Test After Implantation Bleeding: What It Indicates, When to Take It

There is no woman who wouldn’t be frightened by spotting during pregnancy, as it often indicates pathology. Such symptoms are a reason for concern and a consultation with a gynecologist. However, there are cases when there is no need to fear traces of blood on the underwear. This is implantation bleeding (IB), which, on the contrary, can indicate that fertilization and the conception of a new life has occurred. Nevertheless, distinguishing between regular menstruation, pathological, and implantation bleeding is not so simple.

Moreover, it’s difficult to understand if pregnancy has actually occurred or if the appearance of blood on underwear is due to other, less pleasant reasons. A test after implantation bleeding can provide an answer to this question, clarifying the situation regarding the onset of pregnancy. Implantation bleeding and a pregnancy test can be evidence of successful conception.

Implantation Bleeding: What It Is

A sign that the fertilized egg has reached the uterine cavity after ovulation, where it securely attaches for further development, is vaginal spotting. This occurs because small arteries and vessels in the uterine wall rupture during the process, releasing a small amount of blood. In medicine, this is known as implantation bleeding. 

This phenomenon is completely natural, and if identified correctly, implantation bleeding and a pregnancy test can be one of the first confirmations of conception. Most women in this situation do not experience discomfort, and since IB usually occurs around the anticipated start date of the next menstrual period, if any unpleasant symptoms do appear, they are attributed to a painful menstruation.

Symptoms of Implantation Bleeding

The symptoms of implantation bleeding (IB) are not markedly pronounced. It usually begins 6-10 days after conception and often coincides with the usual menstrual period. However, implantation bleeding can start any day during the first trimester. It appears as drops of blood on the underwear, ranging in color from creamy to burgundy shades. It does not contain mucus, and the consistency of the bloody discharge is uniform and thick. In fact, such discharge is implantation bleeding, and a pregnancy test after some time will be able to prove it with absolute certainty if the woman sees the two coveted lines on it. 

However, before this time, it is necessary to carefully monitor the symptoms of the discharge and any accompanying manifestations. One of the important aspects is the duration. In the case of IB, they last from a few hours (though they might be just a single occurrence in the form of a few drops of blood) to 1-2 days.

How to identify IB 

A pregnancy test, of course, cannot detect implantation bleeding. However, it can be identified on your own by several signs. Typically, IB is just a single spot of blood or scant discharge and, statistically, occurs in only one-third of conception cases. 

However, additional signs supporting IB include:

• Malaise in the mornings, which may become noticeable both 4 weeks after conception and 6 weeks later. 
• Stomach cramps that occur both with implantation bleeding and independently.
• Increased sensitivity to tastes and smells, frequent urination, which are additional signs of conception related to hormonal changes.
• Tenderness in the breasts caused by increased blood flow and fluid retention due to the rise in sex hormones. 

How to distinguish IB from menstruation

Most women are interested in how not to confuse menstruation and implantation bleeding, in order to understand as early as possible if fertilization has occurred or the regular monthly cycle has begun. Implantation bleeding and a pregnancy test together will provide an answer to this question in the very first weeks after conception. But until that moment, by observing your condition, it is easy to distinguish menstruation from implantation bleeding. 

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Thus, unlike menstruation, implantation bleeding:

• is not bright red in color, it has dark brown, pink, or burgundy spots;
• is not as heavy – at most a few smears or drops of blood will remain on the pad;
• doesn’t have an unpleasant smell or clots, the blood is thick in consistency and homogeneous;
• is not accompanied by strong pain – the discomfort is limited to a mild pulling sensation in the lower abdomen and light spasms due to the embryo’s implantation and the destruction of the uterine lining.

What other differences from menstruation

In addition to the listed differences, it’s worth noting that premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characteristic of menstruation, accompanied by malaise, increased irritability, emotionalism, and tearfulness. This condition occurs a few days before the cycle, and after a few days of monthly bleeding, such symptoms fade. 

During pregnancy, with implantation bleeding, on the contrary, the intensity of complaints increases day by day and symptoms of toxicosis appear — fluctuations in blood pressure, nausea, dizziness. In addition, mild pulling pains in the lower abdomen, light spasms, also disappear immediately after the egg is embedded in the uterine lining. If the uncomfortable symptoms worsen over time, it may indicate the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy. After the completion of IB, in any case, it is worth seeing a gynecologist.

When to take a pregnancy test after IB

The onset of implantation bleeding and a positive pregnancy test are the most accurate confirmations of conception at a very early stage. This can be important for more accurately determining the due date. Implantation bleeding signals fertilization and conception much earlier than existing modern rapid tests can detect. Expectant mothers are concerned about when to take the test after implantation bleeding to gain more confidence that pregnancy has occurred. 

It is better to perform testing at least a week after the bleeding has stopped. The cessation of bleeding indicates that the embryo has implanted in the uterine lining. After this, hormonal changes begin to occur – the level of hCG starts to rise, but its increase can only be detected after 5-7 days.

When the test will show pregnancy after implantation bleeding

Due to the hormonal changes that do not occur immediately after conception, testing at the end of implantation bleeding may not be completely reliable. The period when a test after implantation bleeding will show the most accurate result is two weeks after it has completed and when the pregnancy is around four weeks.

Implantation bleeding and a pregnancy test conducted at the right time together provide a fairly high accuracy of confirmed fertilization. However, if the future mother is still in disbelief about her happiness and these proofs are not enough for her, she should visit a clinic and have a blood test for hCG in a specialized laboratory. This study allows determining the onset of pregnancy already a week after fertilization of the egg has occurred.

When to See a Gynecologist

The best resolution to the question of the nature of the discharge is the confirmation of implantation bleeding and a positive pregnancy test. In this situation, after some time, you should see a gynecologist for an ultrasound and other examinations that definitively confirm the findings obtained through the onset of implantation bleeding and the pregnancy test. However, there are cases where serious conditions may be masked as implantation bleeding, requiring immediate medical attention.

A woman has reason for concern if the discharge does not stop for a long time and is very heavy. Such a situation may indicate various issues:

• endocrine diseases (thyroid);
• ectopic pregnancy;
• fibroids;
• inflammatory diseases;
• endometriosis;
• cycle disorders;
• oncological process.

The ailments are also accompanied by other symptoms.