Blood spots such as menstruation can be a sign of pregnancy & bull; hello healthy

The main characteristic of pregnancy is that a woman is no longer menstruating. So, if you are trying to get pregnant, you may feel disappointed when you see brown blood spots on your regular menstrual schedule. While this may indeed indicate that you have started menstruating again, spotting can also be the result of implantation bleeding, which is an early symptom of pregnancy.

What is implantation bleeding?

Implantation bleeding is one of the most common signs and features of early pregnancy. At least 1/3 of women will experience bleeding after conception. Many women consider this light spotting to be the start of a new menstrual cycle, but implantation bleeding will not be as much as menstrual blood and only lasts a few hours to a few days.

Once the egg has been successfully fertilized by sperm, the embryo will begin the process of growth and development and send a signal to the mother's body to prepare for pregnancy. Six to twelve days after conception, the embryo will swim toward the uterus and stick to its wall. When the embryo implants into the uterine wall, it can cause some minor bleeding. This type of light spotting will not harm the future baby, and most women who experience implantation bleeding will have normal, healthy pregnancies.

What is the difference between spotting menstrual blood and implantation bleeding as a feature of pregnancy?

Implantation bleeding can look a lot like your period, especially during the first few days of your period when you have less blood flow, or if you usually have light periods, so you may feel confused when you see blood spots. Here's how to distinguish between menstruation and bleeding characteristic of pregnancy, quoted from Parenting:

• Watch the blood flow: Blood spots are characteristic of pregnancy only in the form of light blood spots and less, in the form of droplets, and will remain that way until the bleeding is over. Conversely, blood due to menstruation is initially light, but will get heavier and thicker. Implantation bleeding does not contain blood clots, as is usually present in menstrual blood.
• Pay attention to the color: Menstrual blood is bright red, while blood spots that are characteristic of pregnancy will be pink or tend to be brown. Implantation bleeding can be blood red in color, but it is more common to have a pink or brown color.
  
• Check the time: menstrual blood will flow continuously for the duration of your period without stopping, but implantation bleeding is often just a spot, sometimes appears sometimes not, for 1-2 days. The menstrual cycle lasts 4-7 days. Implantation bleeding will arrive earlier than the estimated start of your new menstrual cycle (usually 5-10 days after conception).
  
• Cramps severity: Menstruation and implantation bleeding can cause stomach cramps, but menstrual cramps will feel stronger. Mild cramps that never increase in severity can be a sign of pregnancy, especially if they are accompanied by discharge of pink or brown blood spots.
  

If the spotting is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, it is highly likely that the bleeding you are experiencing is actually a sign that you are pregnant:

• Nausea
• Refuse to eat and change the sense of taste
• Increase in body temperature drastically
• Increase in basal body temperature
• Breast pain
• Late menstruation

Because bleeding occurs only a few days after conception, implantation bleeding is one of the first signs of pregnancy, even before you start experiencing morning sickness.

However, for many women, it seems that these two types of bleeding are not different. Hence, the best way to find out if you are pregnant or not is to wait a few more days and have a pregnancy test or hCG blood test at the hospital. The timing of your last sexual intercourse with a partner may also help you find out: If it's been more than two weeks, your spotting is most likely not caused by implantation bleeding.

When to watch for blood spots?

Light bleeding during pregnancy - even at other times than implantation - is generally normal. Causes can include anything from sexual intercourse to irritation of the uterus after a pelvic exam, genitalia, or vaginal infection.

Unlike the blood spots that are a characteristic of pregnancy, sometimes blood spots appear after you are tested positive for pregnancy. If this happens, you may need to be aware of an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb), a molar pregnancy (wine pregnancy), or a miscarriage. If the spotting is flowing profusely, with or without pain or cramping, contact your doctor so you can discuss other symptoms.