Implantation bleeding is spotting of blood from the vagina in early pregnancy. When experiencing it, many women think that this bleeding is a symptom of menstruation, so they do not realize that they are pregnant.
Implantation bleeding generally occurs about 7-14 days after conception or sexual intercourse. Therefore, this bleeding can be referred to as one of the signs of pregnancy or an early sign of pregnancy. In addition to having similar symptoms, implantation bleeding often occurs close to the menstrual schedule. Therefore, many women misinterpret implantation bleeding with menstruation during pregnancy.
Causes of Implantation Bleeding
The process of pregnancy begins with the entry of male sperm cells into the vagina to the uterus to fertilize the female egg. After fertilization occurs, the egg will develop into an embryo or fetus. This embryo will later attach to the uterus to grow to become a fetus.
The process of attachment or attachment of the embryo to the uterine wall is what causes implantation bleeding. Bleeding from the vagina due to the implantation process is normal and does not pose a health hazard. Implantation bleeding also does not interfere with the embryo and its development.
Recognizing the Characteristics of Implantation Bleeding
Implantation bleeding and menstruation are often similar, so many women find it difficult to tell the difference. However, there are actually several characteristics that distinguish the two, namely:
Color
Blood that comes out during implantation bleeding looks brighter than menstrual blood. Menstrual blood is bright red or dark red in color, while implantation bleeding is pink at first, but can turn slightly brown (brown spots) as the bleeding begins to subside.
blood count
When implantation bleeding is usually only a little blood that comes out or in the form of spotting. Even if it flows, the flow is slow and not heavy. In contrast to menstrual blood, the longer it gets, the heavier it gets. In addition, the blood that comes out is also not in the form of clots, like menstrual blood.
Cramps
Sometimes women who experience implantation bleeding may also experience cramping in the abdomen that resembles menstrual cramps.
However, the characteristics of cramping between implantation bleeding and menstruation are slightly different. Cramps caused by implantation bleeding are usually quicker and shorter than menstrual cramps.
Pause
In contrast to menstrual blood that comes out continuously for approximately 2-7 days, implantation bleeding has a time lag. For example, blood spots appear in the morning, then stop for a while. However, the spots appear again in the evening.
In addition, blood spots also do not appear every day, it could just appear again 2 days later. Implantation bleeding also generally lasts for only about 1 to 3 days.
Risk of Bleeding When Pregnant Young
Although implantation bleeding is not dangerous and does not require special treatment, this bleeding during early pregnancy still needs to be watched out for. The reason is, there are other possible causes that can make you experience bleeding, namely:
- Sores in the vagina due to sex.
- Irritation of the cervix.
- Vaginal infection.
- Ectopic pregnancy or pregnancy outside the womb.
- Miscarriage.
- Pregnant wine.
If you experience the signs of implantation bleeding as described above, but are still unsure whether you are pregnant or not, try taking a pregnancy test with test pack. However, if you already know that you are pregnant and experience bleeding, you should consult a gynecologist, especially if this bleeding is accompanied by abdominal pain or cramps.