When a couple knows something about pregnancy and pregnancy tests, they try to explore more knowledge. They are interested in confirming their pregnancy as soon as possible. Implantation is a term that is discussed during pregnancy testing.
What is implantation?
During sexual intercourse, sperms will enter the female genital tract. Ejaculation support and provide a force for the sperms to enter the genital tract. The sperm will undergo several physiological changes during its journey toward the egg.
In each month, an egg will get released by the ovary. The process of releasing a matured egg is known as ovulation. Ovulation occurs at the midway of the menstruation cycle. When you and your partner keep sexual relationships during the ovulation period, the sperm will be capable of fertilizing the egg.
Sperms will swim towards the egg, and only one sperm will fertilize the egg. The union of sperm and the egg is known as fertilization. At the onset of fertilization, the egg undergoes several physiological changes and prevents re-fertilization from another sperm.
Soon after fertilization, the embryo forms, starts the cell division process and increases the cell number. Usually, fertilization takes place inside the fallopian tubes. The embryo begins growing and moving towards the uterus. The embryo, known as the morula, will reach the uterus following fertilization.
The fluid within the uterus will enter the morula and form a fluid-filled cavity called the blastocoel. Now, this structure is known as a blastocyst. Blastocysts get embedded into the uterine wall causing it to fix with the uterus wall. This process is known as implantation.
What is a positive pregnancy test?
There are several types of pregnancy tests. The urine and blood pregnancy test results depend on a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). HCG hormone is produced by the placenta and available in the women's urine and blood. HCG hormone takes more days to reach urine than it is present in the blood.
The HCG hormone level rises drastically during early pregnancy. This phenomenon is used to detect whether a woman is pregnant or not. Urine pregnancy tests are designed to detect the HCG hormone within the urine. A reactive agent is added to the urine strips, showing positive results when the HCG hormone reacts with the reactive agent.
But there are instances where the positive results are not because of a pregnancy. Urine tests only detect elevated HCG hormone levels, which is a qualitative test. Miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and ovarian cysts will also cause elevated urine HCG levels. Therefore it is essential to discuss this with a physician after receiving a positive pregnancy test result.
When to take a home pregnancy test?
The body will initiate HCG production only after completing the implantation process. But a home pregnancy test can't detect HCG hormone soon after implantation. It needs time to elevate the HCG level more than the threshold level, and the HCG hormone takes time to reach urine.
A blood pregnancy test can detect HCG early than a urine pregnancy test. A woman can take a blood pregnancy test 3-4 days following the implantation. But waiting until you miss your period is recommended to get accurate results from a urine pregnancy test.
When you take a home pregnancy test too early, the test will provide negative results. To secure the accuracy wait until you pass 6-7 days following the implantation.
Can you get a positive pregnancy test before implantation?
It is impossible to obtain a positive pregnancy test before the implantation. Because urine and blood pregnancy tests are designed to detect HCG hormone, you can try an abdominal ultrasound scan to visualize the uterus.
The fluid-filled blastocyst can be detected via abdominal ultrasound. Although the implantation process is incomplete, the blastocyst can be visualized with an abdominal ultrasound scan. But to detect the blastocyst, the embryo must locate inside the uterus.
What are the signs of successful implantation?
Implantation bleeding is the most significant feature that can be observed. There will be slight bleeding, like spots, when the blastocyst gets implanted in the uterus. The chorionic villi move into the uterine wall causing damage to small blood vessels.
Other than spotting, the woman may experience abdominal cramping, soreness in the breast, increased urination, and elevation of basal body temperature. With the implantation, the body will initiate the production of HCG hormone. This is the main reason for the occurrence of pregnancy signs and symptoms.
Summary
The placenta produces HCG hormone after completing implantation. So, a urine or blood pregnancy test can't provide accurate results before implantation. But an abdominal ultrasound scan can detect the blastocyst as it is filled with fluid. Although it became possible to detect a blastocyst inside the uterus, we cannot trust the pregnancy until it gets implanted in the uterus because there are instances where the blastocyst leaves the body without implantation.
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