Patient's question:
Patient Age: 27Should implantation of the fertilized egg feel like a sensation in the left abdomen or the right?
I've been experiencing rhythmic pain in my left abdomen these past few days. Could it be related to pregnancy? I haven't reached my next menstrual period yet, and I'm very anxious to determine.
Doctor's answer:
Generally occurs in the ampulla of the fallopian tube. The zygote (also known as the blastocyst) gradually invades the uterine cavity under the action of the ciliary movement of the tubal epithelium and the peristalsis of the tube wall. During its movement, the blastocyst gradually divides and develops. Its trophoblast cells secrete protein-degrading enzymes, which dissolve the surface of the endometrium it contacts, forming a gap. The blastocyst penetrates this gap and embeds itself into the endometrium, after which the gap is rapidly repaired. This process is called the "implantation" of the blastocyst.