Are There Noticeable Signs and Symptoms of Implantation?

People who are trying to conceive often pay extra attention to their bodies, searching for any signs of implantation, which is when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall marking the beginning of pregnancy. But can you actually tell when implantation occurs?

While there may be signs that the fertilized egg is implanting into the uterine lining such as spotting and cramping, symptoms alone can't confirm or rule out implantation. Here's what you need to know about the most common signs and symptoms of implantation and what they can (and can't) tell you about whether or not you have conceived.

Potential Implantation Symptoms

For conception to occur, the ovaries must first release a mature egg during ovulation. The egg must then be fertilized by sperm before journeying to the uterus and implanting in the uterine lining. Keep reading to learn more about the possible signs of implantation, from vaginal bleeding to nausea to sore breasts.

Implantation bleeding

Some people experience a small amount of spotting or bleeding after fertilization. According to Dr. Hou, this is presumed to be related to implantation, when the fertilized egg implants itself in the uterus, potentially irritating the uterine lining and causing some to shed.

"We don't have a good study showing how common it is, but based on different reports, implantation bleeding occurs in 10% to 30% of pregnancies," adds Dr. Hou.

Implantation bleeding can also be confused with other types of spotting, including bleeding near ovulation and an early miscarriage or chemical pregnancy.

Implantation cramps

Can you feel implantation? Although the answer is no, Dr. Hou says some people do experience minor cramps when the fertilized egg implants itself into the uterus. "We are not clear if that's related to implantation," she cautions.

The so-called implantation cramps often happen around the same time as implantation bleeding and feel similar to menstrual cramps. They typically come and go in your lower abdomen or lower back.

Implantation dip

People who have been tracking their basal body temperature (BBT) may notice a slight, temporary decrease or "dip" in temperature around the time of implantation, after which their temperature goes back up and stays up. While research around this "implantation dip" is lacking, it's one possible sign of implantation that people have reported.

Sore breasts

After implantation, your breasts may become very sensitive to the touch, thanks to an increase in estrogen, progesterone, and the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This usually happens one to two weeks after conception, and it'll feel more pronounced than normal PMS-related soreness.

Nausea

Your digestive system slows down when you get pregnant, so some people will experience nausea, constipation, and indigestion following implantation (although full-fledged morning sickness is still likely a few weeks away). Progesterone and hCG hormones also contribute to these conception symptoms—and so does the heightened sense of smell that many pregnant people experience.

Darkening of the areola

Pregnancy hormones also affect nipple cells (called melanocytes) and cause them to darken, which can occur in very early pregnancy. For others, however, the change occurs later in the pregnancy.

Fatigue

As your body prepares to grow a baby, you may feel more tired than normal. You can partly blame fatigue on the rise of progesterone and increased energy demands as your body does the work of growing a pregnancy.

Headaches

Are you experiencing tension headaches even though you aren't prone to them? Increased blood volume and surging hormones associated with early pregnancy may be the culprits.

Bloating

Rising progesterone levels can cause excess bloating in early pregnancy—similar to what you might experience with PMS. Constipation might also accompany this potential sign of implantation and early pregnancy.

Mood swings

Just like some people feel extra emotional before their period, they might feel extra moody after implantation due to the rise in pregnancy hormones.

Metallic taste

Thanks to rising levels of estrogen, people may notice a bitterly metallic taste in their mouths following conception, says Chloe Acevedo, MD, an OB-GYN at Atlantic Medical Group Women's Health in New Jersey.

Changes in appetite

It's not uncommon to have a shift in your taste preferences after getting pregnant, whether you're suddenly averse to coffee, your favorite dessert, or something else.

Can You Notice Signs of Implantation?

Some pregnant people say that they noticed signs of implantation after ovulation and before their missed period. The most commonly reported implantation symptoms are cramping and bleeding, but they tend to be very subtle. Some pregnant people don't notice any signs of implantation at all.

To make things more confusing, implantation symptoms are easily confused with early menstruation, which can be vague and nonspecific, according to Dr. Acevedo. There is quite a lot of symptom overlap between early signs of pregnancy and PMS.

"The only way to confirm if symptoms are due to implantation or PMS is with a pregnancy test," she says.

I'm Having Implantation Symptoms—Now What?

What should you do if you experience bleeding, cramping, nausea, sore breasts, or other implantation symptoms? "You can take a home pregnancy test," says Dr. Hou.

But since implantation happens one to two weeks after ovulation, it may be too early to get an accurate reading if you test at the very first sign of implantation. Instead, it's better to wait until about two weeks after ovulation (around the time of your expected period), when levels of hCG will be high enough to detect.

If your home pregnancy test is still negative one week after your missed period, but you think you may be pregnant, see a health care provider for guidance. They can give you a physical exam along with a prengnacy blood test, which measures levels of the hCG in your blood at a much higher degree of sensitivity than a urine-based home test.