Can you have implantation bleeding 5 days after ovulation

Implantation bleeding is light bleeding that may happen about six to 12 days after conception. It may be caused by a fertilized egg implanting in the blood-rich lining of your uterus. Implantation bleeding can be an early sign of pregnancy, but some women mistake it for menstrual blood because it may happen around the time they expect their period.

Implantation bleeding

Implantation bleeding is light bleeding that a small percentage of pregnant women have at about six to 12 days after fertilization. Here's the theory behind why it happens:

After the sperm fertilizes the egg, it starts the three- or four-day trip from the fallopian tube to your uterus. During this time, it divides into hundreds of identical cells. Meanwhile, your ovaries release estrogen that causes the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) to thicken and develop more blood vessels. The uterine lining is preparing to host the quickly growing egg that will soon become an embryo.

Once the egg enters the uterus, it's called a blastocyst, a tiny ball of several hundred cells. A day or two later, it begins burrowing into the blood-rich lining of your uterus, where it continues to grow and divide. As it burrows into the endometrium, the blastocyst may cause little blood vessels to burst, resulting in a small amount of vaginal bleeding.

Implantation bleeding symptoms

In addition to light bleeding, some women also have these other implantation symptoms:

• Light cramping (less than with a normal period)
• Nausea
• Breast tenderness
• Lower back pain
• Mood swings
• Headaches

Note that these symptoms are no guarantee that you're pregnant – they can also be signs of ovulation or PMS. Taking a home pregnancy test is the best way to find out if you're pregnant. (Though you may have to wait a few more days to get an accurate result.)

If you do get your period instead of a positive pregnancy test, and haven't yet scheduled a preconception visit with a midwife or doctor, now is a good time to do so.

When does implantation bleeding occur?

Implantation bleeding tends to occur during the week before you would expect your period, or about six to 12 days after conception. This is around the same time a fertilized egg would be attaching itself to the uterine lining.

How long does implantation bleeding last?

Unlike a regular menstrual period, implantation bleeding usually lasts no more than a day or two. This is the amount of time it takes for the fertilized egg to become implanted into the lining of the uterus.

How common is implantation bleeding?

By some estimates, about 15 to 25 percent of women experience implantation bleeding. Some women may think they’re having a light period when they see the spotting. They may not realize they're pregnant.

How can I tell if it's implantation bleeding or my period?

Here's how to tell whether your bleeding is more likely to be implantation bleeding or your period:

• Amount of blood. Implantation bleeding is a lot lighter than a typical period. It's usually just a little spotting.
• Length of time. Most women bleed for three to seven days during their period. Implantation bleeding often lasts only one to three days.
• Color. Menstrual blood is usually bright red or dark red, but implantation bleeding tends to be a light pink, brown, or rust discharge.
• Clotting. Many women bleed enough during their period that some of the blood clots or becomes like a gel. Implantation bleeding is too light to clot.

When to see a doctor for bleeding in early pregnancy

If you continue spotting even after a positive pregnancy test, or if you develop other symptoms (such as pelvic or abdominal pain, dizziness, or lightheadedness), call your provider immediately.

You may need an exam to make sure you don't have an ectopic pregnancy. This happens when the fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. (It's possible to have an ectopic pregnancy even if you don't get a positive result on a pregnancy test.)

Bleeding or cramping in early pregnancy may also be a sign of an impending miscarriage. But many women spot in the first trimester for no apparent reason and go on to have a completely normal pregnancy.

Learn more:

Quiz: Am I pregnant?

Video: What is implantation bleeding?

When you’re actively trying to get pregnant, those two weeks between ovulation and a positive home pregnancy test (or your period) can seem much longer. If you’re like most women, you’ll spend them hyper-aware of every ache, twinge and craving your body has, wondering whether it’s an early sign of pregnancy.

One of the most telltale symptoms of pregnancy is bleeding. If you do have some light spotting, does it mean anything?

While it can be hard to tell, many women who go on to have healthy, normal pregnancies have what’s called implantation bleeding around the time that their embryo lodges itself into the side of the uterus.

What is implantation bleeding?

Implantation bleeding is light bleeding or spotting that occurs between seven and 14 days after fertilization.

After ovulation and at the moment an egg is successfully fertilized by a sperm in a fallopian tube, the embryo starts dividing and growing. At this time, the inner lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, starts to change. It's already been thickening throughout the menstrual cycle, but it’ll need to grow and mature even more to protect and nourish an embryo.

Around five to six days after fertilization, the quickly growing embryo has moved down the fallopian tube and into the uterus. It’s starting to need more nutrients, and the endometrium has filled in enough to support it.

Next, the embryo attaches itself to the endometrium, where it becomes reliant on a mother’s body — for the first time — for nutrients and oxygen. When the embryo implants, it can disrupt tiny blood vessels in the spot it burrows into. This won’t cause any problems (the endometrium recovers!) but some women will experience light bleeding, from pinkish or red to brown discharge.

When does implantation bleeding happen?

So-called implantation bleeding will likely arrive earlier than your expected monthly menstrual period, usually around seven to 10 days after fertilization or conception.

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Signs of implantation bleeding

These are some of the most common implantation bleeding symptoms:

• Light bleeding or spotting that some women say is different from normal period bleeding because the blood is darker
• Mild cramping
• A woozy feeling
• Swollen breasts
• Headache

Implantation bleeding vs. period bleeding: How to tell the difference

Since implantation bleeding is a symptom that can often occur before you test positive on a pregnancy test, it can be hard to know whether light bleeding is an early sign of pregnancy or just normal spotting leading up to your period. And unfortunately, there’s no conclusive way to find out.

The best way to know whether you’re pregnant or not is to wait a few more days and take a pregnancy test. The timing of when you last had sex might also help you figure it out. If it’s been more than two weeks, it’s unlikely that any spotting you're having is implantation bleeding.

About a third of women who report having experienced implantation bleeding often describe it as distinct 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.

But for many women, the two types of bleeding aren’t different at all. So you’re not alone if you assume that some spotting is implantation bleeding and get your period a few days later, or if you assume that implantation bleeding is normal spotting and end up being pregnant!

How long does implantation bleeding last?

Implantation bleeding usually only lasts one or two days. 

When to call the doctor

Light bleeding during pregnancy — even at times other than implantation — is often normal. Causes can include mundane things like irritation of the cervix following a pelvic exam, sex or infection of the vagina.

But because bleeding following a positive pregnancy test can sometimes be a sign of ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy or other early miscarriage, you should always call your medical provider if you experience it so you can talk through any other symptoms. Try not to worry too much though. Chances are good that if the bleeding is light and doesn't last long, everything is fine.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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