Implantation Signs: Dips and Spotting

Although roughly only a 1/3 of all pregnancies start with implantation bleeding, it is one of those signs that TTCers love to over-analyze.

Bleeding before you period could be taken as a bad sign (short LP, low progesterone, hormone imbalance) and a dip in temperatures could signify that progesterone is losing its battle with estrogen and your period is on its way.

Perhaps reading into luteal phase spotting or temperature declines helps ease are minds during the TWW.

There is however, scientific evidence that some people do experience implantation signs. Implantation is defined as the fertilized egg attaching to the uterine wall.

Here is the what, why, and when.

Implantation Dip:

• What: A drop in temperatures during your luteal phase
• Why: Progesterone is the predominate hormone in the first part of your luteal phase. It causes your body temperature to go up. During the course of the luteal phase, estrogen kicks back in, causing temps to decline, but if implantation occured, the corpus luteum is rescued, and progesterone is back in charge. This brief balance of power causes the temperature dip. It is typically defined as at least a 0.3 drop in temperature for just one day.
• When: Typically 7-10dpo (this is an average so could be earlier or later).
• What else you need to know: Just because you have a temperature drop during this time frame, does not mean you are pregnant. Charts that have temp dips are more prevalent on charts resulting in pregnancy versus just ovulatory charts. On the flip, just because you do not have a dip, does not mean that you won't be pregnant. According to a study by fertilityfriend.com, the most common days for a temp dip are 7-8dpo and 23% of pregnancy charts had an implantation dip.

Implantation Spotting (AKA implantation bleeding):

• What: Light spotting for a brief period of time during the luteal phase
• Why: A result of the fertilized egg burrowing into the uterine wall
• When: Typically 8 to 12 dpo
• What I need to know: Like luteal phase temperature dips, spotting in the luteal phase does not mean you are pregnant, it is just a pattern more common on pregnancy charts than ovulatory charts. If you don't have implantation, you still have a great shot of being pregnant. Implantation spotting occurs in about 1/3 of pregnancies. Typically it is pinkish or brown in color, although it could look like blood. It is lighter than menstrual bleeding. It generally lasts for one to two days. Often it is mistaken for a period because it occurs close to the time your cycle should start.

I haven't found research about what comes first, implantation spotting or implantation dip. I looked at myriad charts in fertilityfriend.com's chart gallery and what I discovered was often they occured the same day. Implantation dips were more likely to precede implantation bleeding.

Once the fertilized egg implants, it starts creating HCG, the pregnancy hormone that pregnancy tests check for. I have tried in vain to find a definitive answer as to how soon you would get a positive pregnancy test. From what I found, it runs the gamut from 2 days to 1 week. The majority of sites say wait at least 4 to 5 days. The agony of waiting!

I would love to hear if you had implantation spotting, dips, and how long you needed to wait to get a BFP!

How Many DPO can you Experience Pregnancy Symptoms and Indicators?

There are few things as exhilarating as interpreting little nuances in your body as signs of pregnancy. The question remains, is there any merit to these signs so early in a pregnancy?

Researches suggest most people don't experience signs of pregnancy until the 5th or 6th week. Most active TTCers start over-analyzing everything at what would be 3 or 4 weeks, if they were in fact pregnant.

According to fertilityfriend.com, implantation, or when the fertilized egg burrows into the uterine wall, typically happens 7 to 10dpo. This is an average so it could be earlier or later. The website contends some people might have implantation signs such as:

• light spotting around 7-10 dpo (implantation bleeding)



• a second thermal shift (i.e. triphasic chart for those tracking temps) that occurs between 7 and 10dpo. Note of caution, I once had a clear triphasic chart and was not pregnant.



• Implantation dip or a single temp drop for one day between 7 and 10dpo

I than found the pregnancy-symptom obsesser's dream on countdowntopregnancy.com. They have charts were you can look up a symptom, like cramps, and see when pregnant people (their members) experienced these symptoms. From their sample of users, the most common early pregnancy symptoms as follows:

• Fatigue/Exhaustion: I have experienced this, but during the fifth week. I had to come home from work and sleep for 30 minutes before cooking dinner.



• Mild/Dull Cramps/Pressure: some experience cramping as early as implantation (6-12 dpo). This includes twinges and pinching/pulling. I have experienced these twinges and the nurse said it was the uterus expanding.



• Constipation or feeling bloated

As much as I want to believe in these signs, I have not been accurate in predicting my own pregnancy chances. Take last November. It was our first cycle trying after the miscarriage the previous August. I was about 10dpo when we flew home for Thanksgiving. On the plane my breasts hurt so badly, I was actually holding them. I took this as a great sign because the first thing I noticed in my previous pregnancy (during the 5th week was breast pain and heaviness). Then on 11dpo my chart started a triphasic pattern. I was also absolutely exhausted and was taking naps everyday. I ended up having a 19 luteal phase (should be 14) and I wasn't pregnant. I was shocked. Now if you take my last pregnancy, I didn't record one pregnancy symptom but ended up with a BFP.

One of the main reasons for confusion is that the hormone, progesterone, is present both before you ovulate and in pregnancy. Both pregnancy and menstruation can cause breast pain, cramps and fatigue.

What has been your experience accurately or inaccurately predicting pregnancy based on early symptoms?