Implant losses

What they are and why they appear

Implantation losses are very slight vaginal blood loss, which can occur at the beginning of pregnancy.

Their origin is completely physiological (benign), since it depends on the "implantation of the fertilized egg in the" uterus: the invasion of the endometrial cavity by the blastocyst - which penetrates the basal decidua and grows rapidly in it - causes a lesion local tissues and blood vessels, which produces a small hemorrhage; the blood that does not enter the lacunae of the endometrium but pours into the uterine cavity gives rise to implantation losses.

Associated features and symptoms

This is a "mild" bleeding, resulting in irregular pinkish or brownish leaks. Sometimes, implantation leaks are associated with mild cramping pain in the uterus.

Not all pregnant women experience this sign, which actually appears quite rarely (in 20-30% of pregnant women). Therefore, a woman may be pregnant even if she has not experienced any implantation loss.

If present, implantation losses appear about four weeks after the last menstruation and last from a few hours to a couple of days. For this reason, implantation losses can be confused with normal menstruation; for the same reason , on their first obstetric ultrasound some women find that their pregnancy started a month earlier than they thought.

However, it should be emphasized that the extent of the flow and any associated cramps is generally milder than that experienced with the common menstrual flow. The losses, for example, can be limited to pinkish mucous secretions.

What can an implant leak simulate?

It should be noted that slight spotting may also occur for reasons independent of pregnancy; for example, slight vaginal, cervical or uterine inflammation or infections, as well as transient hormonal imbalances, can lead to abnormal discharge in the second half of the menstrual cycle. A gynecological examination is desirable to better understand the origin of these losses.