Boston: Spotting During Early Pregnancy - Is it Normal?

Boston,

The first thing that you have to know is the difference between bleeding and spotting during early pregnancy. Simply put, spotting is just very light bleeding, this is the same with what you may have at the very beginning or end of your period. The color may vary from pink to red brown. If the spotting is accompanied by bright red blood, fever, chills and cramping, contact your doctor at the soonest time possible.

There is no definite or single cause of spotting and it’s often confusing for pregnant women to tell if this should be a cause for panic. In general though, spotting is normal during pregnancy but being aware of what’s normal or not is crucial.

What are the causes of spotting during early pregnancy?

1.) Implantation Bleeding- this takes place when an egg has been fertilized and implants into the uterus’ lining and since the lining of the uterus is made up of blood, there can be a little blood expelled. This is usually not a flowing type of blood.

2.) Sex- yes even sex can cause you to experience spotting. Blood flow tends to increase in your cervix during pregnancy so it’s not uncommon to notice a little blood after intercourse. Go see your doctor to make sure you do not have a cervical polyp, this is a benign growth that can cause bleeding or spotting after sex.

3.) Infections- there are times that spotting occurs due to conditions not related to pregnancy. Yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis or a sexually transmitted infection like trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia and herpes can cause the cervix to become irritated or inflamed. In this case, you are particularly prone to spotting after sexual intercourse or pap smear.

4.) Miscarriage or Ectopic Pregnancy- if your spotting is in conjunction with abdominal pain or cramping, this can be a sign of miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy (the embryo implants outside the uterus). 25% of pregnant women experience bleeding or spotting during early pregnancy and about half of them miscarry. If you have an ultrasound though that shows a normal heartbeat of your baby around seven to eleven weeks, you have more than 90% chance to continue with the pregnancy.

Source by Mirthle Wyatt-Moore

Spotting During Early Pregnancy - Is it Normal?