If you are trying to conceive, the question, “How long do implantation cramps last?” might have been lingering in your mind. Sometimes, you might even get confused about implantation cramps and menstrual cramps. Furthermore, either of these cramps can be accompanied by spotting or bleeding. Let’s find out in this article.
What are Implantation Cramps?
After fertilization of the egg cell in your fallopian tubes, the fertilized egg cell descends to your womb. When this happens, the fertilized egg will attach itself to the walls of your womb and it may cause implantation cramps that may be accompanied by implantation bleeding. Besides, the wall of your womb has soft tissues that are meant to protect your baby during pregnancy. Once the fertilized egg cell implants itself in the womb, you may experience this.
Implantation cramps may be experienced intermittently in the lower abdomen, the same region where you would experience a pre-menstrual cramp. However, implantation cramps may have a sensation of slight tugging, tingling or light pricking in your womb which varies depending on the woman.
Implantation cramps might be just one of the many cramps that you may experience throughout your menstrual cycle. However, there are some ways to tell these cramps apart. When you experience implantation cramps, it may mean that a positive pregnancy test may be detectable a few days later.
Do Twins and Multiple Pregnancies Have Heavier Implantation Bleeding and More Intense Cramps?
Implantation cramps and bleeding is known to be more intense in twin and multiple pregnancies than in singletons. Moreover, this might be due to the multiple fertilized eggs that will implant in the uterus at almost the same time. On the other hand, for identical twin pregnancies, the egg cell might already be slightly bigger than fertilized singleton egg cells that would implant in the womb.
Heavier implantation bleeding accompanied by intense cramps might be a sign that you might be having multiple pregnancies. Besides, this might be one of the signs that you might be carrying more than one fetus. However, implantation bleeding and cramps may vary depending on the woman.
How Long do Implantation Cramps Last?
Implantation cramps usually last for about 1-3 days, but it may take a longer or shorter time for some women. Usually, implantation cramps are experienced by women at about 8-12 days after ovulation or 2-7 days before your expected period arrives. Moreover, implantation cramps don’t often last very long and it happens just a few days before your period, so you might get confused whether the cramps are due to pre-menstrual syndrome or implantation after successful fertilization of the egg cell.
Implantation cramps do not last very long and it might not even be noticed by some women or mistake this sign for something else. Once you experience implantation cramps, you may expect to miss your period or only have very light spotting prior to the expected date of your period if you have a regular cycle.
Once you experience implantation cramps, you might want to look back to your calendar to determine whether or not it was the best time to conceive twins. Moreover, if you experienced heavy implantation bleeding accompanying these cramps, then you might be expecting twins. However, if you experience intense cramps and heavy bleeding, yet in the following ultrasounds, a twin is not detected, don’t lose hope since it might be carrying a surprise twin.
Ovulation Cramping vs. Implantation Cramping
You might have experienced several cramps in your lower abdominal area many times now, and you are probably having trouble telling these cramps apart. Besides, you may also feel ovulation cramping during your cycle. This ovulation cramping is a sign that your ovary releases a mature egg that is ready to be fertilized. If you have intercourse shortly after ovulation cramping, you are more likely to get pregnant.
To tell implantation cramping from ovulation cramping apart, you may gauge the sharpness of the cramp and the frequency of cramping. In ovulation cramping, it is usually just a short sharp cramp that may last for about a day or less. On the other hand, implantation cramping may last for 1-3 days or longer in some women.
Implantation Cramps vs. Pre-menstrual Cramps
Once you experience either of these cramps, it might be slightly difficult to tell them apart. Moreover, since they are happening inside your body, you might be feeling similar things accompanying these cramps in your womb. However, there are some differences between implantation cramps and pre-menstrual cramps that you might want to look further into.
The timing of these cramps slightly varies, though some accompanying signs might seem the same, at first. If you are experiencing implantation cramps, it usually lasts for 1-3 days. On the other hand, pre-menstrual cramps may last longer until your expected period starts.
If you had unprotected intercourse during your known fertile days, and you experience sharp cramps a few days afterward, you are then more likely to be experiencing implantation cramps rather than pre-menstrual cramps. Also, either of these cramps may be accompanied by slight spotting, but with implantation cramps, there would be a lot less.
Another key difference between these two types of cramps is that implantation cramps are experienced intermittently. Unlike the pre-menstrual cramp that may last until your period ends. Also, once you experience implantation cramps, you are less likely to have a period for that cycle because you are already pregnant.
Conclusion
How long do implantation cramps last? Usually, implantation cramps only last for 1-3 days, depending on the woman. Also, if you are having difficulty in telling an implantation cramp apart from your pre-menstrual cramp or ovulation cramp, you might want to look out for the tell-tale signs of any of these cramps depending on when you experience them during your cycle.
