Implantation bleeding is the insignificant amount of bleeding that occurs upon the attachment of the fertilized ovum, with the walls of the uterus. The menstrual cycle of a female is a process which prepares the uterine linings for implantation, by developing a thick network of capillaries, that would allow the zygote to access the mother’s circulatory system, If implantation does not occur, the linings are shed with a sizeable quantity of blood, which is what the menstruation is. This happens every month.
It is quite normal for women to mix the two up if she has experienced implantation bleeding after missed period. For one expecting a pregnancy, this might give the incorrect signal of a threatened miscarriage, or a failure to conceive. For the other who is not expecting a pregnancy, this might signal a failed birth control or the occurrence of periods. These scenarios might cause unnecessary shock and concern which might lead to stress related problems.
Certain knowledge about other symptoms, or processes ongoing with implantation bleeding after missed period, will allow the patient to carefully evaluate the two.
Implantation bleeding happens within six to ten days from the time of ovulation. Viewing from a different perspective will date the time implantation bleeding at five days from the day of fertilization of the egg by the sperm cell, in the fallopian tubes. This length of time taken is because the amount of blood that is coming out of the cervix is so insignificant that it takes a long while to reach the vaginal opening. This is most definitely bleeding due to implantation.
On the other hand, although checking the time of the bleeding may be a good way to decide upon whether it is missed periods or implantation bleeding, the late periods could coincidentally fall in this wide timeframe. For situations like this, it is better to check the flowing quality of the blood. The bleeding that occurs with implantation bleeding lacks the flowing quality characteristic of the bleeding that occurs during periods. It appears in the form of smears or stains, as would occur during regular discharges. If this is the case, then the patient is most possibly pregnant.
Color can also be a good indicator of whether the bleeding is due to that of missed periods or implantation bleeding. The bleeding during periods has the color of consistency of freshly spilled blood. The color of implantation bleeding is almost always more brownish than red. This is because of the reason that the bleeding shows up almost five days after fertilization has occurred, which consists of the time required for the zygote to travel to the uterine walls, and the time required for the blood droplets to reach the cervical opening.
It is not unnatural for a woman to implantation bleeding after missed periods, and late periods do not necessarily indicate implantation bleeding. Other than missed periods, the bleeding can occur out of many reasons such as irregular bleeding during stress, bleeding during a threatened miscarriage. Sometimes random irregular discharges of the vagina and anus can also occur, and these too can be cause of the bleeding.