Bloody discharge when the embryo attaches to the uterus (implantation)

Many women planning a pregnancy are often interested in when and how the implantation of a fertilized egg into the uterine cavity occurs. How should you behave and what could interfere with this event? What is the attachment of the embryo to the wall of the uterus and when does it occur? Is any bleeding normal when the embryo attaches to the uterus? Could this be implantation?

Discharge due to pathologies

The attachment of the fertilized egg, which occurs approximately 7-9 days after ovulation, if conception has taken place, is a complex and surprising process.
At the cellular level, so many unusual things happen in a woman’s body that it can be difficult to imagine. To understand why and how the discharge changes after implantation of the fertilized egg into the wall of the uterus, you need to try to imagine the whole process. After the fusion of the egg with the sperm, the oocyte becomes a zygote with a full set of chromosomes of its own. Within 5 days after ovulation, the fertilized egg moves through the fallopian tube into the uterine cavity. Then for about another day it can remain in free “swimming” until it sticks to the wall of the uterus. The sticking stage is called adhesion.

The outer layer of the fertilized egg produces long, thin villi that begin to produce an enzyme that dissolves endometrial cells. The cells are destroyed, a depression is formed in the endometrial layer, into which the fertilized egg is completely immersed. This stage of attachment is called invasion. The complete process of implantation of the embryo in the uterus lasts about 40 hours.

From this moment the pregnancy begins to develop. The embryo is nourished by connecting the chorionic villi with the tissues of the uterus with useful substances and oxygen from the mother’s blood. At the site of endometrial cell dissolution and ingrowth, the placenta subsequently forms. From the first days after implantation, the production of the hormone hCG begins, which maintains progesterone at a consistently high level, which ensures the preservation of the embryo in a viable state.

Having discovered spotting on the pad a week after ovulation, a woman may think about the true causes of the discharge. If after a day the discharge has not become scanty and has not disappeared, if it has intensified and looks strange, has a bubbly consistency, or contains blood clots, you should definitely visit a doctor.

For more information about discharge during embryo implantation, see the following video.

Upon arrival at the uterine mucosa, the fertilized egg loses its protective layer, which leads to exposure of the trophoblast, through which the fetus is attached to the endometrium. At the same time, the trophoblast retains its important function and in the future it will take an active part in the formation of the placental membrane of the embryo.

Now as for the bleeding itself. As mentioned earlier, after fertilization of the egg, the expectant mother’s body begins to actively prepare for implantation of the embryo and its gestation. As a result, the endometrium becomes looser, cell proliferation is observed and, as a result, blood flow in the mucous tissues of the uterus increases.

During the process of attachment of the future embryo to the endometrium, some of its cells at the site of implantation are damaged. And this phenomenon is called embryonic bleeding.

This, in fact, explains the discharge after implantation. But in fact, everything looks a little different. Imagine how tiny a fertilized egg is in size and how much area it will occupy in the uterine mucosa - these are just a few millimeters.

Implantation is the attachment of a cell to the wall of the uterus. The egg sheds its protective shell and, with its villous limbs, penetrates into the third functional layer of the uterus.

Step by step it looks like this:

1. After maturation, the egg is released from the follicle into the fallopian tube - this process is called ovulation. It is in the fallopian tube that it merges with the sperm, where it remains for the next 7 days, and then descends into the uterine cavity.
2. In medicine, a fertilized egg is called a zygote. After penetration into the uterus, the zygote “searches” for a place of penetration into the endometrium of the uterus. During this period, a woman may notice bleeding. In terms of timing, it comes out 7–12 days after conception.
3. The zygote implants into the third functional layer of the uterus, but sometimes attachment does not occur the first time. Thus, the fertilized egg damages the wall of the uterus, causing implantation bleeding.

A fertilized egg that has successfully attached to the endometrium is called an embryo.

If bleeding continues for several days, pain intensifies in the groin area and higher to the navel, an unpleasant odor appears with the ointments, the shade is closer to black, then these may be the symptoms:

• ectopic pregnancy;
• genitourinary system infections;
• hormonal disease;
• injuries.

There is a risk of miscarriage if:

• spotting (not to be confused with brown discharge, with clots of coagulated blood and spotting) appeared later than the 6th week after the start of menstruation (counted as the 1st day);
• observed after IVF after 6–12 days (meaning bloody discharge of red and scarlet colors);
• The discharge is accompanied by severe pain and cramping in the lower abdomen.

Necessary conditions for implantation

Embryo implantation is synonymous with pregnancy. Complete sexual intercourse alone is not enough to achieve conception. It is necessary that the reproductive system of both partners is healthy and the woman’s body is ready for procreation.

A mature egg receives the most tenacious and fastest sperm (and in fact, a cunning one), the genetic material of the parents merges, forming a zygote, after which the fertilized egg moves to the uterus and is attached to the wall there for further development. In the process, an embryo is formed. In medicine, this process is called embryo implantation.

For successful fertilization and subsequent implantation, the following conditions must be met:

1. Mature egg (ovulation). There are many diary apps that calculate the best days to conceive and describe your chances of getting pregnant.
2. For normal development, the embryo will need a lot of nutrients and oxygen. The walls of the uterine cavity of the expectant mother should contain a sufficient amount of them. Deficiency leads to developmental pathologies and termination of pregnancy (miscarriage).
3. The thickness of the mucous walls is at least 7 mm, otherwise the fertilized egg will have nothing to attach to. The downside is also dangerous when the endometrium grows too much due to a benign tumor or hormonal disorders. Without proper treatment, it can lead to fetal loss.
4. Having enough progesterone. This hormone plays a leading role in the pregnancy process: it affects the development of the embryo, helps the fertilized egg to consolidate, and interrupts menstruation during pregnancy. When it is deficient, pathologies arise.

Conception

Doctors consider the first day of menstruation to be the start of a future pregnancy. Already when she goes, monthly processes begin that can lead to pregnancy. The amount of hormones that perform 2 main functions in preparing the future pregnant body increases: the maturation of the egg in the follicle and the growth of the endometrium. Normally, in the middle of the menstrual cycle, the follicle bursts and the egg, ready for fertilization, moves towards the uterus through the fallopian tubes.

If male reproductive cells (spermatozoa) move towards her, then with a probability of about 30% conception occurs. The fertilized cell then divides. At this time, the growing endometrium is preparing to accept the embryo.

On what day of the cycle does bleeding occur?

From the moment the egg is fertilized until it attaches to the wall of the uterus, about 5-7 days pass. The duration of the “journey” of the gestational egg depends on the following factors:

• condition and viability of the fertilized egg;
• functionality of the fallopian tubes;
• hormonal levels in the body of the expectant mother.

If we take the average data from medical studies, then embryo implantation occurs in the period from 6 to 12 days after conception. There are even cases when the attachment of the fertilized egg occurs 2-3 days before the start of the next menstrual cycle.

The process of implantation of the embryo into the endometrium itself may take from 2 hours to several days. On average, the implantation of a blastocyst into the inner wall of the uterine cavity occurs within 40 hours.

During this time, the membrane of the gestational cell is introduced into the mucous tissue of the uterine cavity, thereby taking root in the maternal body. And it is at this time that a woman may feel some symptoms of implantation, which we will talk about a little later.

Classification of implantations

According to the period of ovulation, early and late implantation are distinguished:

1. Early implantation. Pregnancy occurs 7 days after ovulation. Occurs rarely due to insufficient thickness of the endometrium. But pregnancy proceeds normally, usually without pathologies. At the peak of ovulation. A woman’s body is completely ready for a new life to begin to develop in her womb.
2. Late implantation, occurring 10 days after fertilization of the egg. Practicing doctors do not have a clear answer to this question. As the practice of some of them shows, natural late fertilization is also possible with IVF.

Reasons why implantation does not occur

Failure to implant the embryo is a common cause of infertility. Some of the unfavorable factors for this process include:

• endometriosis;
• surgical abortions;
• uterine fibroids;
• chronic endometritis;
• too thin endometrium, due to a deficiency of hormones in the first phase of the menstrual cycle;
• thick endometrium;
• scars on the body of the uterus;
• deficiency of hormones of the second phase of the cycle, in particular progesterone;
• genetic pathologies of the embryo.

If implantation does not occur, then a miscarriage actually occurs at a very short time. It happens that a miscarriage occurs immediately after attachment, then the body already begins to produce the pregnancy hormone and the woman receives positive tests. Doctors call this condition biochemical pregnancy.

How to determine it and not confuse it with menstruation?

For girls who constantly and closely monitor their women's health and cycle, it is easy to distinguish between periods and bleeding during egg implantation. To do this, you need to focus on the following manifestations:

• time of occurrence of bleeding;
• their duration.

Menstrual phenomena are always more abundant and begin on the same days of the month, with the exception of cases of an unsystematic menstrual cycle. During menstrual periods, many girls are bothered by abdominal pain and poor health. At the beginning of the menstrual cycle, bloating or indigestion sometimes occurs.

The main signs of implantation bleeding are:

• Intensity and duration. Such discharge is minimal and short-lived; it may be a few drops of blood or spotting that goes away after a few days.
• Discharge color. Over the entire period, their color changes from very light to darker, but differs significantly from the shade of blood during menstruation.
• Pain. On the day the discharge begins during implantation, there may be a slight sensation of pain in the lower abdomen. This is due to spasms of the uterine walls during the implantation of a fertile egg. If the pain is very severe, miscarriage often occurs, so you should immediately consult a doctor.
• Deadlines. Implantation begins 5 to 10 days from the day of conception. Or 3-6 days before the start of critical days. At the same time, most girls may not even know about their pregnancy and do not attach much importance to it. Or they can’t figure out whether it’s implantation discharge or menstruation.
• Consequences. Basically, this phenomenon occurs without any particular symptoms; sometimes some women experience fatigue and weakness throughout the day.
• Basal temperature. The decrease in basal temperature is so insignificant that for every second girl it is unnoticeable. Its decrease is monitored only on day 1, after which it rises again.

Pay attention to other circumstances that indicate implantation discharge, which means pregnancy:

1. Nausea. Especially in the morning or when catching various odors (coffee, food, perfume).
2. Soreness of the mammary glands. Chest pain can be a symptom of pregnancy. But such pain often warns of the imminent onset of menstruation.
3. Fatigue. If you feel exhausted, despite the fact that you have not been exposed to any physical activity, you may be pregnant.
4. Regularity of visiting the toilet. Frequent urination indicates a possible pregnancy.
5. Mood swings. Conception gives rise to hormonal changes in the body, which are accompanied by mood changes. Although this sign is also typical for the early onset of menstruation.
6. Dizziness. If you get up suddenly, you may feel dizzy.

As a rule, discharge appears on days 21-25 of the menstrual cycle or on days 7-9 after ovulation, which ended in conception. However, in exceptional cases, implantation discharge occurs during menstruation. Then you need to pay attention to the amount and color of the blood. The bleeding process during implantation occurs very quickly. For 70% of women, the period of such discharge lasts several hours, for the remaining 30% it can last for a day or two.

What does it look like?

The color of implantation discharge varies from light brown to pinkish, sometimes bright red, but always without dark clots. Dark brown or burgundy coloring often indicates problems with women's health. There are no clots, inclusions or mucus in implantation discharge. If you have any warning signs, you should consult a doctor.

Many women who encounter IR for the first time take it as the beginning of menstruation. In view of this, being already pregnant, a woman continues to lead her usual lifestyle, without worrying about the health of her own and the future baby. Therefore, it is important to know what the differences are between menstruation and IR and what this phenomenon looks like:

1. The first and most important sign that a new life is emerging in the body is the nature of the discharge. With IR, scanty discharge is observed, more similar to a brownish daub. During menstruation, this bleeding will be more abundant, intense and prolonged.
2. The duration of IR can reach 2 days, while menstruation lasts from 4 to 7 days, which largely depends on the individual characteristics of the female body.
3. The next distinguishing feature is the date. As a rule, the menstrual cycle has a certain number of days, and if it is regular and stable, then spotting in the middle indicates any changes in the functioning of the woman’s reproductive system.
4. Changes in basal temperature readings. The process of embryo implantation is accompanied first by a decrease in temperature and then by an increase. In the case of menstruation, temperature jumps are not observed.

Cryotransfer

Cryotransfer is an additional in vitro fertilization procedure that is used for a number of specific reasons. Most often, freezing is carried out when there are a large number of good embryos on days 3-5; due to the development of hyperstimulation in a woman or other gynecological problems. The IVF protocol allows for the transfer of one to four embryos, but not all take root. The remaining viable embryos are frozen using a special system and stored in liquid nitrogen until the couple decides to make a second transfer.

Note!

By resorting to cryotransfer, most families gain a chance to have another child. The sensations after transfer of a thawed embryo are no different, and the appearance of signs of implantation is the same as during a normal transfer.

In vitro fertilization is becoming an increasingly common method for conceiving a child every day. Many married couples who have been seriously diagnosed with infertility gain the chance to raise their baby. However, not all patients ask reproductive specialists about possible signs of pregnancy, believing that the very first signal will be an hCG test, which is taken 10-14 days after the replantation. But this is not true; in some cases, discharge after embryo transfer can indicate the onset of a desired pregnancy. All that is required of a woman is to carefully monitor her well-being and protect her health, because another person who needs protection may already be living under her heart.

Discharge during implantation

The appearance of leucorrhoea from the vagina is a natural function of the body and does not stop when pregnancy occurs. They become less frequent and denser, but are still present. Implantation discharge varies in thickness, abundance, color and smell.

Among them there are both normal, natural, for the period of pregnancy, and pathological. The timing of the appearance of discharge during implantation of the fertilized egg varies depending on the stages of ovulation: early, optimal for conception, or late. In accordance with this, they appear on days 4–10.

Classified by color:

1. White discharge. Normal mucous leucorrhoea that does not cause discomfort. Under the influence of hormones they become thicker and drier. If they contain grains (“curd lumps”), itching appears in the vagina, vulva or perineum, then this is candidiasis (thrush). Subject to drug treatment. In the advanced stage it poses a danger to the fetus.
2. Brown discharge with clotted blood or implantation bleeding. Characteristic of the implantation process. They arise due to disruption of the uterine wall mucosa during the attachment of the embryo. It is brown in color due to the prolonged release of blood through the vagina.
3. Yellow discharge. They can signal the presence of chlamydia and pathogenic bacteria. Diagnosis is required by submitting a smear for examination. Based on the results, treatment is prescribed.
4. Dark (but not black) discharge that is spotty in nature. Possible, but no more than 3 days. If longer and tend to increase in volume, you should consult a doctor. The most common cause of dark discharge after embryo implantation is insufficient production of progesterone by the body.
5. Pink discharge. Possible if there are not many of them. They may indicate the presence of cervical erosion. It is necessary to consult with your doctor and do cauterization after childbirth. Cervical erosion is dangerous for the development of bacterial infection in the future.
6. Heavy red blood discharge (more than 10-15 ml in 3 days). They can be bright red or scarlet. They talk about possible termination of pregnancy, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, or the presence of cervical cancer. It is imperative to consult a doctor. Intense hemorrhage is life-threatening; you should immediately call an ambulance. In such a situation, the woman is subject to mandatory hospitalization. If the ultrasound shows that the fetus is alive, there is a chance to save the child.

When an embryo is implanted, there must be bleeding, but it may be so small that the woman will not pay attention (it will be washed off during personal hygiene). This is not a violation. If the color is white, translucent, they have a mucous consistency, do not have a strong odor or candida lumps, such ointments are also considered normal.

The likelihood of a physiological process occurring

For women waiting for pregnancy, an important question is whether implantation bleeding always occurs, since this process is considered one of the earliest options for determining fertilization, even before the moment when tests and ultradiagnostic methods can give a positive result. According to gynecological centers, the probability of fertilization through implantation discharge is low, about thirty percent. The reasons for this statistics are the following factors:

1. Implantation of a blastula into the epithelial surface of the uterus may not be accompanied by damage to the capillary network, which results in the absence of bloody discharge.
2. A woman may not notice the discharge due to its insignificant volume, with minor damage and rapid relief of bleeding vessels by a physiologically healthy, strong body.

These statistics suggest that the absence of implantation discharge is not a prerequisite for excluding fertilization.

Other sensations

There are no reliable signs of implantation in medicine, however, many women claim that they felt this exciting period. This is not excluded, experts say, since the sensations may well be a reaction of the female body to changed hormonal levels.

In addition to discharge, a woman may notice that she has become drowsy and gets tired quickly. Women often complain of headaches, migraines, mild nausea and loss of appetite. There may be a slight nagging pain in the lower abdomen. The mood changes - the woman becomes more irritable, many note that they are gripped by causeless anxiety and depression.

The breasts become more sensitive, but this usually happens within a few days after implantation. The sense of taste may also be impaired. Women claim that a slight “metallic” taste appears in the mouth.

If a woman does not have any of the described symptoms, do not think that implantation has not occurred. From the point of view of official medicine, they should not exist. If something like this manifests itself, then these are “tricks” of individual sensitivity.

It can be quite difficult to understand the symptoms, sensations and discharge during implantation in an IVF treatment cycle. Against the background of hormonal support, drugs that the woman took in the first phase of the cycle, and which she continues to take after embryo transfer, all the symptoms described above are often present, but they are only a side effect of hormonal drugs. It is not entirely correct to consider them signs of implantation. Discharge after IVF may be bloody for 14 days, and this will also be quite normal against the background of hormonal stimulation and support.

In addition to the so-called implantation bleeding, the process of attachment of a gestational cell to the wall of the uterus may be accompanied by a number of other signs:

• pulling pain in the lower abdomen;
• increased body temperature - this sign can be observed immediately after conception;
• decrease in basal temperature;
• nausea;
• general malaise;
• sudden mood changes.

I would like to clarify right away that not all women experience implantation with any symptoms. Therefore, you should not rely entirely on such signs. If you suspect pregnancy, it is better to take a test or visit a gynecologist.

How to distinguish implantation bleeding from normal menstruation

In the early stages of implantation they have the following signs:

1. Scarcity. There are few of them and they are smearing or mucous in nature. Usually perceived as light menstruation.
2. Appear on the 4th–6th day after sexual intercourse.
3. They have a creamy, pinkish or brownish tint.
4. No pain before and during menstruation. It is worth paying attention to those who suffer from them every month.
5. Lasts from two hours to two days. They can't go for a month.
6. Against the background of increased secretion from the vagina, thrush may appear.
7. The color of the discharge cannot be bright red, as during menstruation, it is darker, closer to brown, brown.
8. Spotting can begin 3-6 days after the expected period and is perceived as premature, light menstruation.
9. They have no smell.

These signs may include general signs of pregnancy:

1. Dizziness when standing up suddenly.
2. Nagging, mild pain in the groin area.
3. Feelings of heaviness in the lower abdomen.
4. “Tasty” and “disgusting” odors appear.
5. Increased fatigue and drowsiness.
6. Sudden jumps in basal temperature. For no reason it goes down and then up. This can only be determined by taking daily measurements and recording the data in a notebook in order to have a basis for comparison with previous ovulation cycles.
7. With normal kidney function and the absence of genitourinary diseases, urine poured into a glass container produces a cloudy sediment.

In the early stages, many women feel changes in the body, even before the fact is confirmed. Most doctors are skeptical about this, but if you survey women in labor, such stories are becoming more common, but they most likely relate to the period from 6 to 8 weeks, when hormonal changes and the presence of symptoms become obvious, but not confirmed. The effect of self-hypnosis or a subtle sense of ongoing metamorphoses in the body is a controversial issue.

To determine on what day of the cycle the embryo was implanted, you need to make a mathematical calculation. Let's take the standard 28 days as a basis, the peak of ovulation is the 14th. Let's assume that the sperm made its way on the 15th day, and on the 20th day after conception it entered the uterus and began to attach. We give 1 day for attachment. We get:

It also happens that vaginal discharge during implantation of the embryo into the uterus coincides with menstruation. Characteristic for late periods. In this case, it cannot be determined independently (without a test or blood test) until the next menstrual cycle.

Symptoms

Implantation bleeding has characteristic signs:

1. Discomfortable sensations in the lower abdomen, which resemble painful symptoms before menstruation, however, are less pronounced and intense, and are short-lived, as they arise exclusively against the background of the process of implantation of a fertilized embryo into the uterus.
2. During the period of discharge, a woman may feel weakness, unprecedented fatigue, and drowsiness, while her general health and well-being do not deteriorate.
3. When measuring basal temperature, a slight drop in temperature is noted during vaginal bleeding. The decrease will be short-lived, for about one day, after the blastula is implanted into the uterus, the temperature rises to standard parameters.
4. Bloody discharge is short-lived and its intensity decreases over time.

The signs that accompany implantation bleeding resemble the symptoms of menstruation in their manifestations, which necessitates the need to search for fundamental differences between these processes.

Bottom line

Instead of a conclusion, I would like to say the following: the term IR refers to minor bleeding caused by implantation of the blastocyst of the fertilized egg into the mucous membrane of the uterine cavity. And even then, not all women notice IR. If there are signs of pregnancy and they are supported by such discharge, then you should consult a doctor to confirm your “interesting situation”.

Have you or your friends encountered such a phenomenon as IR? If so, is it actually happening as stated in the medical literature?

What does discharge look like normally?

The appearance of the discharge allows you to predetermine its nature. You should focus on indicators, what color the secretion is secreted, as well as its consistency. Menstrual discharge has a heterogeneous structure, with mucous and lumpy inclusions, and is characterized by a profuse, non-stop flow. Implantation bleeding is often mild, the secretion has a light brown, pink or cream tint, manifested in the form of small streaks of blood origin in the woman’s mucous secretions, sometimes resembling droplets of blood. The discharge should be liquid and uniform in structure. In character they resemble “smearing” and may not even be noticed by a woman.

Does bleeding occur in early pregnancy?

Bleeding in the first trimester indicates pathological disorders:

1. Insufficient production of progesterone provokes scanty discharge at 3 weeks. Deficiency is detected through blood tests.
2. Ectopic pregnancy. Embryo development occurs in the fallopian tubes, rarely in the abdominal cavity, ovaries or cervix. Such a pregnancy can cause the death of a woman, so you should always visit a gynecologist and register with an antenatal clinic. It is impossible to distinguish such a pathology on your own.
3. Molar pregnancy is the penetration of an egg incapable of life into the uterine cavity. With this type of pregnancy, implantation bleeding may appear after menstruation or at any other period of the cycle, but this does not mean that normal fertilization has occurred. Such a pregnancy is determined during the first ultrasound; it is characterized by a stop in cell division and in the picture the doctor sees the site of implantation, but there are no characteristic bubbles around the fertilized egg. The molar pregnancy ends spontaneously; if this does not happen, then a medical abortion or vacuum cleaning is performed. It may be accompanied by heavy bleeding.
4. Unsuccessful placenta previa. When located close to the cervix, or when the cervix is ​​partially covered, a small amount of blood is released and enters the vagina. Placental abruption also leads to bleeding. Both options can be dangerous for the full development of the fetus.

Any spotting after an established pregnancy may indicate a miscarriage or embryonic death, when the fetus stops developing and growing. The discharge has the consistency of mucus and bright blood, accompanied by spasmodic pain similar to contractions.

Doctors say that this manifestation is natural, but does not occur in all pregnant women and not always. Often the implantation of the embryo proceeds very calmly, and the amount of discharge is so minimal that it is almost unnoticeable. Only twenty women out of a hundred who are in an interesting situation observe such a process in themselves. Often it coincides with the beginning of menstruation and simply goes unnoticed.

Does bleeding occur in early pregnancy?

Due to the active formation of a new organism, characteristic physiological changes appear. Among them:

1. Constant drowsiness, sleep lasts 9–12 hours.
2. Unstable nervous state, irritability and tearfulness appear.
3. There are taste preferences: you want sweet, sour, salty, unusual combinations of foods.
4. Weakness, general malaise, severe fatigue.
5. Nausea in the morning.
6. Frequent urge to go to the toilet.
7. Feeling of a foreign body inside, constant attempts to go to the toilet.

All these signs are not always the same; they differ from girl to girl. The characteristics do not 100% indicate the presence of new life, they only provide an additional hint if there is a delay.

Ectopic differs from natural in that the embryo is implanted not in the endometrium of the uterus, but in a different place. In this case, the patient experiences:

1. Severe pain.
2. Black-brown discharge.

The condition is life-threatening, which is why it is necessary to seek medical help to decide whether to preserve the fetus.

Fearing complications during pregnancy and childbirth, expectant mothers experience an unreasonable amount of stress associated with the phenomenon of bleeding during early pregnancy, which negatively affects the psycho-emotional state of a woman. Discharge in the early stages of implantation is normal, good and even interesting from the point of view of the adaptability of living organisms.