QUESTION
When does implantation occur?
ANSWER
Implantation refers to the process where a fertilized egg becomes embedded in the uterine wall. This is considered to be the starting point of a pregnancy.
To get a good understanding about the time of implantation, it helps to first understand how and when ovulation occurs. This is because ovulation (the release of a mature egg from the ovary) plays a major role in pregnancy.
Ovulation usually takes place in the middle of your menstrual cycle. So if you have a 28-day cycle, then ovulation takes place around the 14th day of the cycle but if you have a 32-day cycle, then you would ovulate around the 16th day.
Once ovulation takes place, the released egg has about 24 hours to be fertilized. If a sperm manages to reach the egg during this time, fertilization occurs.
If an egg is fertilized, the resulting structure is called a zygote. The cells start to divide continuously, becoming an embryo, as it travels through the fallopian tube. By the time it reaches the uterine cavity, the embryo has undergone several cycles of cell division and is now called a blastocyst.
In the uterine cavity, the blastocyst hatches from its protective shell and starts to attach itself into the uterine wall. This is known as implantation.
This entire process, from the time of fertilization up to implantation, takes about 8 to 10 days. However, this time can vary from 6 to 12 days. So if you have a 28-day menstrual cycle and ovulate by the 14th day of the cycle, then you could expect implantation to occur somewhere around the 22nd to the 24th day of your cycle.
So, in short, when does implantation occur? It occurs about 6 to 12 days after ovulation.
