Implantation is an event that occurs during pregnancy when the fertilized egg is planted in the uterus. Bleeding may occur if the fertilized egg is planted within the uterine walls. In this case, the vagina releases a white discharge that is tinted with pinkish or brownish blood.
Implantation bleeding has the possibility – albeit a small one – of being life threatening. The risk is higher for cases where the implantation bleeding is regular and consistent than for those where the bleeding is irregular. As a result, it is important to pay close attention to the duration of implantation bleeding in order to assess the severity of the condition.
In general, implantation bleeding starts after a period of 6 to 8 weeks from the point of fertilization. During this period, a woman may also experience menstrual bleeding. As a result, the woman must be careful in determining whether the bleeding is caused by menstruation or by implantation. Usually, it is easy to distinguish between these two causes. For instance, unlike menstruation, only a small volume of blood is discharged during implantation. Moreover, this bleeding is infrequent, causing cramps in the abdomen if the fertilized egg is implanted into the endometrial lining.
However, one of the most distinguishing features of implantation bleeding is its duration, which can be quite erratic by nature. Thus the duration of implantation bleeding can vary among women. In general, the bleeding will last for at least two hours. In cases of a few women, the bleeding can be more persistent, running for as long as three days. In these cases, the volume of the blood released is low – just like it is expected during implantation.
Even then, the duration of implantation bleeding can be longer. If it extends the normal period of three days, there is a high chance that the blood flow is going to be heavy, indicating that the bleeding can be due to more serious health conditions. The risk is multiplied if the bleeding is accompanied by other serious symptoms, such as abdominal cramps, nausea and fever.
For this reason, women are advised to take an early pregnancy test. There can be many reasons behind the failure of implantation. One of the reasons can be that there was not a sufficient balance in the hormone levels of these women. Another reason can be problems with the endometrial lining. A pregnancy results in miscarriage if the fertilized egg reaches the uterus, even though implantation has not occurred. Miscarriage may also occur due to the improper development of embryo. All these result in the baby being dead in the mother’s womb. Even if the baby does not die, there is a high probability that it will be deformed.
As a result, pregnant women must be careful of the duration of the implantation bleeding in order to avoid the possibility of a miscarriage. If they are suffering from regular and consistent bleeding – which is not due to menstruation, they must seek help from their physicians. In other cases, they just need to wait for the bleeding to stop by itself.