Implantation Dip – Meaning & Is It a Sign of Pregnancy

An implantation dip is not a reliable sign of pregnancy; it refers to a brief, one-day drop in basal body temperature (BBT) that some people notice during the luteal phase. Although it may occur around the time implantation could happen, temperature fluctuations can happen for several reasons and do not confirm pregnancy.

If you’re tracking your BBT and notice a dip, it’s understandable to wonder whether it means an embryo has implanted. In this article, we’ll look at when an implantation dip may happen, what it actually means, how common it is, and whether it can be considered an early sign of pregnancy, so you can better understand what your BBT chart with implantation dip is telling you.

What Is Implantation Dip?

An implantation dip is a brief, one-day drop in basal body temperature (BBT) that may occur during the luteal phase, sometimes around the time an embryo implants in the uterus. People who track their BBT may notice their temperature fall slightly and then rise again the following day.

Despite its name, an implantation dip does not confirm that implantation has occurred or that you are pregnant.

When Does Implantation Dip Occur?

Implantation can occur anywhere from 6 to 12 days after ovulation, but in most cases, it occurs around 8 to 10 days, as per one of the researches. In a study conducted in 1999, the implantation timings of approximately 200 women were monitored and the majority of the pregnancies were implanted from 8 to 10 days after ovulation (1). Where some women registered light-spotting and cramping as some of the implantation dip symptoms, the ones tracking their basal body temperatures attributed the dip in the temperature or implantation dip in pregnancy as another reliable indicator.

What Causes Implantation Temperature Dip?

Well, we do not know for sure, but, the surge in estrogen is one of the reasons for the dip. The higher amounts of estrogen are directly related to low body temperatures (2). This surge is notable two times during your cycles, once before the ovulation, and then again, somewhere midway through the luteal phase.

What Happens After the Implantation Dip?

After the implantation dip, the size of the basal body temperature resumes until it reaches the stationary phase of the escalated body temperature that’s constant throughout the pregnancy. If you miss your period, you may take a pregnancy test to confirm whether the implantation has taken place.

Relation of Basal Body Temperature and Implantation Dip

Monitoring your basal body temperature can help you in getting more information about your monthly cycles (periods) and fluctuating hormones, and it may also help in knowing whether or not implantation has occurred. Implantation dip BBT is one of the many other options for monitoring fertility and also one of the cheapest ways to know what is happening with your monthly cycles. In order to have more accurate results, one should monitor the basal body temperatures and basal body temperature implantation dip for almost three months at a stretch (3).

Keeping a tab on the early pregnancy BBT chart for implantation dip can help you know more about your biphasic chart or the two phases. In the first phase, the temperatures show a low trend because of hormones preparing for ovulation. In the second phase, there is a slight increase in temperature, which results from the ovulation. However, sometimes the chart may indicate a 1-day implantation dip, which happens 7 to 10 days after ovulation.

Does Implantation Temperature Dip Indicate Pregnancy?

If you are wondering whether an implantation dip below the cover line is indicative of pregnancy then we would like to share some valuable insight on it! Women who registered positive results by monitoring their BBT endorsed this as one of the definitive parameters of pregnancy but the ones who didn’t get the positive results felt otherwise. We cannot shrug away from the fact that human anatomy works in unusual ways sometimes and just acknowledging some temperature variations in the body as probable signs of pregnancy, which otherwise can occur too, cannot alone act as a viable determiner of the same.

Also, your body temperature changes or dips for many reasons and it can be difficult to establish why these fluctuations are taking place. You may notice a dip in your temperature if your period is approaching or due to other biological changes happening inside your body. This means that dip may not be a sign of implantation.

There are also not many studies or research available that support implantation dip as a positive sign of pregnancy. According to one of the analyses, it was observed that dip usually occurs around 7 or 8 days, however, in most cases, implantation took place anywhere from 8 to 10 days after ovulation. Also, as many as 11 per cent of women with the dip were not pregnant but 23 per cent were (1). These numbers are indicative that implantation dip cannot be the only parameter to determine your pregnancy. You may consider it as one of the probable signs of pregnancy rather than a definitive indicator.

Reliability of Implantation Dip to Confirm Pregnancy

Every woman who is trying to get pregnant would want to have some clear signs and indications about whether or not she is pregnant. However, relying on basal body temperature as sure short proof of pregnancy may not be the most reliable way! You can have a more accurate readout if you combine your readings with other kits such as an ovulation kit. Here are some ways to establish an early pregnancy (4):

• If you are late with your period for more than a week.
• If your home pregnancy test kit shows a positive result.
• By taking a blood test (after you have missed your period).
• If you are experiencing pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, morning sickness, bloating, headaches, breast tenderness, constipation, etc.
• By getting an early ultrasound scan.

FAQs

1. Do all pregnancies have implantation dip?

It is possible to become pregnant even without experiencing a major BBT implantation dip. Therefore, do not worry if you don’t witness a dip in your BBT chart. You could still be pregnant. So, it is recommended to confirm this with a healthcare provider.

2. When does hCG begin to rise after the implantation dip?

hCG levels begin to rise and may be detected in the blood about eight to ten days after fertilisation or conception has taken place. Do take a medical test to confirm the result.

3. How I can boost the chances of successful implantation?

You cannot guarantee or directly control successful implantation, but you can support your reproductive health by taking folic acid, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and recreational drugs, limiting caffeine, and avoiding alcohol while trying to conceive (5).

4. How soon after implantation dip can I test?

You can take a home pregnancy test around the day your period is due, rather than testing based on an implantation dip. Pregnancy tests detect hCG (6), which rises after implantation, but a dip in basal body temperature does not confirm that implantation has occurred.

When you have been trying to have a baby, the wait to find out something positive can sometimes be too frustrating and exhausting. So, does that mean that you can simply rely on anything that shows even the slightest of the positive hint, well, you can but it is not a foolproof way of knowing! The best thing to do is wait patiently for two weeks after you register such a dip or wait to take a home pregnancy test after you miss your period.

Also Read:

Signs of Implantation Cramps
Useful Guide on Implantation Bleeding 
How Late Implantation Affects Pregnancy

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Sources References

1. The New England Journal of Medicine – Time of Implantation of the Conceptus and Loss of Pregnancy

2. Autonomic Neuroscience – Sex hormone effects on autonomic mechanisms of thermoregulation in humans

3. Cleveland Clinic – Basal Body Temperature

4. Cleveland Clinic – Am I Pregnant?

5. Max Healthcare – How to Enhance Your Reproductive Health: Expert Tips & Advice

6. Cleveland Clinic – Pregnancy Tests