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Medical Video: Implantation bleeding - What is Difference between Implantation Bleeding and Periods
The main characteristic of pregnancy is that a woman no longer has menstruation. So, if you are trying to get pregnant, you may feel disappointed when you see brown blood spots on your regular monthly schedule. Although this may indeed indicate you have started menstruating again, blood spots can also be caused by implantation bleeding, which is one of the early symptoms of pregnancy.
What is implantation bleeding?
Implantation bleeding is one of the most common signs and characteristics of pregnancy that occur early. At least 1/3 of women will experience bleeding after conception. Many women who consider these mild spots are the beginning of a new menstrual cycle, but implantation bleeding will not be as much as menstrual blood and only lasts a few hours to several days.
Once the egg is fertilized by sperm, the embryo will begin its growth process and send a signal to the mother's body to prepare for pregnancy. Six to twelve days after conception, the embryo will swim close to the uterus and stick to the wall. When the embryo is embedded into the uterine wall, this can cause some minor bleeding. This type of mild spot will not harm prospective babies, and most women who experience implantation bleeding will have a normal and healthy pregnancy.
What is the difference between menstrual blood spots and implantation bleeding as a feature of pregnancy?
Implantation bleeding can look like menstruation, especially during the first few days of menstruation when you have less blood flow, or if you usually experience mild periods, so you may feel confused when you see blood spots. The following are ways to distinguish between menstruation and bleeding characteristics of pregnancy, quoted from Parenting:
- Pay attention to the blood flow: blood spots characteristic of pregnancy are only mild blood spots and fewer, in the form of droplets, and will remain like that until the bleeding is over. Conversely, blood due to menstruation is initially mild, but will be increasingly heavy and thick. Implantation bleeding does not contain blood clots, as is usually present in menstrual blood.
- Pay attention to the color: blood red menstrual blood lights up, while blood spots characteristic of pregnancy will be pink or brown. Implantation bleeding can be blood red, but more commonly it has a pink or brown color.
- Timed check: menstrual blood will flow continuously during the duration of your menstruation without stopping, but implantation bleeding is often only in the form of spots, sometimes appearing sometimes not, for 1-2 days. Menstrual cycles last for 4-7 days. Implantation bleeding will arrive earlier than expected at the start of your new menstrual cycle (usually 5-10 days after conception).
- Cramp severity: Menstruation and implantation bleeding can cause abdominal cramps, but cramps due to menstruation will feel stronger. Mild cramps that never increase in severity can be a sign of being pregnant, especially if accompanied by the appearance of pink or brownish blood spots.
If blood spots are also accompanied by the following symptoms, it is very likely that the bleeding that you experience is actually a sign that you are pregnant:
- Nausea
- Eat out and change your sense of taste
- Drastic increase in body temperature
- Increase in basal body temperature
- Breast pain
- Late menstruation
Because bleeding occurs only a few days after conception, implantation bleeding is one of the most common features of pregnancy, even before you start experiencing morning sickness or nausea.
However, for many women, it seems that these two types of bleeding have no difference. Therefore, the best way to find out if you are pregnant or not is to wait a few more days and have a pregnancy test or hCG blood test in the hospital. The time of your last sexual relationship with your partner might also help you find out: If it's been more than two weeks, the blood spots that you experience are most likely not caused by implantation bleeding.
When to be alert to blood spots?
Mild bleeding during pregnancy - even at times other than implantation - is generally normal. Causes can include a variety of things, from sex to uterine irritation after examination of the pelvis, genitals, or vaginal infection.
In contrast to blood spots that are characteristic of pregnancy, sometimes blood spots arise after you are declared positive for pregnancy. If this happens, you may need to be aware of an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb), molar pregnancy (wine pregnancy), or miscarriage. If bloodstains flow profusely, with or without pain or cramping, contact your doctor so you can discuss other symptoms.
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