Four ways to recognize implantation bleeding
Implantation is an early sign of pregnancy and most women who conceive, experience the same. The egg that is fertilized travels through the fallopian tube and into the uterus. This is where the fertilized egg implants into the uterine lining. During this process, some blood vessels in the uterus may get damaged and this may lead to leakage of a small amount of blood.

Focus on the time of bleeding
Implantation bleeding during pregnancy usually occurs six to twelve days after conception. This means close to the time when one’s next period is expected. One needs to ask themselves when was the last time they had sex and if it’s been more than a month or two, it is quite unlikely that it is implantation bleeding. In most cases, women tend to misunderstand implantation bleeding as their regular menstrual cycle and are often surprised that they are pregnant later.

Examine the color of bleeding
One of the key ways to recognize that one is having an implantation bleeding and not regular periods is to examine the color of bleeding. The color of implantation bleeding is not the same usually like the normal periods color. However, in some cases, it can be. While, in most cases, implantation bleeding is a discharge of black or brown blood. Also known as old blood. This is because of the time taken for the blood to travel from the uterine wall and then through the vagina.

Identify the quantity of bleeding
One more way to recognize implantation bleeding is recognizing the quantity of bleeding. In most cases, implantation bleeding has just spots of blood or even a single spot. The quantity of blood flown out of the body through the uterus is quite less compared to regular periods. Also, implantation bleeding does not tend to last as long as regular periods. However, it still happens to be misunderstood as regular periods, as it occurs around the same date and most women tend to assume that they are simply getting a light period. However, in cases where a woman knows that she is pregnant and is facing heavy bleeding through the vagina, it is best to consult a doctor immediately. This is because apart from implantation bleeding, there are various other causes of bleeding that can exist as well and may require immediate care.

Check for cramps
Implantation bleeding during pregnancy may include mild cramps as the egg gets implanted and the uterus modifies to accommodate the embryo. However, cramps that one may face during implantation bleeding tends to be lighter than the cramps faced during the regular menstrual cycle. If the abdominal cramps are increasing, it may indicate regular periods or even early pregnancy issues like an ectopic pregnancy. In other cases, the pain is possible to be associated with completely different health conditions like an infection of the bladder or appendicitis. It is necessary to consult the doctor immediately if the pain does not appear to be that of the normal period and does not subside on its own in a couple of days.

Above were the three simple ways to recognize implantation bleeding. However, it is normal to misunderstand implantation bleeding as regular periods. This is because this early sign of pregnancy has similar symptoms to that of regular periods. Some other symptoms one can look for to identify implantation bleeding are if one is feeling nauseous due to morning sickness, sore and tender breasts amidst other signs. Also, a change in one’s bathroom habits, feeling tired, and even dizzy are signs of pregnancy that may help in identifying implantation bleeding.