Implantation cramps happen when a fertilized egg nestles into the lining of your uterus. This implantation pain is usually milder than menstrual cramps and happens about four to eight days before your period is due (about six to 10 days after ovulation). You might also have implantation bleeding, which is lighter than a typical period. If you have severe pain or heavy bleeding, call your healthcare provider.
What do implantation cramps feel like?
Implantation cramps feel similar to menstrual cramps, though they're usually milder. In fact, some women mistake them for premenstrual cramps. Not everyone feels implantation cramps, but if you do it may feel like a light twinge or prickling, or it may feel dull and achy.
An early sign of pregnancy, implantation cramps happen when the fertilized egg (at this point called a blastocyst) nestles into the lining of your uterus. This may be accompanied by spotting or light bleeding – much less than you would have with a normal period.
Feeling or not feeling implantation cramps has nothing to do with the health of your pregnancy.
Where do you feel implantation cramps?
You feel implantation cramps in your lower abdomen, in the middle rather than on one side. (It's your uterus that's cramping, even if the implantation is happening in one area.) You may also feel the cramping in your lower back.
Again, you may not feel implantation cramps and that doesn't mean anything about the health of your pregnancy. Some women feel this cramping and some don't.
When does implantation cramping occur?
Implantation cramping typically occurs between six and 10 days after ovulation (if you have an average, 28-day menstrual cycle). This would put it:
- Between day 20 and 24 from the first day of your last period
- About four to eight days before your period is due.
Implantation cramps usually last for a day or two, or three at the most.
Other implantation signs and symptoms
Besides cramping, you might also have some light bleeding. It would be light pink or brown rather than red like your period, and it would be very light. The spotting would last only a few days at the most.
If you miss your period, you'll have another strong indication that what you were feeling was implantation. For best results, take a pregnancy test a few days to a week after you expect your period.
What else might be causing my cramping?
If you're having cramping and it's not implantation, you might have a digestive problem, such as gas or a stomach flu. Or you may be feeling an egg release from your ovary. The name for this ovulation pain is Mittelschmerz. You would feel it on one side of your lower abdomen about halfway through your menstrual cycle – so earlier in your cycle than implantation cramps.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have:
- Severe pain
- Heavy bleeding
- A fever
- Nausea
These signs may indicate something that needs medical attention, such as an ectopic pregnancy, an ovarian cyst, appendicitis, or a miscarriage.
What can I do to relieve the cramping?
Implantation cramps are rarely severe enough to warrant treatment, but if they are making you uncomfortable, you might try:
- A warm compress on your pelvis. You can also use a heating pad, but to be safe, keep the temperature below about 100 degrees F and only use it for 10 minutes at a time.
- A warm bath or shower
- Relaxation exercises
- An over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen
As your pregnancy progresses, there may be other reasons for cramping. Read about cramping in your first trimester as well as later in pregnancy in our article on cramps during pregnancy.
Learn more:
- Pregnancy symptoms: 11 early signs of pregnancy
- Due date calculator
- Pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore
- Pregnancy week by week
Implantation symptoms like abdominal pain and pinkish discharge can occur when the fertilized egg attaches to the woman's uterine wall. It is here where the baby will grown and develop throughout the entirety of the pregnancy.
Symptoms related to implantation tend to be very subtle, and therefore, many women do not take notice of them, even if they are actively looking for signs of pregnancy. Even so, the first sign that you should be aware of is the appearance of pinkish discharge in small quantities. It usually appears about 3 days after conception (when you have had sex).
The most accurate way of confirming implantation and pregnancy is by completing a pregnancy test. This should be done after your period is delayed. Learn about how to complete an over-the-counter pregnancy test and how to interpret results.
First signs that implantation has occurred
Signs or symptoms of implantation may not always be present or can be very difficult to notice. Nonetheless, the most common symptoms include:
- Mild abdominal bloating on the sixth or seventh day after the fertile period
- Pinkish discharge up to 3 days after sex
- Fatigue and drowsiness
- Mild but persistent headache
- Sore and swollen breasts
For implantation, and the eventual pregnancy, to happen, a viable sperm must first meet with an egg. This will most likely occur during the woman's fertile period. Eggs will remain viable during the fertile period for 12 to 24 hours, as they travel to the uterus, while sperm can survive for 48 to 72 hours.
About 4 weeks after implantation, first symptoms of pregnancy will normally begin to emerge. These usually include morning sickness and a late period. Learn more about the first symptoms of a pregnancy.
To be able to pick up on the first signs of pregnancy, it's important to know when you are ovulating and when you are fertile. Enter your information in the calculator below to learn when your next fertile window is:
How to confirm a pregnancy
To confirm a pregnancy, you can opt to complete an over-the-counter pharmacy test first. If this test shows a positive result, you should confirm it with a blood test that evaluates your beta-HCG levels. Either of these tests can be completed as soon as your period is late.
In addition, another way of confirming pregnancy is by completing an ultrasound. An obstetrical ultrasound can identify the presence of an embryo and can pick up the baby’s heart beats. It is important to be followed by an OBGYN once pregnancy is confirmed to ensure your wellbeing as well as the baby’s wellbeing throughout your pregnancy.