Can You Have Implantation Bleeding & Not Be Pregnant?

Light vaginal bleeding, sometimes referred to as spotting, which occurs early in a pregnancy may be implantation bleeding. This happens when the fertilized egg implants into the endometrial lining of the uterine wall. This process causes the release of a small amount of blood, which is expelled through the vagina.

Implantation bleeding

• Implantation bleeding is a specific type of bleeding caused by the implantation of a fertilized egg into the lining of the uterus. The amount of blood released is usually scant, pink to brown in color and does not resemble a normal period. Because a fertilized egg must be present to cause implantation bleeding, this process can only occur in pregnant women.

Other bleeding issues

• There are a number of reasons, other than a regular menstrual period, for vaginal bleeding whether a woman is pregnant or not. In pregnant women bleeding may be indicative of an impending miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy or a molar pregnancy. Bleeding may also be the result of an infection or inflammation, placenta problems or premature labor. Report any bleeding during pregnancy to your health-care provider immediately. Abnormal vaginal bleeding in women who are not pregnant may be caused by cervical or ovarian cancer, cysts, various STDs, fluctuating hormones, endometritis, hypothyroidism and many other conditions. Report any vaginal bleeding not associated with your normal menstrual cycle to your health-care provider.