Implantation bleeding

If a woman is planning her pregnancy, she of course constantly pays attention to any physical change. A very small sign is often much more telling than a tightness in the chest or the morning sickness: the Implantation bleeding. The problem: The most certain sign is often overlooked or misinterpreted; in some cases it is not even visible.

Period or intermenstrual bleeding?

Whether it is the tightness of the chest, a "strange" feeling in the morning, which could also be nausea or permanent tiredness - even the smallest signs are often interpreted as pregnancy. Again and again one reads on the Internet about women who - although they had their periods - were pregnant. A fact that is de facto impossible.

In such cases it is not about the period, but the so-called Implantation bleeding. The implantation bleeding - also called: Nidation bleeding - is also incorrectly stated as the actual last menstrual bleeding. A circumstance that leads to the fact that the due date is incorrectly calculated. If the woman is unsure whether it was an implantation bleeding or whether it was menstrual bleeding, she should look for various characteristics.

The timing is an important factor. Your period begins around 14 days after you actually ovulate. However, if the woman notices a bleeding that has already occurred a few days after ovulation, it is usually an implantation bleeding. The color of the implantation bleeding is light reddish; Brown or dark red colored blood speaks more for the classic period.

The menstrual period is also significantly stronger and increases as it progresses. The implantation bleeding is light and definitely not getting any worse. While menstrual bleeding lasts for three to five days, implantation bleeding ends after a maximum of two days. There are also no period pain. Occasionally there are reports from women who also reported convulsions, but these were harmless - in direct comparison to classic menstrual pain.

If the woman is unsure whether it was an implantation bleeding or the classic period, she can also contact the doctor or do a pregnancy test a few days after the implantation bleeding has stopped. The latter should then bring a confirmation as to whether it was the menstrual or implantation bleeding.

What is implantation bleeding?

After fertilization, the fertilized egg - the blastocyst - makes its way through the fallopian tube. It migrates towards the uterus and nests in the lining of the uterus. This process is also called nidation. The blastocyst attaches to the mucous membrane, penetrates the outer layer of the uterine wall and is subsequently enclosed by an epithelium.

In this context, medical professionals also like to speak of implantation. If the blastocyst migrates into the wall of the uterus, small blood vessels can be damaged in the process. This damage then leads to light bleeding. Gynecologists also call this bleeding nidation bleeding or implantation bleeding.

The first attachment is possible around five to six days after fertilization. Twelve days after fertilization, the entire implantation process is complete. The so-called implantation bleeding follows between the 7th and 12th day of fertilization. The bleeding is usually very weak and in many cases only runs inside the body, so that many women do not even notice that something has "settled in".

Sometimes only a few drops can penetrate to the outside; in a few cases the bleeding can be clearly visible. If the woman notices bright reddish blood, which in the end is reminiscent of spotting, she can assume that she is pregnant. This is because this is probably what is known as nidation bleeding. Sometimes slight pain is possible, although this is the rarer case. Since very small vessels are injured during implantation, the healing time is relatively quick.

As a rule, everything has healed after a maximum of two days, so that no bleeding - if it was visible at all - can still be recognized. In very rare cases the bleeding can last longer. If the woman is unsure, she can also contact the doctor treating her and ask for advice or explain the exact circumstances. It is important that the woman can not only name the duration and the time, but also define the color and also indicate whether or not they were actively working on a pregnancy or fertilization.

Causes of implantation bleeding

The cause of implantation bleeding is based on the fact that successful fertilization has occurred. The bleeding can be stronger or weaker, but it usually stops after two days. The implantation bleeding may or may not be visible. If you do not notice any implantation bleeding, you are far from certain that you will not have become pregnant.

What to do in case of implantation bleeding?

Nidation bleeding is neither dangerous nor associated with any risks for the woman, nor for the further course of pregnancy. If there are signs that could indicate implantation bleeding, the woman should sometimes do a pregnancy test. If the test shows negative, it may be that it was taken too early. In order to gain actual certainty, an appointment with the gynecologist can be made.