Implant Losses: What Are They?
Implant losses are light bleeding that occurs in early pregnancy. However, it is not a phenomenon common to all women. Generally, they coincide with the start date of the menstrual cycle, which is why they are easily confused.
One of the most obvious symptoms of pregnancy is the absence of menstruation. However, in some women, this absence is interrupted by implantation losses, which, as the name suggests, lead to blood loss, but not of the menstrual type.
Implantation losses are also known as “false menstruation”. In women who already know they are pregnant, it could raise the suspicion of an abortion. To avoid confusion, it is good to be well informed so as not to leave room for misunderstandings.
Plant losses
Implant loss is a completely normal phenomenon in a healthy pregnancy. They occur between 6 and 12 days after fertilization of the egg, on a date that roughly coincides with normal menstruation.
They are usually accompanied by less intense colic than menstrual ones. Headaches, nausea, mood swings, breast tenderness, lower back pain, abdominal swelling and fatigue are also common.
Generally, plant losses do not follow a fixed pattern. A woman who has already had children may have experienced such losses in some pregnancies but not in others. Sometimes they occur with a few drops of blood, others are similar to a light period.
From ovum to embryo
In fertilization, the union between the egg and the sperm gives rise to the zygote, or the fertilized egg. In just 72 hours, the zygote transforms into morula, which is a segmented zygote. Four or five days later, the morula turns into a blastula.
The blastula, or blastocyst, has one group of external cells and another of internal cells. The first will turn into a protective membrane and the other into the embryo. But it is only when the blastocyst is implanted in the uterus that we can speak of an embryo.
About a week after fertilization, the blastula begins to generate extensions. These will allow it to adhere to the lining of the uterus. At this early stage, the uterus is largely perfused and bleeds easily. For this reason, the system can cause leaks.
Implantation losses: differences with respect to menstruation
These are light leaks, which can be seen from some blood on underwear or toilet paper. They rarely occur in abundant form. The color is between dark pink and brown, but never red. It has no clots and lasts from a few hours to three days.
In implantation losses, there is no gradual increase in flow, as occurs with menstruation. They have an intermittent frequency, but remain in the order of small spots, which tend not to increase.
In case of suspected pregnancy, if there is a loss of intense color or that suddenly increases, it is good to consult your doctor immediately. In some cases, this event can be a symptom of a miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, or a molar pregnancy. Furthermore, it can also indicate the presence of a health problem.
Confirmation of pregnancy
In the early stages, it is very difficult to establish a pregnancy or not. For the same reason, it is not at all easy to determine whether it is an implantation leak, a threat of abortion or a disorder of some other nature. Hence the importance of timely confirmation of pregnancy.
The most reliable pregnancy tests can be done in the first week of gestation. These are tests performed in the laboratory with a high degree of success. Conversely, do-it-yourself pregnancy tests have a much lower degree of reliability when performed immediately after fertilization.
All of these tests measure the level of the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone, which is present in the blood and urine. Do-it-yourself tests can be done in conjunction with implant leaks, but it’s still best to wait a week for reliable results.
