How late can implantation occur?

[StacieM]

Hey - just wondering if you ladies can answer a question about implantation. I know that it usually happens around 6-10 dpo, but are there cases where it can happen later? The reason I ask is for my SIL.

I don't know if you remember, but she's been trying for a baby and we were hoping that last month was her month. She used an OPK and it confirmed O for around the 3rd of Oct. AF was due 10/17. She took those EPT before 10/17 and they were neg.

On 10/17 she called me to say that she's been waiting for AF (last 3 cycles were right on like clockwork - that's when she stopped b/c and started trying) but on the 17th there was nothing all day. Then just recently she told me that when she finally did have what she thinks was AF she described it as "super light", hardly anything, and said it was done by the 19th - so not even 2 days.

I'm wondering if that was some implantation bleeding although that's kind of late. Anyway - just wondering if you had thoughts. She hasn't taken any more pg tests and has an appt with her doc on 11/7 and was going to ask about that unusual cycle.

I also realize that late implantation like that usually doesn't go well, but do some women spot after implantation actually occurs (maybe a day or two later)?

I also read that sometimes light AF's like that mean that maybe you didn't ovulate that cycle, but would an OPK indicate ovulation will be occuring soon and then nothing happen?

Anyway - I'm interested in any thoughts that you wise ladies may have.

[boheime]

I think that if she is pregnant, it would more likely be break-through bleeding than implantation bleeding.

[StacieM]

Would she have breakthrough bleeding if she's not on b/c? Plus, she wasn't on oral contraceptives when she was on b/c.

[boheime]

I had break-through bleeding around that time with ds. I was not on b/c. It was three days of what seemed a really light period - even though I thought I was pregnant. The bleeding stopped, I tested, and proved myself right. i didn't have that with dd or this baby, though.

[StacieM]

Hmmm - interesting. She doesn't think she is pg, but she'll take another test just to satisfy my curiousity LOL. If not, that's okay, it's about time for her to ovulate again - we'll cross our fingers for this cycle. That's part of why she thinks she's not pg...she's been noticing that she breaks out around the time she ovulates and is starting to break out so she figures she's about to ovulate. Good thing she's off for a couple days. She's a flight attendant so when she works there's no bd going on.

I had never heard of breakthrough bleeding before, but as I understand it now, sometimes even though you're pg, there aren't quite enough hormones to completely stop your period, so you have some light bleeding around the time you would have normally expected your period. That would make a lot more sense than implantation bleeding. If she's not pg, I told her to definitely ask her dr about it when she goes in next week for a pre-pg appt.

[mataji4]

Here is a quote from Anne Frye's midwifery text on pregnancy:

"Implantation begins approx. 6 days post-conception and continues during the following week. Spotting is often a by-product of this process, occurring during the 3rd to 4th week of pregnancy (this means from the lmp). If implantation occurs high in the uterus (as it typically does) such spotting may be delayed a bit as it works its way down to the cervix."

I had implantation bleeding with all of my pregnancies, which varied from 2-11 days in length and began anywhere from the 12th to the 17th day post-ovulation. My first pregnancy (when my cervix was more closed!!!LOL!!), the bleeding started on day 17 post ovulation and was only 2 days.

It sounds like implantation bleeding. "Breaking out" is also very common in early pregnancy as the hormones change.

Hoping the best for your sister!