When the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus: signs, sensations and timing

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Pregnancy occurs as a result of the fertilization of a female cell by sperm - male cells. Few people know about the important process that occurs at the very beginning of pregnancy - cell implantation. This is the process when the fetal egg is attached to the uterus, it is from it that the full process of pregnancy begins. The first signs of the birth of a new life appear. You need to know the main points about this phenomenon, because it is one of the most critical moments in bearing a child. We will look at the timing, sensations and signs of implantation.

What is implantation?

Implantation is an unusual phenomenon in which a fertilized egg, called an embryo, is implanted in the wall of the uterus. There is a gradual connection of the mucous membrane of the uterus and the embryo. This period is important becauseit is precisely in it that the compatibility of two organisms and the ability of a woman to bear a child with such a set of genes is checked. If there are genetic disorders, then the body rejects the cell and miscarriage occurs at an early stage.

From the moment when the fetal egg is attached to the uterus, large-scale changes begin in the woman's body. The cells of the embryo begin to change and develop rapidly, at the same time the placenta begins to form. The hormonal background of a woman changes completely, the level of the hCG hormone increases. From this moment pregnancy begins.

Implantation process

There are several sequential events that occur in a woman's body after sperm ingestion.

1. The first thing is the meeting and fusion of the egg and sperm. From this moment on, the egg is covered with a membrane - a protective film, so that other male cells do not penetrate into it anymore. In such a protective film, the cell is until it enters the uterus.
2. A zygote is formed inside the egg, which begins to actively divide into many smaller cells. The fertilized egg in defense moves through the fallopian tubes with the help of muscle contractions.
3. As soon as the fertilized egg has entered the uterine cavity, the protective film comes off. At this time, a trophoblast is formed on the surface of the fetal egg, which helps the cell to attach to the surface of the uterus.
4. If the resulting membrane around the egg is too dense and rigid, the implantation process may be interrupted. At this moment, the female body selects and does not allowcell attachment with serious pathologies that can be identified at this stage.

Having examined the process itself, then we note how many days the ovum attaches to the uterus, how long it takes, what are the symptoms and why does the process sometimes end in a miscarriage?

When does attachment happen?

The female body is unique, and there are no mandatory rules and regulations that it must follow. This means that it is impossible to determine exactly how long the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus, as well as to calculate when the fact of fertilization took place. Medicine distinguishes two types of attachment depending on time.

1. Early implantation is when a fertilized egg attaches to the uterus 6-7 days after ovulation. It turns out that the fertilized egg moves through the female body for about a week, after which, having passed through the fallopian tubes, it enters the uterus, and attachment begins there.
2. Late implantation is a longer process that takes up to 10 days after ovulation. It occurs during IVF, in women over the age of 40, when the endometrium of the uterus is thick.

How long does a fertilized egg attach to the uterus? The process takes approximately 48 hours to complete. It is accompanied by some symptoms, which we will discuss next. In general, this process is not very noticeable to a woman.

Factors affecting the duration of the implantation period

There are a number of factors that affect how long a cell will travel tobody prior to implantation. Here are some of them that determine when the fetal egg attaches to the uterus:

1. Compatibility of the male and female cells, which determine the strength of the fertilized egg. If it is strong, it will pass through the fallopian tubes with ease, but if not, it may die.
2. If conception occurs naturally (not IVF, freezing), then the number of chances for a quick and successful implantation increases significantly.
3. The thickness and elasticity of the uterine mucosa affect egg attachment. In women after 40, there is a predisposition to thickening of the endometrium. It can also occur at a young age, causing unsuccessful attempts to conceive.
4. It is important to introduce a fundamentally new genetic material, then the probability that the female body will reject it is low. That is why it is not recommended to conceive a child by relatives, even a long way.

Symptomatics

Most of the time, women listen to their bodies and try to feel the symptoms when a fertilized egg attaches to the uterus. Is it possible? Some experts say that this is impossible, because everything happens at the cellular level and cannot cause discomfort to a woman. In fact, practice and many doctors say that this is not the case.

1. There are pulling pains in the lower abdomen, which may resemble pain before menstruation or during ovulation.
2. Discharges are observed, they are smearing and scanty, they have small impuritiesblood.
3. Slight increase in body temperature, both general and basal. After the embryo has successfully attached, the fever may persist throughout the first trimester. The increase in this case is insignificant - about 37 degrees.
4. If a woman regularly measures her basal temperature, she will notice a sinking. This is a temperature drop of about 1.5 degrees. After that, a gradual growth will begin, which will just indicate pregnancy.
5. Metallic taste in mouth and nausea without gag reflexes. They are not pronounced, so they may simply not be noticed by a woman.

Sharp pain, deterioration, bleeding, loss of consciousness, dizziness and other signs are symptoms of anxiety. You need to see a doctor immediately, otherwise the woman's he alth will be seriously damaged.

Implantation discharge

It is important to notice such discharge - there should be very little blood in them. If there is a lot of it, this indicates deviations, you should immediately consult a doctor. All uncomfortable sensations should not greatly disturb the expectant mother, they are light and do not last long.

Strong discharge and prolonged pain indicate a threat of miscarriage and the formation of pathologies, so you need to consult a gynecologist. By nature, implantation secretions are similar to natural secretions, which are secreted during ovulation and during the cycle. They are transparent, may have a light cream,yellowish tint. The only difference is a drop of blood.

Why do implants sometimes fail?

There are cases of impossibility of implantation. Why does the fertilized egg not attach to the uterus? Let's analyze several factors influencing this process:

1. Large thickness and density of the protective cover of the fetal egg. Earlier we discussed the process of implantation, in which we said that if the membrane is too thick, attachment will not be possible.
2. Deviations and disturbances in the genetic set, the development of the blastocyst (the initial stage of human development), that is, the small cell that began to divide.
3. Injury to or disease of the lining of the uterus that is unable to receive an embryo.
4. A small amount of hormones, often progesterone, which creates the conditions for the successful attachment of the ovum.
5. Inadequate nutrition of uterine tissues, which is not enough for the development of the fetus.

Attached to back wall

Expectant mothers are often concerned about the question, to which wall of the uterus is the fertilized egg attached? As practice shows, in most cases, the embryo is attached to the back wall of the uterus. She is closest to the spine of the expectant mother. Obstetricians note that this is the most convenient place of attachment for childbirth.

At the place of attachment, the egg begins to grow, develop, move to another stage of life. The location may change, but only in the 3rd trimester, as the uterus grows. On one's ownit is impossible to determine where the embryo has attached itself. Women's reviews show that if the cell is attached to the back wall, fetal movements will be felt more strongly.

Attachment to the anterior wall is not an abnormality, it is normal, just rarer. In this case, the child will be located on the side of the abdomen, and not the spine.

Attached to the fundus of the uterus

The situation when the fetal egg is attached to the bottom of the uterus is the most correct from a physiological point of view. This arrangement creates all the conditions for favorable development for the embryo, making the risk of miscarriage minimal. At the same time, many women claim that when the egg is attached to the bottom of the uterus, the stomach grows faster and stronger. Please note that this is nothing more than a myth. The location of the embryo does not affect the growth of the abdomen. Moreover, during pregnancy, the child can change its location several more times.