How long does implantation last from start to finish

If you’re trying to have a baby — or if you paid really, really close attention in sex ed and have a better memory than us — you may know there are lots of things that need to happen inside your body before you can get a big fat positive on a pregnancy test. The process goes like this:

1. Your body releases a mature egg. (This is ovulation.)
2. Sperm — either already in your body (since the little guys can survive up to 5 to 6 days in the uterus) or just making their grand entrance in the hours before ovulation — travel up the Fallopian tubes to meet the egg.
3. A sperm fertilizes the egg — it really does only take one! (This is conception.)
4. The fertilized egg travels down one of the Fallopian tubes to the uterus.
5. The fertilized egg burrows, or implants, in the uterine wall. (This is implantation.)

Some of these steps happen in an instant — like conception — while others can take a day (ovulation) or even a week (we’re looking at you, traveling fertilized egg).

But implantation is especially key to getting a positive pregnancy test, so figuring out when it may occur (or if it already has) can help you decide whether it’s time to POAS (pee on a stick, as you’ll see in popular pregnancy forums).

This is because implantation triggers your uterus to start producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the “pregnancy hormone.” It’s the hormone home pregnancy tests detect to return a positive or negative result.

Let’s take a look at how to calculate your implantation date.

Related: How often does ovulation last each month?

A mature egg only has a window of about 12 to 24 hours after its release (ovulation) when it can be fertilized.

Once it’s fertilized, the egg’s journey down the Fallopian tubes can take anywhere from 6 to 12 days, but 9 days is average.

So if you know your ovulation date, here’s how you’d calculate your implantation date:

There are two ways you can do the calculation if you know this. These methods are less accurate than knowing your ovulation date, but they may still predict implantation for you.

Method 1: Figure out your ovulation date first

First, consider your average cycle length. Use that to calculate your approximate ovulation date:

This calculation is used because the luteal phase (time after ovulation) is generally around 14 days, even if your cycle is longer than 28 days.

For example, if you have a 30-day cycle, you probably ovulated around cycle day 16. If you have a 34-day cycle, you probably ovulated around cycle day 20.

Add this number of days to the date of the first day of your last period. Using the corresponding date as your “known” ovulation date, use this ovulation equation:

Example: Say the first day of your last period (cycle day 1) was May 2. Your cycle length is usually 30 days. This means you may have ovulated on 30 – 14 = cycle day 16, or May 17. Your expected implantation date would be around May 17 + 9 days = May 26.

Another way to get your date of ovulation is to use our ovulation calculator retrospectively.

Method 2: Use (somewhat) standard averages

This method assumes you ovulate around cycle day 14 and it takes around 9 days for the fertilized egg to travel to the uterus. It’s based on a 28-day cycle.

This method is the least accurate because not all women ovulate on the 14th day of their cycle.

If implantation did occur, your body will start producing hCG. However, this has to build up a little bit before a home pregnancy test will detect it. So your best bet is to wait at least 3 to 4 days after implantation to test.

Most accurate? Wait until after your missed period. For most women, this will be pretty close to 5 to 6 days after implantation. But we get it — when you’re trying to conceive, going even a day longer without knowing can be absolutely excruciating.

If you do test before your missed period, just know that you may get a negative result and still be pregnant. Give your hCG time to build up more, and then test again a couple days later.

No implantation calculator is going to be exact, because every body and every pregnancy is unique. But these calculations can help you estimate when you may have implantation symptoms and when you can take a pregnancy test.

Your estimated implantation date may also help you figure out if you’re starting your period or having implantation bleeding.

Regardless of whether you get pregnant this cycle, take heart. It usually takes a few tries.

If you’ve been trying longer than a year (or longer than 6 months if you’re over age 35), talk to your doctor. They can help diagnose any issues that might be preventing pregnancy and discuss options for growing your family.

Implantation bleeding may occur in early pregnancy. It’s generally light and lasts just a few days. It usually occurs 10-14 days after conception, or around the time of your missed period.

How long does it last?

Implantation bleeding is one type of bleeding that may occur in early pregnancy. Some doctors believe that implantation bleeding occurs when an embryo attaches itself to the lining of your uterus. However, not everyone will experience implantation bleeding or spotting.

Implantation bleeding is generally light and short, just a few days’ worth. It usually occurs 10-14 days after conception, or around the time of your missed period. However, vaginal bleeding has been reported anytime in the first eight weeks of pregnancy.

Spotting is also common before the start of a menstrual period. So — is your bleeding pregnancy-related? Here are some additional identifiers, other early pregnancy symptoms to watch for, and notes on when to see a doctor.

Implantation bleeding may appear as light spotting — blood that appears when you wipe — or a light, consistent flow that requires a liner or light pad. The blood may or may not be mixed with cervical mucus.

You may see a range of colors depending on how long the blood has taken to exit the body:

• A fresher bleed will appear as a shade of light or dark red.
• Blood may look pink or orange if it’s mixed with other vaginal discharge.
• Older blood may look brown due to oxidation.

Be sure to take note of the color and consistency — as well as the frequency — of your bleeding. These are details you’ll want to share with your doctor for diagnosis.

Implantation bleeding is diagnosed through a process of elimination. This means that your doctor will rule out other possible causes of bleeding, such as polyps, first.

If you experience heavy bleeding or clotting, see your doctor right away. This may be a sign of an early miscarriage.

The color and consistency of implantation bleeding may vary from person to person and pregnancy to pregnancy. But if you think you might be pregnant, there are other symptoms that you can watch for.

Frequent urination, fatigue, and nausea are some of the earliest pregnancy symptoms. Your breasts may also become tender or swollen due to the hormonal changes that occur shortly after conception.

Other pregnancy symptoms include:

• cramping
• constipation
• bloating
• moodiness
• food aversions

Early symptoms aren’t always the best indicator of whether you’re pregnant. Some women will have all of these symptoms even when they aren’t pregnant, and others may have none of these symptoms even though they are pregnant.

One of the most reliable symptoms is a missed menstrual period. But if your cycles are irregular, it may be difficult to tell if you’ve truly missed your period.

If you do think you’ve missed a period — or are experiencing other unusual symptoms — it may be time to pick up a home pregnancy test. You can also get a pregnancy test done at your doctor’s office.

Pregnancy test makers claim home pregnancy tests are up to 99 percent accurate. Tests may pick up the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as soon as the first day of your missed period, sometimes earlier.

This hormone doubles in concentration every two or three days in early pregnancy. How soon you may test positive or negative depends on the sensitivity of your test and how long it’s been since the embryo has implanted inside the uterus.

The closer you are to the start of your normal menstrual period, the less chance you’ll have a false negative on a pregnancy test. You may consider testing if your period is late or you have many early pregnancy signs. For the most reliable reading, consider waiting a week past when your period should have started.

If you’re unsure of your results, you may also request a blood pregnancy test through your doctor. Concentrations of hCG reach the blood before the urine, so a blood test may give a positive result sooner than a urine test.

It’s important to tell your doctor whenever you experience abnormal spotting or bleeding — regardless of whether you’re pregnant. Although light bleeding during early pregnancy doesn’t necessarily mean anything negative, you should still see a doctor to be safe.

If you do get a positive home pregnancy test, make an appointment with your doctor. They can confirm your test result and discuss your options for family planning. This may mean navigating prenatal care or discussing choices.

No matter what you decide, your doctor can connect you with resources for support and answer any questions you may have.