You and your husband have been looking forward to having a baby and are working hard about it - monitoring your menstrual cycle, getting enough rest, consulting your ob-gyn and knowing when is the best time to try.

While waiting for a sign if you indeed got pregnant, you suddenly notice a brownish or pinkish light bleeding. Before you get disheartened and mistake it for a menstrual period, you might want to be more positive and consider implantation bleeding instead.

What is implantation bleeding?

This should not be a cause for concern. In fact, it should be something to smile about. When the sperm is able to fertilize the egg, the result is an embryo. The fertilized egg then travels to the uterus and attaches itself to the uterine lining. A successful attachment is known as implantation that can sometimes lead to light spotting and known as implantation bleeding.

If you experience this, remember that this is not something to be concerned about, unless the bleeding is profuse and you have intense abdominal cramps. This is also one of the early signs of pregnancy and can occur between six to 12 days after implantation. Moreover, this can last for several hours or in one or two days.

While this does not happen to every woman, at least 1/3 of pregnant women can experience this condition. Aside from light bleeding, this occurrence also has other signs which are:

• Slight cramping

• Changes in mood

• Headaches

It is possible to think just have your monthly period instead of implantation bleeding since these two seems similar. However, there are distinct differences between the two.

• Bleeding during implantation lasts for 2 days maximum while menstruation can start light for a few days and becomes heavier for up to seven days.

• Lower abdominal cramping is faint and slight in implantation bleeding while when menstruating, cramps can be more significant.

• Bleeding from implantation is light in color while bleeding from menstruation is bright red.

• Implantation bleeding happens around the 10th day of ovulation while menses usually happen on the 14th.

Is it possible to calculate the time of implantation bleeding?

Yes, you can calculate the timing of implantation bleeding. As mentioned above, it happens between 6-10 days of conception. What you can do is to keep a record of your menstruation period and your menstrual cycle. It will also help to know the date of your last ovulation period.

If you know the first day of your last menstrual period and you have a 28-day menstrual cycle, you will ovulate after 14 days. If your egg is fertilized within your ovulation period, it will travel to the uterus and attach to the uterine wall. If all is well, implantation bleeding can happen on the 10th day after ovulation.

If you happen to know your ovulation date, you will also get the same calculation. That said, it’s important to keep track of your menstrual period and be aware of the signs of ovulation. You can also use an implantation calculator available on the internet.

What can be indicators that you are fertile?

1. Mild low abdominal pain

2. Brownish vaginal discharge

3. Breast Tenderness

4. Stretchy and whitish cervical mucus

5. Increased sex drive

6. Smell sensitivity

While not all women can notice these signs, there are other ways to know if you are ovulating. These are through:

• Basal Body Temperature Monitoring

• Fertility Monitor

• Ovulation Kit

• Menstrual Period Charting

Now that you know about implantation bleeding and how to calculate its timing, you need not get nervous if you notice some light spotting while you’re waiting for some signs of being pregnant.