What Does Implantation Bleeding Look Like Early Pregnancy (Pictures)?

What Does Implantation Bleeding Look Like Early Pregnancy (Pictures)

Last updated on May 30th, 2019 at 04:20 am

Question: What does implantation bleeding look like in early pregnancy (Pictures)?

During the reproductive years of women, there are important body changes a woman should learn. This is because, if you are expecting a child, you may need to be very observant to know the earliest signs of pregnancy.

While it may take some women weeks after missing their period to recognize pregnancy signs, some other women may quickly feel pregnancy symptoms before their expected period.

The truth is, if you are trying to conceive, it’s important you learn your menstrual cycle, know if it’s regular or not and know how implantation bleeding looks like on a pad or toilet paper.

This quickly gives you a clue if you become pregnant, and allows you to quickly start preparing for pregnancy, avoiding medications that will harm your baby and inform your doctor or health midwife about your pregnancy.

What is implantation bleeding?

Implantation bleeding (also commonly called implantation spotting) is vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy that occurs when a woman becomes pregnant.

It occurs after a woman’s ovum is fertilized at the ampullary end of the fallopian tube by the male sperm. The fertilized egg, now called the embryo, takes about six days (may be as long as 12 days) to be transferred into the uterus.

At the uterus, your body hormones (estrogen and progesterone) have already aided the maturation of the endometrium in preparation for the embryo.

As your baby finally gets attached to the endometrial layer of the uterus, some women may have mild to moderate vaginal bleeding.

This bleeding is referred to as implantation bleeding.

 

What Does Implantation Bleeding Look Like in early pregnancy (pictures)?

How can I identify implantation bleeding?

First of all, if you’ve not had unprotected sexual intercourse, especially during your ovulation period, vaginal spotting may not be due to pregnancy.

There are many reasons a woman will have vaginal spotting before period begins, so be sure you read this guide to see other causes of bleeding.

Uterine fibroid, endometriosis, sexual intercourse, cervical polyps in the lower genital tract and bleeding disorders will cause a woman to bleed between her period.

Some women may experience spotting a week after their period and it may not be due to pregnancy. In some women, this kind of spotting occurs as endometrial cells, that have failed to come out during your last menses, are now expelled by your body.

Nevertheless, if you’ve had intercourse and you are expecting a baby, implantation bleeding is a common reason for light bleeding before next menstruation.

About 1 in 3 women that will get pregnant will experience implantation spotting, that may also occur with belly cramps.

If you are unsure how to detect implantation bleeding, here are easy ways to know.

1.  The color of blood on your pad or panties?

The color of blood on your panties or tissue paper can give you a clue if you are having implantation bleeding.

Is spotting bright red or dark in color?

Usually, after your baby digs into your endometrium and causes light bleeding, it takes some time for blood to flow through your cervix and to your vaginal area.

This time taken is enough to change the color of your spotting as blood becomes deoxygenated.

Lack of oxygen causes women to have implantation bleeding color that is dark or black. In other women, this black blood will mix with your clear discharge forming a black discharge or brown colored discharge when you wipe.

If you are expecting, a black discharge or brown spotting before your period could be due to implantation bleeding.

2.  Blood clots on panties?

During your normal menstrual period, some women may notice blood clots in day 1 or 2 of menstrual bleeding.

This occurs because of heavy bleeding during early menstruation, and as your period ends, it’s become lighter.

If you see blood clots in your panties, it’s likely not implantation bleeding. Implantation bleeding is usually mild and will not form blood clots.

3.  What’s the flow like?

During your period, you usually get a regular flow of blood which may last about 5 – 7 days. This is normal during a menstrual period.

If you have implantation bleeding, you will not have a consistent flow of blood, rather, dark spotting will come out and disappear for a while. Bleeding is usually on and off and not period-like.

4. When did you notice your bleeding?Implantation timing

The timing of vaginal spotting is important to know if it’s implantation bleeding or not.

Between your menstrual cycle, implantation bleeding occurs about 6-12 days after you’ve ovulated. This means about a week before your next menses starts.

If you have dark blood on vaginal pad a few days or one week before your period will begin, it’s likely implantation bleeding.

Bonus Tip: You may be pregnant without knowing. Watch this 1-Minute-Video to Discover 16 Most common Pregnancy Signs

What other early signs of pregnancy will I experience?

While implantation bleeding is quite common (occurring in about 30 percent of pregnancies), if you are expecting and don’t experience spotting before your period, it does not mean something’s wrong.

Here are other symptoms (apart from implantation bleeding) that you will experience very early in pregnancy

1.  Breast pain

After getting pregnant, your body begins to change quickly, and breast pain and swelling will follow. Pregnancy hormones become elevated right from early pregnancy and cause your breast to feel tender when touched.

2.  Vaginal dischargewhat does milky white discharge look like

Usually, a dry vaginal area or thick white discharge is common before menstrual period starts. This is because of low progesterone hormone that occurs during the latter parts of your menstrual cycle.

If you are feeling wet before next period with excessive clear watery vaginal discharge, it’s likely pregnancy.

3.  Mild abdominal painfertilization symptoms abdominal pain

Most women that will have implantation bleeding will also experience the mild cramps in the middle and lower part of the abdomen.

Commonly called implantation cramps, it feels lighter than you period-cramps and only lasts for a few days.

Other pregnancy symptoms that may occur are feeling weak and tired, constipation, frequent urination, food aversion, headaches, and early morning nausea.

 

How soon can I take a pregnancy test after implantation bleeding?pregnancy test

If you are now sure it’s implantation bleeding, you may be tempted to confirm pregnancy as fast as possible.

If you take a pregnancy test hastily, you may get frustrated when it displays a single line, meaning a negative test result.

After implantation, your body normally will start secreting HCG(Human chorionic gonadotropin). If you test positive, it means this hormone was detected.

This hormone will rise daily during your pregnancy (first trimester) and may take some time to be detected with conventional test strips.

This means if you check quickly and it’s negative, don’t feel sad yet (especially when you feel other pregnancy symptoms), The best time to re-test is seven days past period.

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14 Comments

  • Susan Reply

    Hello group im wondering if anyone else experienced my situation before or have any advice for me. I tracked my ovulation day and I am supposed to o tomorrow(25th of August) my lmp was August 11 only lasting 5 days. I usually have a 28 day stretch between menstruals. We had s*x on the 21 and the next morning I woke up with really bad cramps. Not really severe but it felt like maybe my menstrual was coming. I took two Tylenol and the pain went away. Today is the 24th and I bought an o test and it said I was not ovulating. Took a pregnancy test and it said no as well. I’ve tracked my lmp with some online forums and it says i may have o on the 22 which was the morning I felt those cramps. Cervix is high soft but it feels to be a little open and it feels like a little ballon around it. Sorry if I grossed you guys out but could I still be pregnant. We’ve been trying for 3 months now.i went to pee and little tiny drops which looked of the color bright red were on the tissue. Help me ?

    • Dr. Dunn A. Reply

      The truth is, those symptoms ( belly cramps, high soft cervix) are signs that you are ovulating. But they could also be early pregnancy symptoms too. However, because your last menstrual period is August 11 (and your period cycle is somewhat regular at 28 days), it’s likely because of ovulation. You should be expecting your next period 28 days time. If your period becomes delayed, then, you could be pregnant.

      Hope this helps.

  • Julie Reply

    Had my period and it stopped the 18th to 19th of August had unprotected sexual intercourse then after the 24th he told me he came in me 3 times different days then a week after that went to wipe myself but it was light pink spotting only when I wipe comes out light than brownish after peeing than light spotting sometimes turning into light abdominal pain that went away with the blood 1-2 days later then took 3 pregnancy test 3 different days all came back negative after that bleeding went away continued having sexual intercourse 2 days later than September 3rd came and the spotting came back than I felt nauseous and I threw up a little bit I don’t know what’s going on what can it be ? Because I’m confused ? Please help !!

  • 19andstupid Reply

    I am 19 and have PCOS. I had unprotected sex on the 9th and on the same day a few hours later I had ipill. Today(13th) I am bleeding. Is it possible that I am pregnant?

  • confused Reply

    my period started on the 15th and I had protected s*x on the 21st of February. i see little spots of blood and brown discharge on march 16th this is the time i am suppose to have my period is it possible I am pregnant?

  • Jane Reply

    Hello..pls enlightened me..I’m in a 2 cycles of clomiphene.. My expecting period is on June 26 onwards.. But I got brown blood in my andies last June 24..next day June 25 I got only spotting also June 26..it’s not my monthly period before.. Am I having abnormalities in menstruation or having implantation bleeding? Thank u

  • Afrin Reply

    I had sxx with my husband last month after my period .Now I have bleeding on and off …My period date is 4 July but I had bleeding very lightly.but some time flow some time stop it is implantion bleeding or period.anybody plz help me.i am so confused….

  • Jc Reply

    Hi. I just wan’t to ask something i’m really curious, me and my wife had s*x on the 5th day of her menstruation. But the problem is i’m not sure if i came inside her or not. I don’t see any signs of pregnancy but this one symptoms the implantation there’s blood on her panties, the color is dark red somewhat turning into brown-ish. Could she possibly be pregnant? With that one symptoms? Or not? It’s been 5days since we had s*x. Thank you for the answer i hope i will be given an answer. Thank you very much.

  • Desheya Reply

    So I’m having a pastel pink like blood with little clear stretchy like discharge. 5 days before my period is due to start… I’m supposed to start on the 12th. Could this be implantation bleeding?

  • Sophia Reply

    I’m early pregnant but been spotting for one week today n it’s like brownish pink I’m nervous n scared

  • Anna Reply

    I have taken 4 pregnancy test and all were positive even did one the expensive digital ones that write pregnant or not pregnant and it said pregnant my period was supposed to start on the 15th and it is now the 20 and I have started light spotting red to pink in color o have had a miscarriage before and just would like some advice on wether I should go to the hospital or not. Thank you!

    • Dr. Dunn (M.B.B.S) Reply

      yes you should

  • Katy Reply

    I had s*x with my boyfriend 14, 13 and 12 days ago. My period was supposed to start on the 23rd and it’s later than it’s ever been. It is now the 30th, and when i woke up to use the restroom I had very light pinkish bleeding that only happened at the very end instead of the begininng like it usually does. Also when I first get it for the month, it’s usually really dark and heavy. I’ve had headaches, some cramping and light nausea. Is this light bleeding my period or is it implantation bleeding?

  • Sharon Reply

    Hello im wondering if this is normal, i took a pregnancy test it showed positive, i am 6 weeks pregnant bt i just started to bleed its more than spotting but less than periods, when i wipe i see blood should i be worried about miscarry?

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