How soon do you feel implantation cramps?

Implantation cramps typically occur about seven to 14 days after ovulation. This is between day 21 and 28 from the first day of your last period, or about the time you might otherwise get your next period.

Does implantation cramping mean you're pregnant?

It's hard to tell whether cramping around this time of the month is caused by implantation cramps or your period. But if the cramping is caused by successful implantation, then yes, that means you're pregnant.

Will you test positive right after implantation?

It takes time for levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG to be high enough to measure in your urine. Before you take a pregnancy test, experts recommend waiting at least until the day you expect your period to start.

How long do implantation cramps last?

Implantation cramps usually last for only a day or two.

What do implantation cramps feel like?

Implantation cramps feel similar to menstrual cramps, though they're usually milder. You might feel a light twinge or prickling, or the pain may feel dull and achy.

Medically reviewed by Shannon Smith, M.D., FACOG, ob-gyn

Written by Karen Miles | Jul 14, 2023

Photo credit: iStock.com / LaylaBird

In this article

What does implantation feel like?

Many women don't have any implantation symptoms, but some have mild cramping. An early sign of pregnancy, implantation cramps happen when the fertilized egg (at this point called a blastocyst) nestles into the lining of your uterus. This may be accompanied by spotting or light implantation bleeding – much less than you would have with a normal period.

Not every woman has implantation cramps, though, so don't worry if you never feel them. This doesn't mean anything about the health of your pregnancy.

Advertisement | page continues below

Where do you feel implantation cramps?

If you have them, you'll feel implantation cramps in your lower abdomen, in the middle rather than on one side. (It's your uterus that's cramping, even if the implantation is happening in one area.) You may also feel the cramping in your lower back.

When does implantation cramping occur?

Implantation cramping typically occurs between seven and 14 days after fertilization (if you have an average, 28-day menstrual cycle). This would put it between day 21 and 28 from the first day of your last period, or about the time you might otherwise get your next period.

Implantation cramps usually last for a day or two, or three at the most.

Other implantation signs and symptoms

Besides cramping, you might also have some light bleeding. It would be light pink or brown rather than red like your period, and it would be a small amount. Many women notice the spotting when they wipe after using the restroom.

"The spotting generally lasts a few days at most," says Shannon Smith, M.DOpens a new window., an ob-gyn at Brigham Faulkner Ob/Gyn Associates in Boston. "As long as you're not having period-like, bright-red bleeding, there's absolutely no cause for alarm."

At first, it's easy to mistake implantation bleeding for your period. But if the amount of blood doesn't increase, and your flow doesn't last as long as usual or get heavier, you have reason to suspect implantation bleeding. To find out for sure, take a pregnancy test the day you miss your period or a few days after that.

What else might be causing my cramping?

If you're having cramping and it's not implantation, you might have a digestive problem, such as gas or a stomach flu. Or you may be feeling an egg release from your ovary. The name for this ovulation pain is Mittelschmerz. You would feel it on one side of your lower abdomen about halfway through your menstrual cycle – so earlier in your cycle than implantation cramps.

Advertisement | page continues below

Contact your healthcare provider if you have:

Severe pain
Bright-red bleeding
A fever
Nausea

These signs may indicate something that needs medical attention, such as an ectopic pregnancy, an ovarian cyst, appendicitis, or a miscarriage.

What can I do to relieve the cramping?

Implantation cramps are rarely severe enough to warrant treatment, but if they're making you uncomfortable, you might try:

A warm compress on your pelvis. You can also use a heating pad, but to be safe, keep the temperature below about 100 degrees F and only use it for 10 minutes at a time.
A warm bath or shower
Relaxation exercises
An over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen

Advertisement | page continues below

As your pregnancy progresses, there may be other reasons for cramping. Read about cramping in your first trimester as well as later in pregnancy in our article on cramps during pregnancy.

Learn more:

Was this article helpful?

Yes

Follow your baby's amazing development

Download the BabyCenter appOpens a new window

Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

ACOG. 2022. Bleeding during pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/bleeding-during-pregnancyOpens a new window [Accessed March 2023]

FDA. 2019. Pregnancy. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/home-use-tests/pregnancyOpens a new window [Accessed March 2023]

Kim SM et al. 2017. A review of mechanisms of implantation. Development & Reproduction 21(4): 351-359. https://www.ksdb.org/archive/view_articleOpens a new window [Accessed March 2023]

Mayo Clinic. Undated. Fertilization and implantation. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/multimedia/fertilization-and-implantation/img-20008656Opens a new window [Accessed March 2023]

Mayo Clinic. 2022. Mittelschmerz. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mittelschmerz/symptoms-causes/syc-20375122Opens a new window [Accessed March 2023]

Mayo Clinic Staff. 2021. Symptoms of pregnancy: What happens first. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/symptoms-of-pregnancy/art-20043853Opens a new window [Accessed March 2023]

Mayo Clinic. 2022. Is implantation bleeding normal in early pregnancy? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/implantation-bleeding/faq-20058257Opens a new window [Accessed March 2023]

MedlinePlus. Undated. Fetal development. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002398.htmOpens a new window [Accessed March 2023]

Karen Miles

Karen Miles is a writer and an expert on pregnancy and parenting who has contributed to BabyCenter for more than 20 years. She's passionate about bringing up-to-date, useful information to parents so they can make good decisions for their families. Her favorite gig of all is being "Mama Karen" to four grown children and "Nana" to nine grandkids.

Opens a new window Opens a new window Opens a new window