There is no woman who would not be afraid of bloody discharge during pregnancy, because they are often evidence of pathology. Such symptoms are a cause for alarm and a visit to a gynecologist, but there are cases when you should not be afraid of traces of blood on your underwear. This is implantation bleeding (IB), which, on the contrary, can indicate that fertilization and conception of a new life took place. Nevertheless, it is not easy to distinguish between normal periods, pathological bleeding, and implantation bleeding.
Moreover, it is difficult to understand whether you are really pregnant or the appearance of blood on your underwear is due to other, less pleasant reasons. The answer to this question can be given by the test after the implantation bleeding, which will clarify the situation regarding the onset of pregnancy. Implantation bleeding and a pregnancy test can be evidence of conception.
Implantation bleeding: what is it
A sign that, after ovulation, the fertilized egg reaches the uterine cavity, where it is securely fixed for further development, are vaginal bloody discharge. This occurs because, in the process, the small arteries and vessels of the uterine wall burst, releasing small amounts of blood. In medicine they are called implantation bleeding.
This phenomenon is completely natural and if correctly identified, implantation bleeding and pregnancy test can be one of the very first confirmations of conception. Most women in this situation do not experience any discomfort, and since the BC usually occurs on the eve of the expected start date of the next period, if unpleasant symptoms do appear, they attribute it to painful menstruation.
Symptoms of implantation bleeding
The symptomatology of IC does not have an obvious expression. It usually begins 6-10 days after conception and often coincides in timing with normal periods. However, implantation bleeding can start any day during the 1st trimester. It is manifested by drops of blood on your underwear, which are creamy to burgundy in color. They do not have mucus in their composition, the consistency of the bloody discharge is homogeneous and thick. That such a discharge – it is implantation bleeding and pregnancy test after a certain time will be able to prove with absolute certainty, if the woman sees the 2 cherished stripes on it.
However, until that time it is necessary to carefully observe the symptoms of the discharge, as well as the accompanying manifestations. One of the important points is the duration. With IR, they last from a few hours (although they can be generally disposable in the form of a few drops of blood) to 1-2 days.
How to determine IR
To establish the fact of implantation bleeding pregnancy test, of course, will not be able to. However, you can identify it yourself by a number of signs. For example, usually IR is just a single spot of blood or scanty discharge and, according to statistics, only occurs in one-third of cases of conception.
However, additional signs in favor of IR would be:
- Morning malaise, which can make itself felt as late as 4 weeks after conception and as late as 6 weeks after conception.
- Gastric cramps, occurring both in the presence of implantation bleeding and autonomously.
- Increased sensitivity to tastes and smells, frequent urination, which are additional signs of conception associated with hormonal restructuring.
- Soreness of the mammary glands due to increased blood flow, fluid retention due to an increase in sex hormones.
How to distinguish IR from menses
What women are most interested in is how not to confuse periods and implantation bleeding, so that they know as soon as possible whether it’s fertilization or a normal monthly cycle. Implantation bleeding and a pregnancy test in tandem will answer this question in the very first weeks after conception. But until then, by observing your condition, it’s easy to tell the difference between menstruation and IC.
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Thus, unlike menstruation, implantation bleeding:
- No bright red color, the spots are dark brown, pink or maroon;
- Not so profuse – on a pad will remain at most a few smears or drops of blood;
- does not have an unpleasant odor and clots, the blood is of thick consistency, homogeneous;
- Is not accompanied by severe pain – unpleasant feelings are limited to a slight pulling discomfort in the abdomen, mild spasms due to the introduction of the uterus and the destruction of its mucosa.
What are the other differences from menstruation
In addition to these differences, it is worth considering that for menstruation is characterized by premenstrual syndrome (PMS), accompanied by malaise, increased irritability, emotionality, tearfulness. This condition occurs a few days before the cycle, after a few days of monthly bleeding such symptoms subside.
During pregnancy with implantation bleeding, on the contrary, the intensity of complaints increases every day, and it is joined by symptoms of toxemia – fluctuations in blood pressure, nausea, dizziness. In addition, mild pulling pains in the lower abdomen, mild cramps also disappear immediately after the mucous membrane of the uterus is penetrated by an egg. If the discomfort symptoms worsen over time, this may indicate the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy. It is worth seeing a gynecologist after the IUI is over in any case.
When to do a pregnancy test after the IC
Implantation bleeding that has begun and a positive pregnancy test are the most accurate confirmations of conception at a very early stage. This can be important in order to get a more accurate date of delivery. Implantation bleeding signals fertilization and conception much earlier than current express systems can detect it. Expectant mothers are concerned about when to test after implantation bleeding to get greater confidence that pregnancy has occurred.
It is best to test at least a week after the end of the bleeding. The cessation of bleeding indicates that the embryo has set on the uterine mucosa. After that, hormonal changes begin to occur – the level of hCG increases, but its increase will not be established immediately, but only after 5-7 days.
How long after the IR test will show pregnancy
Because of the hormonal changes that do not occur immediately after conception, the test at the end of the IC may not be one hundred percent reliable. But the period when the test will show the most accurate result after implantation bleeding is two weeks after the end and when the pregnancy is about four weeks old.
Implantation bleeding and a pregnancy test done within a reasonable time frame combine to give a fairly high percentage of certainty that fertilization has occurred. However, if the expectant mother still does not believe her luck and these evidences are not enough, it is worth to go to the clinic and in a special laboratory to take a blood hCG. This study allows you to determine the occurrence of pregnancy in a week after the fertilization of the egg.
When should you consult a gynecologist?
The best resolution of the nature of the discharge will be the confirmation of implantation bleeding and pregnancy test, which gave a positive result. In this situation, after a certain time it is worth seeing a gynecologist for an ultrasound and other studies that unequivocally confirm the data obtained by the woman through the beginning of implantation bleeding and pregnancy test. However, there are cases in which there may be serious medical conditions that require immediate medical attention.
A woman has reason to sound the alarm if the discharge does not stop for a long time and is characterized by great abundance. This state of affairs may be an indication of various disorders:
- endocrine disorders (thyroid);
- ectopic pregnancy;
- myoma;
- Inflammatory diseases;
- endometriosis;
- cycle disorders;
- cancerous process.
Other symptoms are also associated with these illnesses.
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