What can be more joyous than knowing that you are going to be a mother or you are going to enter into motherhood? It’s a completely different feeling of happiness to be a mother. Here I share complete information about going through early pregnancy as I ought, with more scientific knowledge about implantation/conception/early pregnancy period.
Implantation:
It is the early stage of pregnancy in which the fertilized egg adheres to the wall of the uterus so that fetus could receive oxygen and nutrients from mother.
Symptoms of implantation:
- Light or faint cramps.
- Mood swings.
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Lower backache
- Breast tenderness
Uterine adaptations to enable implantation:
The uterus becomes more vascular and rich in glands with boosted secretions. This takes place after 7 days of ovulation. After ovulation endometrial cells produce round cells which are known as decidual cells which originate from stromal cells.
After implantation deciduas remain at least for the first trimester of pregnancy and later on replaced by the placenta.
Pinopods are bleb-like protrusions found on the apical surface of the endometrial epithelium. They appear between day 19 and day 21 of gestational age. Increased levels of progesterone change the secretions from the endometrial lining of the uterus to provide nourishment and to help in the growth of the embryo. Implantation is initiated when the blastocyst comes into contact with the uterine wall.
Implantation window:
This is the time period in which implantation is possible.
Apposition:
The loose attachment between the blastocyst and uterine wall is called apposition.
Adhesion:
There is massive communication between the blastocyst and the endometrium at this stage. The blastocyst signals to the endometrium to adapt further to its presence, e.g. by changes in the cytoskeleton of decidual cells. This, in turn, dislodges the decidual cells from their connection to the underlying basal lamina, which enables the blastocyst to perform the succeeding invasion.
This communication is conveyed by receptor-ligand interactions, both integrin-matrix and proteoglycan ones.
Proteoglycan Receptors:
Another ligand-receptor system involved in adhesion is proteoglycan receptors, found on the surface of the decidua of the uterus. Their counterparts, the proteoglycans, are found around the trophoblast cells of the blastocyst. This ligand-receptor system also is present just at the implantation window.
Invasion:
It is the further establishment of the blastocyst in the wall of the uterus.
Implantation cramping:
Implantation cramping is a type of minor pain that occurs when fertilized egg implants or burrows itself in the wall of the uterus. When conception occurs, an egg is fertilized by the sperm in one of the fallopian tubes.
Cells start to divide and multiply rapidly within 24 hours. The fertilized egg remains in the fallopian tube for about 3 – 4 days before it starts slowly moving down the tube to the uterus and becomes a blastocyst.
How long does the implantation cramping last?
Cramping is minor and lasts for only day or two. This cramping only lasts until the embryo is being attached to the uterus and once attachment completes bleeding and cramps are over.
Implantation cramps vs periods cramps:
You may feel a variety of symptoms that include cramping, spotting, aching breasts, dizziness, fatigue, and more. Some women mistake these symptoms for menstrual signs. The reason is that it is not always easy to tell the difference between menstrual cramps and implantation cramps.
There have been many women who were ready to jump for joy, believing they were pregnant. Unfortunately, their period began a few days later. If you want to discover whether you should jump for joy or be prepared to try again next month.
You must know and understand how your body normally acts before your period. Not all women feel cramps during implantation. Not all of us have similar spasms before period beginning. Knowing your body and understanding what you feel every month will go a long way in helping you to determine the nature of your sensations.
How does a menstrual cramp feel like?
Often such cramping feels as if your entire lower stomach is being squeezed intermittently. Other women may experience quite painful sensations. They are felt in the lower stomach and in their back. You may just experience bloating in the abdominal area.
Menstrual cramps are different for every woman. Some experience only a mild pain, which is bearable. The others cramp so badly that they are unable even to work or go to school because of this unpleasant and painful feeling.
In some cases, menstrual cramps may include spotting before the actual period begins. Often this bleeding is bright red and very noticeable. It is usually not heavy enough to require anything more than a panty liner.
How does an implantation cramp feel like?
When it comes to implantation, it will generally be a milder cramping, that what you used to experience during your menses. Many women say that it is centred more on one side than the other.
For instance, if a fertilized egg is attaching on the right side of your uterus, the cramping may be more on that side, than the left. A lot of women say that it feels like a pinching or pulling, not like an actual cramp. It may last anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days.
If you feel that you may be pregnant and your cramps are caused by embryo implantation, pay attention to your feelings. These spasms should never be too painful. If they are really unbearable, you should contact your doctor because there could be a major problem. Especially, if you normally do not have extreme cramping before your period.
There are a lot of cases when women do experience severe implantation cramping. Often implantation cramps also come along with spots, but once more, this is not true for every woman. Sometimes such mild cramps begin days before bleeding is noticed.
Or on the contrary, you may see spotting with no cramps. Vaginal discharge during egg embodiment is usually either light brown or pink in color. It may be barely noticeable on a piece of toilet paper and many women have it but never see it.
What does implantation feel like?
In some women however it remains unnoticed and in other women feel it like pricking sensation,
Pulling over the respected side or a tingling sensation.
When does implantation cramping start?
Cramps and the overall sensations associated with the implantation; do not differ much from the regular cramping sensations. The timing can still be a sign. It starts 2-7 days before your period. This is the timeframe for the egg to attach.
Therefore, as long as you have light cramping, experience some brown or pink bleeding that does not intensify, and it is almost a week before your period, then you might be pregnant.
What are the signs and symptoms of implantation?
• Mild cramping and spotting 1st trimester
• Missed period 1st trimester
• Fatigue lasts throughout pregnancy
• Nausea 1st trimester
• Tingling or aching breasts start of pregnancy till the end
• Frequent urination lasts till the end of pregnancy
• Bloating lasts until the end
• Motion sickness 1st trimester
• Mood swings throughout the pregnancy
• Temperature changes 1st trimester
• High blood pressure 3rd trimester
• Heartburn throughout pregnancy
• Breast and nipple changes throughout pregnancy and starts in the 1st trimester
• Fast heartbeat 3rd trimester
• Pregnancy glow 1st trimester
• Weight gain 3rd trimester
• Acne throughout
What does implantation pain feel like?
Implantation pain is far less painful than period pain. If you’re used to restless nights or cramps that are so intense you have to think over. These cramps might also feel like stomach cramps. A few things to note about this pain that it is:
- Less intense than menstrual cramps.
- Short-term, with many women only feeling pain for minutes.
In fact, some women won’t feel any pain at all. Since only a third of woman will have implantation bleeding, most women will completely ignore the pains they feel as early menstrual cramping or indigestion.
Implantation bleeding:
After ovulation and at the moment an egg is successfully fertilized by a sperm, the embryo starts dividing and growing, sending out signals to a woman’s body to prepare for pregnancy. In turn, the walls of the uterus, called the endometrium, start to change. They’ve already been thickening throughout the menstrual cycle, but they’ll need to grow and mature even more to protect and nourish an embryo for nine months.
Anywhere from 6 to 12 days after fertilization, the quickly growing embryo has moved down the Fallopian tubes to the uterus. It’s starting to need more nutrients, and the endometrium has filled in enough to support the embryo.
At this time, the embryo attached itself to the endometrium, where it becomes reliant on a mother’s body for the first time for nutrients and oxygen. Implantation bleeding happens when the embryo makes its way into the uterus, which sometimes causes little blood vessels to burst.
When implantation bleeding does occur?
When embryo implants in the lining of the uterus it then disrupts tiny blood vessels and burrows itself in the lining of the uterus. This causes light blood discharge which is pinkish to red and brown. This bleeding is known as implantation bleeding. This bleeding will arrive earlier than your expected menstrual date and is around five to ten days after conception.
Implantation bleeding usually happens about 10 days after ovulation, while menstruation normally occurs after 14. So pinkish spotting on day 22-25 is more likely to be implantation bleeding than first signs of menstruation (usually around day 26-27).
How long it takes to show signs of pregnancy?
It takes about four weeks to recognize that you are pregnant. That means symptoms of pregnancy will show up after 4 weeks of conception. Some of the women can feel sore breast, implantation bleeding fatigue and mood swings before they come to know that they are pregnant.
How to recognize implantation bleeding?
Implantation bleeding is an early symptom of pregnancy which can be missed out to understand by many women, hence the best way to recognize pregnancy is the early pregnancy strip test. One-third of women who report having experienced implantation bleeding often describe it as different from their usual premenstrual spotting.
Some say the blood is darker and not as red compared with normal period blood. Others have mild cramping at the same time as the spotting. Implantation bleeding is however dark pink to dark brown in color. Implantation bleeding lack clots. And implantation bleeding lasts from three hours to 3 days.
When to take a pregnancy test?
Some women aren’t aware of implantation cramps and bleeding and they experience pregnancy symptoms like nausea vomiting, fatigue, bloating and a missed period etc. It’s the time to consult your doctor or to take the pregnancy test with a strip at home.
This test provides accurate results after 10 days of ovulation before you missed a period. This test detects the presence of beta HCG. You must wait until you missed a period.
Strip test:
Take a strip and dip it into the container with fresh urine for at least 10 seconds and take it out. Keep it for at least 5 minutes if the red line didn’t appear immediately. If you see two red lines in the area with a white colour that means you are pregnant and if one line appears you aren’t pregnant. Sometimes the line doesn’t appear but you still have pregnancy symptoms then you must consult your doctor.
How do most of the women feel when they bleed during pregnancy?
As I’ve experienced, to bleed during pregnancy is an alarming situation because not all women understand that it is a normal situation. But I recommend seeing your doctor if you bleed like this and never ignore it if it happens in a larger amount.
How much implantation bleeding is common?
It is common among 20% of women means one out of five women face this. They face bleeding once throughout their early pregnancy.
When should you visit your doctor?
- When you have severe or painful cramping.
- Bright red heavy bleeding and your pad become full.
- A rush of fluid together with blood.
How to get relief from implantation cramps?
These cramps cause discomfort. Try the following:
- Try to relax and take some rest, try to sleep.
- Take a warm bath this will help your muscles and ligaments to relax.
- You can relax also by putting hot compress over the areas of discomfort.
- Take a message with warm oil.
- Get plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
- Change your positions to be at ease.
- Yoga
When to be concerned?
When you feel severe cramping with a positive pregnancy test. You should also call your doctor if your cramps seem always to be focused on one side of your lower abdomen (regardless if they are severe or not), as this is also a sign of an entropic pregnancy.
If left untreated, an entropic pregnancy can cause the fallopian tube to tear or burst, resulting in dangerous internal bleeding. It may just be gas or your uterus growing, but it may also be a sign of a miscarriage, placental abruption, ovarian cyst, urinary tract infection, or an entopic pregnancy. Color, odour and texture of the discharging blood must be taken in the notice.
Can I expect other types of cramps during pregnancy?
When during pregnancy body undergoes a lot of changes. Growing baby causes the uterus to expand; ligaments and muscles stretch and result in some cramping. This condition is more noticeable when changing positions coughing, sneezing etc. and during second trimester round ligament of uterus stretches and cause cramps too. The pain is sharp, stabbing or a dull backache. Cramping might be intermittent or minor.
Could it be anything else rather than implantation bleeding?
If you still have discharge and you aren’t pregnant then the following might be the reasons:
- Hormonal changes that are not natural.
- Dietary alterations
- Vaginal infection (bacterial vaginosis, candida albicans, Chlamydia, gonorrhoea)
- Make sure you don’t mix up implantation bleeding with the following:
- Miscarriage
- While noticing bleeding or spotting during pregnancy is the worst feeling because the first thing that comes into your mind is a miscarriage. Miscarriage is the loss of concepts within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. But blood comes in gushes; blood comes out together with amniotic fluid.
- Sometimes placenta develops over the cervix which is called placenta previa. This leads to vaginal bleeding too.
- Sometimes during pregnancy placental attachment to the uterine wall is interrupted or detached which also causes bleeding. This needs to be treated immediately.
- Losing mucus plug: Mucus plugs release and cervix opens leading to delivery. This too can cause spotting.
- Interrupted periods
Mucus plugs release and cervix open leading to delivery. This too can cause spotting.
Being a mother or going to be a mother is a great joy; take good care so that you can enjoy your motherhood.
HEY ! I’m Nil (Founder of OnlineDrifts.com), Digital Marketer, Affiliate Marketer and a blogger writing about blogging tips, SEO, Tech Tips etc.
