When an egg is fertilized by sperm, an embryo is produced. This embryo travels to the uterus where it burrows into the uterine wall where it will receive nourishment from blood and oxygen. This process is known as implantation. Implantation usually occurs around the 7th to 12th day after ovulation. When implantation occurs, some women experience implantation symptoms that can be perceived to be tell-tale signs of a pregnancy before it is confirmed by a pregnancy test. Common implantation symptoms may include:
Implantation Spotting or Implantation Bleeding
Spotting also known as implantation bleeding, can occur when the egg physically burrows into the uterine lining. Even though spotting is also a primary symptom of ovulation, it can be clearly distinguished as an implantation symptom if spotting happens about 10 to 14 days after ovulation and lasts for a short time period. Experiencing mild spotting a few days after ovulation may indicate implantation, but spotting is also something common that many women experience in between periods.
Implantation bleeding differs from a normal period where it is usually scanty and pinkish unlike the bright red color seen during a period.
Implantation Cramping
Abdominal cramping is another common implantation symptom but it is often mistaken as menstrual cramping due to their similar nature. Implantation cramping tends to be mild to moderate and localized to the lower abdomen and back. Abdominal cramping may be due to the changes taking place in your uterus as the embryo implants into the uterine wall and starts to develop.
Changes in Your Breasts
Soon after conception, there are hormonal (estrogen and progesterone) changes that occur within your body and this causes your breasts to become slightly swollen and tender. This is likely one of the earliest physical signs that you would notice in pregnancy.
The time and the duration in which you notice these changes are also important because sometimes it could be just a symptom of ovulation. If these breast changes are a result of conception, then you would probably feel these changes about 7 days after the day of ovulation.
Food Cravings and Dislikes
A strong desire or a strong distaste to certain types of foods is another prominent symptom seen in many women who conceive. Following implantation, hormonal changes occur within the body and these changes attribute to these food cravings and dislikes.
Rise in Basal Body Temperature
If you have been continuously monitoring your basal body temperature (BBT), then this can offer a sign of implantation. The basal body temperature is the lowest body temperature recorded at rest and it is usually measured early morning soon after waking up. In non-pregnant woman, the basal body temperature rises during ovulation and falls back when menstruation occurs. However, in a pregnant woman, this dip in temperature will not be noticed and the temperature continues to remain high. This rise in temperature is a result of the increasing levels of progesterone following implantation. If you notice that your basal body temperature remains high for more than 2 weeks, then you are more likely to be pregnant.
Fatigue or tiredness
Are you feeling tired all the time and it feels unusual? Do you feel like you could fall back and sleep at any time and any place? Well, then this could be another sign that you are pregnant. From the time of implantation, your body undergoes many changes including increased hormone production, increased blood flow, and increased heart activity to accommodate your body for the growing foetus. All of these changes will contribute to the fatigue you are feeling. The main culprit here is the progesterone hormone which is a central nervous system depressant that makes you sleepy all the time.
Morning sickness
Morning sickness or nausea is a common symptom of pregnancy and gets its name because these symptoms occur mostly in the morning. However, it is possible for a woman to feel nauseated any time of the day. It usually occurs during week 4 and 8 in pregnancy but can occur as early as 2 weeks from the time of conception. Morning sickness can be triggered by anything that’s around you but more commonly certain foods such as coffee, meat and dairy products, certain perfumes, and smoke can trigger morning sickness.
Having one, or even all of the above symptoms does not necessarily mean that you are pregnant. Many of these symptoms are similar enough to other conditions, including your menstrual period, that they are too general to be thought of as reliably predictive symptoms. Similarly, you can be pregnant without having any of the symptoms discussed above. It is even possible that the symptoms you experience vary with different pregnancies. The best way to confirm a pregnancy is though a home pregnancy test or to make an appointment with your medical practitioner.