Some women experience a light pink or brown discharge of blood from the vagina after fertilization. Usually, this discharge of blood is very similar to how the menstruation cycle starts and is often mistaken by women to be their period. This discharge which occurs about a week before the normal expected date of menstruation is known as the implant bleeding. When the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus lining called the endometrial wall, it forms a linkage to the body’s blood supply and the placenta, causing a release of a small amount of blood, which is referred to as the bleeding at implantation. This bleeding usually occurs at the end of the attachment process.
Implantation bleeding usually occurs 6-12 days past ovulation, if it occurs at all. It must be noted that although there is a hype about implantation bleeding everywhere, many doctors doubt their existence because so few women have reported to have experienced it. Many doctors believe that only about 20-30 percent of all pregnant women has had implant bleed. Besides, implant bleeding is often not recognized by women owing to its similarity with menstrual blood. Many women are not aware of such a phenomenon and, therefore, because of the very small quantity of blood flow during implantation bleeding, they do not notice it at all.
Most women who have experienced bleeding because of implantation report having no other signs accompanied by it. However, some women experience light cramps, backaches and increased blood flow during implantation bleeding. Often, implantation bleeding is mistaken for periods. There are certain ways that women can use to distinguish between the two. The blood discharge because of implantation is usually less compared to periods, and is light pinkish or brownish in color. Besides, it does not generally occur for more than 2-3 days, and therefore, can easily be distinguished from blood discharge from menstruation.
Women should see a doctor immediately if they experience any abnormal or untimely vaginal bleeding. This is because implant bleeding, if recognized properly, is a symptom of pregnancy. However, there are a number of other reasons that might be responsible for vaginal bleeding. These include abrasions from intercourse, change in birth control pills, and inflammation inside the vagina due to infections from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or diseases like bacterial vaginosis. Most STDs inflame the interior of the vagina which might release a small amount of blood. Because of these other reasons that are responsible for vaginal bleeding, a doctor must immediately be consulted in order to determine the causes that might be responsible for vaginal discharge.
Women can also try home pregnancy tests before consulting a doctor in order to confirm if they are pregnant.Such bleedings do not affect the result of these tests because the accuracy of home pregnancy tests largely depends on the amount of a specific hormone, called hCG, present in the urine. If implantation bleeding is suspected, and results of these home pregnancy tests are still negative, women should call up a doctor at once and diagnose the factors that caused bleeding.