalance

Many women who want to get pregnant have just come off some form of hormonal birth control (the pill, depo Provera, the Mirena coil, and others) in order to facilitate the process. Coming off hormonal birth control can mess with your hormonal balance, and a hormonal imbalance leads to vaginal bleeding between periods quite frequently. Women who have only just quit their contraceptives are most likely to see this symptom. Remember, even if you strongly suspect this is what's going on, heavy bleeding that you're quite sure is not your period is always a very legitimate reason to call your OBGYN. 

Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that develops outside of the uterus, most commonly in one of the fallopian tubes. This, too, can lead to light and intermittent spotting, just like an implantation bleeding. The bleeding associated with a tubal pregnancy typically shows up between six to eight weeks after a missed period, however. Tubal pregnancies are very dangerous and cannot be carried to term. While the body occasionally rids itself of a tubal pregnancy, tubal pregnancies can also quickly turn into life-threatening emergencies. Besides bleeding and cramps, symptoms of ectopic pregnancy can include (severe) abdominal pain, nausea, chest pains, feeling weak and dizzy, and confusion. These symptoms should always lead you to go to the ER or call emergency services.

See Also: Miscarriage: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment And Aftercare

Miscarriage

Around 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. If you count very early pregnancies that end in miscarriage around the time of a woman's period, the figure may even be as high as 50 percent. A very early miscarriage may come right at the time you expected your period or a little bit later. 

Uterine Polyps, An Infection, And Cancer

Uterine polyps are non-cancerous growths in the uterus that can lead to bleeding between period. Infections, which may or may not be sexually transmitted, and uterine and cervical cancer may lead to bleeding between periods as well. Bleeding between periods in combination with pain should always be taken seriously, and women who are trying to conceive always benefit from a preconception gynecological checkup to rule out conditions that will require treatment. Uterine and cervical cancer are pretty rare and not things you should immediately suspect if you are bleeding while trying to conceive.