Pregnancy Forum - Implantation Part 2!!!

There are many different reasons that a woman may have vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. Some women can continue to have light periods or spotting during pregnancy, especially during the first few months. A pregnancy test would probably help to ease your mind. A visit to your practitioner may also be in order, either for early pregnancy care or to find out the reasons for your symptoms. Here is a comprehensive list of the many possible causes.

Early pregnancy and implantation bleeding
are you experiencing first trimester bleeding? It's estimated that 25% of all women have bleeding in early pregnancy. One possible cause of this bleeding is implantation bleeding.

What is implantation bleeding?
Implantation bleeding is lighter than menstrual bleeding, and consists of pink or brown colored blood. Implantation bleeding occurs when the trophoblast, or tissue that surrounds the egg, attaches to the endometrium and slowly eats its way into the lining. As it does so, it eats through the mother's blood vessels, forming blood lakes within itself. When these blood lakes form near the surface of the trophoblast, they often cause implantation bleeding.

Remember, the difference between period and implantation bleeding is the amount; implantation bleeding is considerably lighter than menstrual bleeding. Menses and implantation bleeding should be different enough so that you can tell. Here are some frequently asked questions about spotting:

when does implantation bleeding occur?
Usually 5-12 days after ovulation, so just around the time that you would be getting your period. Bleeding during ovulation is something different.

What does implantation bleeding look like?
Implantation bleeding signs are a light pink or brown colored spotting.

How long does implantation bleeding last?
The duration varies for each woman.

Miscarriage
bleeding while pregnant doesn't mean that miscarriage is certain, but it can occur. About half of the women who bleed do not have miscarriages. Miscarriage can occur at any time during the first half of pregnancy. Most occur during the first 12 weeks. Miscarriage occurs in about 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies. If you think you have passed fetal tissue, take it to the doctor's office so it can be examined.

Most miscarriages cannot be prevented. They are often the body's way of dealing with a pregnancy that was not normal. There is no proof that exercise or sex causes miscarriage.

If this is implantation bleeding, when can I test to see if I am pregnant?
Home pregnancy tests are based on a very simple principle. They work by through the detection of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hcg) in a woman's urine. This hormone is a hormone secreted by the developing placenta shortly after a fertilized egg has been implanted in the uterine lining.
If a woman is pregnant, the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hcg) in her system should be around 25 miu at 10 dpo (days past ovulation), 50 miu at 12 dpo, 100 miu at around two weeks dpo. Because of their high sensitivity factor ( 20 miu/ml hcg ) in detecting human hcg, both the aimstick pregnancy tests can confirm pregnancy as early as 6-8 days past ovulation. To help lower the chances of a false negative, the best time to test at 9 or 10 days past ovulation would be advisable.

Many women wonder about how they will know if it is implantation bleeding or something else? If there is just light spotting, only requiring a woman to wear a panty-liner, if that, which goes away quickly, then it is probably just implantation bleeding. If the spotting is dark and not bright red, it is a sign that the blood is old blood, and is probably just implantation bleeding. It is best to remember that this can be normal in the first trimester, but you should check with your to be sure.

If it is not implantation bleeding, there are some other possibilities that it could be. If you have more than spotting, consider the idea that your is starting, or has started. It could even be a lighter flow than normal which could be caused by any number of things including stress, a change of job, a change in the home, etc. If you have changed the type of birth control pill you are using, then you could have a change in your menstrual flow. It could also be a sign of infection or abrasions on the inside from recent intercourse with your partner.

What is implantation bleeding?
Implantation bleeding is a tiny bit of spotting at the time that the embryo implants into the uterus. It usually occurs approximately 7 days after conception, which is typically about 7 days before you expect to get your next period.

Implantation bleeding is not a reliable sign of pregnancy. Most women who are pregnant never have implantation bleeding. Furthermore, many women who have what appears to be implantation bleeding are not pregnant.