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You know when you’re on your period. The blood is flowing, your mood is swinging, and your cramping uterus just confirms what you already know to be true. When you’re spotting, things might not be so clear. Seeing a few red dots in your underwear could mean so many different things: pregnancy, ovulation, stress, a looming visit from Aunt Flo. Regardless of how well you know your body and your menstrual cycle, unexpected bleeding of any kind can be anxiety inducing. Don’t panic—we’ve got the lowdown on spotting before, after, and in-between your periods. The Difference Between Spotting and Your PeriodGenerally, periods come every 21 to 35 days. Some women have shorter periods that last up to 2 days, while others menstruate for up to 7 days. Still others can bleed for even longer but this is a sign of a heavy period (or menorrhagia) and, although common, is not normal and can indicate that there are underlying reproductive issues. The first day of your period is considered “day 1” of your monthly cycle and is often accompanied by period pains: headaches, cramps, cravings, and the like. Though it may seem like you’re bleeding out, the amount of blood women release is usually between 4 and 7 tablespoons. The color of period blood can range but is typically red or, if your uterus is shedding off old tissue, brown. On the other hand, spotting can occur at any time during your monthly cycle and is most likely going to be just a few drops of blood throughout the day. Spotting blood is usually either light pink or dark brown. Though cramps and periods seem to be best buds, you probably won’t feel any pain if you’re spotting—unless you are experiencing implantation spotting but we’ll get to that. Now that you’re clear on the differences between spotting and having your period, let’s move on to the really important stuff: why you’re spotting at different times throughout your menstrual cycle. You’re StressedWhen our society glorifies busy-ness and often views a packed schedule as a status symbol, who isn’t stressed these days? No one, that’s who. Whether it’s stress from a chaotic career, family issues, or just general pressure to be amazing at everything (you really are enough, lady), increased levels of cortisol can take a toll on your menstrual cycle. While missed or irregular periods are common symptoms of being so stressed that you can’t even, so is spotting. If you can correlate your spotting to times when your stress levels are through the roof, you may have identified the cause. Your best bet is to do what you can to tone down on the stress — take a bubble bath, do some yoga, or just start saying no to things you don’t want to do (or don’t really have time for). Managing your stress in a healthy way should help your spotting subside and your menstrual cycle go back to normal. You are OvulatingWhen you finish up your period, your brain signals to your ovaries that it’s time to make an egg. When your ovaries release that egg into your fallopian tube, you’re officially ovulating. This usually happens around day 14 of your cycle but, of course, this can vary if you have a shorter or longer cycle. That 12 to 24-hour window that your egg is waiting for sperm to find and fertilize it can cause bleeding. Though only about 1 to 2 percent of women have ovulation spotting, those who do may find that their pink or light brown spotting is mixed in with some “egg white” looking discharge, which is a sign of ovulation and fertility. Your Eggo is PreggoSo, you know how your ovaries release an egg during ovulation? Well, if that egg isn’t fertilized, it dissolves into the inner lining of your uterus, which is sloughed off during your period. But if it is fertilized, it travels back up into your uterus, sperm in tow, and implants to start growing a baby. While your egg gets cozy in your uterus, you may experience what is known as implantation bleeding. This is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy but is not one that all women experience. If you do get implantation spotting, it can last anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple days and you just might feel a little bit of cramping in your lower abdomen. Your Period Just StoppedYou just put the unused tampons from your purse back into the little black box on your counter (yay!) but – bam! – spots of blood in your favorite panties. WTH, right? Well, lady, hate to break it to you but this is one of the most common spotting times. The reason behind after-period spotting is usually that your uterus didn’t finish flushing out its unused inner lining. Unless your period starts again soon after it ends, you don’t have anything to worry about. You Just Started, Stopped, or Switched Birth ControlThough men can’t seem to handle the side effects as well as women can, birth control is still such a great invention. Especially for those of us who don’t want children (yet or ever), dealing with the side effects is well worth it if it means preventing pregnancy. One of those side effects is spotting. If you just got an IUD, spotting is a normal symptom that can last several months. Thankfully, many IUD users eventually have lighter periods or no periods at all. Similarly, starting, stopping, or missing a dose of an oral contraceptive can cause pink or brown spotting. This is due to your estrogen, which keeps the lining of your uterus in place. Doing anything that alters your estrogen levels can cause spotting. You Took a Morning After PillThat night of fun ended with you popping a Plan B on your way home the next morning. You thought all was good in your uterus but now you’re spotting. Don’t mistake this as a sign of pregnancy or your period. The hormones present in emergency contraceptive—estrogen and progesterone—can cause light spotting. It should go away pretty quickly so put on a pantyliner and go celebrate not being pregnant with a mimosa (or 3). You Have Uterine FibroidsUterine fibroids are a type of benign tumor that grow in and around the wall of the uterus. Though doctors haven’t identified a specific cause of fibroids, they do say that African American women and overweight women are more at risk for developing them. Spotting is one of the main side effects, along with infertility, painful sex, lower back pain, and a chronically bloated feeling. In other words, don’t assume you have uterine fibroids just because you’re spotting. There are a lot of other causes that are far more likely. You’re SickSo this is a little tricky. Being sick with the cold or flu isn’t likely to cause spotting but not feeling well when you’re spotting could be a sign of another health problem—anything from an STI, like chlamydia, to a miscarriage to cervical cancer. Don’t jump right to this conclusion, though. It’s another factor you can consider but isn’t necessarily a primary cause of spotting. Rule out stress, birth control, and pregnancy before you start Googling symptoms and diagnosing yourself. Actually, don’t even attempt to diagnose yourself. Go to your doctor if you think something is wrong—you know your body better than anyone. You Recently Got Your First PeriodReaching your menarche may be the start of a decades-long menstrual cycle but rarely are the first few years of bleeding consistent. In addition to irregular periods making it hard to know when you’re safe to rock your white shorts, spotting is a common occurrence for girls who are just getting acquainted with tampons, cramps, and an undeniable craving for chocolate. Should you worry?Don’t worry until it’s time to worry. Basically, if you can link your spotting to stress, birth control, the morning-after pill, or your first period, you’re in the clear. If you think you have an STI, cervical cancer, are pregnant, or have uterine fibroids, it could be time to schedule an appointment with your doctor. Overall, spotting is normal and nothing to freak out about. It’s not something you can (or need to) try and stop. Just let your uterus do its thing. On that note, if you are spotting for more than a week at a time, have any pain or discomfort during spotting, or just have a feeling that something isn’t right – trust your gut instinct and head to your gynecologist. One final point on spotting: don’t use a tampon (even a low-absorbency one) to control spotting. This can greatly increase your risks of getting Toxic Shock Syndrome. Though using organic tampons eliminate the fear of having toxins in your vagina, spotting doesn’t produce nearly enough moisture to make using a tampon safe. Stick with a pantyliner and you’ll be just fine. This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Janet Brito. Follow @bloodmilkwomen on Instagram **We love reading your comments, but unfortunately are unable to post or respond to comments or questions that outline specific medical issues and seek medical advice. For any medical concerns, we always advise consulting a medical professional. If you’d like to learn more about your period, we’d recommend checking out other Blood and Milk articles.** Featured image by Lana AbieLatest postsRelated posts
Get our weekly digest for advice on sex, periods, and life in a female bodyOTHER TOPICSContinue the conversationThanks for such a useful article post, nice sharing. Ifor the past 5month I haven’t seen my period, so I just finished treating infection then the period just popped
out, I just have sex now cis there a possibility that I will get pregnant I can’t link my
spotting to any of these 🙁 > me either I had a normal period for the month of May and now i have spotting going on for this month of June I
also have a uterus prolapse so i am a little nervous and i am not sexually active. Can you please give me some advice. Hi, Tracey! Unfortunately, we don’t have any medical experts on our full-time staff so our best advice is to chat with a doctor. We can recommend our friends over at Maven Clinic, where you can video chat or message with the largest network of women’s and family health specialists—from OB-GYNs to pediatricians, therapists to nutritionists—for instant peace of mind (and
prescriptions!). I had my period but now and having brown discharge. I recently stopped my birth
control but restarted it when my period started for this month, could that be the reason behind my brown discharge? I’m concerned Hi Elane! Thanks so much for your comment. We don’t have a medical doctor on our full-time staff, so our best advice would be to make an appointment with your OB-GYN. > I Feel the same I’m irregular and I got my period 5 days earlier(from my 30days cycle) and 1 week ago during my ovulation window i saw dark brown discharge, i don’t know what it is.. ,???????? That’s usually when you become pregnant,5 days after your period I would do a pt test if you think you could
be pregnant > Hi I haven’t had a period this month but getting the brown
discharge you would get when you finish a period but not having one what does that mean Hi..I
recently had a light bleeding when having sex with my boyfriend n the next day,my period started..I’m I to worry? Hey, so like a week or so ago I had sex the day I ended my period. I usually start my period at the end of the month. And lately the past maybe 2-3 days I’ve seen very very small hints of blood and then today I woke up and it was a little more than just a hint. I’m freaking out and not sure what to do I have brown discharge 6 days after intercourse… It is like 2 drops I ended my period June 27 and was sexually active but protected ,but still had anxiety so i still took the morning
after pill but the following week I had brown spotting that turned into what seemed like a period which I believed seemed to be an effect from the pill . Will I still have my expected period date for the month of July? My period first day was june 2nd the last day was june 6th i had unprotected sex june 6th june 7th and june10th
its now july 11th and still no period i been gassy and light abdominal pain can i be pregnant I have my period
on 3rd July and ended on 6th July and had unprotected sex on 10th,11th and 12th July. I saw blood again on the 13th of July for just a day, does that mean am pregnant or there a problem with me. I am a student so it’s obvious that I’m stressed. Now that I know why I’m spotting after my period, I’m less worried and I’m very thankful for that. I just want to make things clear so PLEASE reply to this comment! My period ended then I started spotting 7 days after my period ended. The color when I was spotting is dark brown. IS IT NORMAL? PLEASE TELL ME WHAT’S WRONG!!!! I am a student so it’s obvious that I’m stressed. I’m 11 years old so I don’t really know that much about periods. What makes me worried is that I started spotting. I’m not used to what’s happening right now so please reply to this comment immediately. Since I read everything above, it made me less worried and I’m really thankful for that! I just wanted to make things clear to make myself sure of the answer to the reason why I’m spotting. My period ended and I started spotting after 7 days when my period ended. Is it too early? Is it normal? Please answer my question… Ive been having a “heavy flow” since Feb. 2018.. everyday. I had a D&C april 2018 to “reset”.. stopped bleeding for 6 weeks, back at it again. Have been bleeding for almost 2 months now straight. Took provera 7/11 -7/18.. started bleeding super bad two days ago its a massacre. Im so sick of being a women at this point. I cant even move with out it pouring out. Wake up clothes ruined, ive thrown out so many pairs of panties and ruin so many pairs of pants… (SORRY, TMI).. i meet with DR. Tomorrow, shes putting me on BC. We will see how it works ReplyI’ve been having my period for a few years now, and i normally have very heavy but kinda short periods anywhere from 3 days to normally 5, i just finished my period on 8/14 and i had brown spotting yesterday 8/22 and i just let it be because i know it happens affter a period but now this morning 8/23 i started beeding again like on my periods, should i be concerned? ReplyI started spotting 4 days after my period. My lower abdomen feels full. I am negative on STDs, I do have shadowing in my uterus and told it was fibroids. I have 3 kids. And never experienced this before. I’m really nervous. What could this be? Implementation bleeding? Is it to early to tell? Or is this shadowing something harmful. I don’t have insurance to see a gynecologist. Reply
Am already done with my Period but i started noticing stains of blood on my Pant….
Hi I am very aware that you’re not a doctor and you have answered several questions and
regarding situations with periods however I get it now hopefully you can relate to me for what’s happening on my side if it’s medical necessary which I think it would be and if you can help me at least understand how. I will greatly appreciate it so OK my period came same time and normal bleeding however it came on in October now two and a half weeks later I goes to the bathroom and see pink on the tissue I did it again and I actually saw a little red like speckles along with some pink which is
very unusual for me I dont never go through that with my period being off I’m not on birth control never did never was I had real infertility issuel do to my tubes wase blocked however what honestly you think it sounds like I understand that you’re not a doctor I need to go to OBGYN which I’m definitely making an appointment next week but can you please help me understand what is it possibly can be due to the information I gave you also my feet has been very swollen breast very tender so I’m
just trying to do the right thing.. I say October it went off go to the bathroom and then pink I do have a 2 year old son I have had my tubes open because I always wanted a child however I’m forever grateful but basically my question to you is if my period came on and stayed on as usual like 6 days,,then after everything was over my period have been off for about two and a half weeks I goes to the bathroom suddenly and saw pink then I do it again I see pink again a couple Speckles of red blood
also my feet has been very swollen they So I had sex on my 14th day of my circle and took the emergency pill the next day after a week I spotted for three days with cramps ,I did not get my period on the day I was expecting them . I then did a pregnancy test and it was negative and now 21days have passed since l spotted , no period though having cramps and breast tenderness but spotted again today .should I worry please its the first time am experiencing this and I have regular periods. ReplyI started my period for the first time after three months after using Depo-Provera twice. It wore off in August and it’s finally come back. I had a period for 7 days and three days after it had finished I started bleeding heavily again. I have always been one to have irregular periods which is why I went on the depo. I stopped the depo due to hormonal factors and medication. Should I be worried? Should I consult with my doctor? Im not sure what is wrong. ReplyHey, I was sexually active on 13th August. We used protection . I got my period at 15th August and it lasted 7 days, then i got my period at 22nd September and it lasted 6 days, then i got my next period at 22nd October and it lasted 5 days. Today is 25th November and my menstruation is 5 days late. I did not have sex since 13th August. I didn’t have any pregnancy symptoms in the past except yesterday and today I was going to pee frequently. Can it be that I am pregnant? ReplyThank you..!! For ur advice i had brown discharge from yesterday and i was stressed out that i am pregnant but i took a bubble bath and my bleeding is getting normal now ReplyHi I am 36 year old , I am facing spotting problem before and after period, from last 2 year ,now it is started before 10 days of periods , means over all I have to face 15 days of periods every month , I talk to doc he said it is harmonal changes so no need to do ultrasound , but I am worry is this sign if menopause , plz answer me what is this and what I should do for it , ReplyHello. I had sex around my ovulation and yesterday was day 10 after ovulation and i started bleeding brown for a couple of hours. Then following morning it turned to full blown red blood but with no clots. Could i be pregnant? ReplyI have 28 to 30 days cycle. I regularly spot in the middle of my cycle. I concluded my doctor they did all possible tests and then told it could be ovulation spotting. This month also I spotted on 15th and 16th day of cycle. Then again very light spot on 21 and 22 day of my cycle. I’m clueless on what it could be. ReplyI had my first period after stopping depo. I bled for one week and it stopped. Now one week later im bleeding again? Is this normal? ReplyMy period was normal then all of sudden it started to last longer than 7 days and I’m spotting before and after I’m a virgin and I’m 24 years old I don’t know what could be the problem I’m scared to go to the doctor it has only happened twice ReplySo I literally just got off of my period like less than 2 days ago. So I know the spotting can just be the little bit left right? And tiny cramps.. that’s normal isn’t it? ReplyI need help it past 3 weeks and 4 days after I had unprotected sex past 3 days ago boobs where sore with a light back pain now for 2 days I’m having some light bleeding not enough to fill a pad really light like pink color with light cramping boobs now are not sore I had my period on the beginning of the month I don’t know what’s going on someone please help me ReplyGreat info, I’ve been diagnosed of having fibroids and don’t know how to go about having surgery , and in desperate prayer cry to conceive for am 41, pls needs some guidance ReplyHello! I am 30 years old and never experienced this. I finished my period a week ago and it started again yesterday. Not spotting, I have an actual flow like a regular menstruation, I am confused and concerned as to why this is happening. ReplyHi im 39 years old,i normaly get blood flow until my 3rd or 4th day,and lightly on the 5th day,last month i only had it for 2 days,with heavy meagrain headaces tht jus appeared,on my 3rd,4th,and 5th day it was jus spotting,on my last day of my period i expierenced nuasia,2days there after my periods had stopped i had tender breast,and a warmth around my lower abdomal,and it lasts for the whole week,i seemed to have little bits of milk coming from my 1 breast,on the 12th its my normal time to get my periods,and i have some cramps that come and go,could i be pregnant,can someone relate to this? ReplyI started mensurating 16 years age n now I’m 19….but still facing problem of irregular periods. Approximately every years in between February to May or June this problem starts….nowadays new problem started…when I’m late with my periods I get some red patches over my hands….please reply….. ReplyHi, my name is Constance and am 42 still trying for a baby. This month my period came earlier after my period today is the 12th day in my cycle but am still stopping.it has not really happened like this before. Am so concern . Am not sexually active but I mastubated recently after masturbation I noticed I started spotting which have never happened to me before, and I always have nausea,smells irritates me just like am pregnant but am not sexually active what could be the cause . ReplySince i was about 12, i started having blood coming out of my no no place, it usually only lasts 3-5 days once a month usually on the last Tues…blood coming out of me isn’t normal is it? I tried using alcohol but it just burned! Then i tried using a band-aid but it bled right thro… I’m so worried it’s been going on for along time I’m 39 now, I’m concerned I’m going to run out of blood ReplyI have been spotting on and off throughout the day. My period still haven’t came it’s been 4 days. I think I’m pregnant cusi also have other pregnant like symptoms but I have a negative pregnancy test. ReplyHey, I have been having severe cramps during my periods, but this time round I never had any pain but then after my days I immediately started spotting and its now 3 days, am now worried what might be the problem? ReplyHi SAM, I’m in your exact situation, and my Gyno says it’s really nothing to worry about (and she’s seen photos of my discharge too). Obviously I’m still worried 🙂 How long did your spotting last? Replyi had sex after 2 days my periods So i need help i have this brown discharge and my period tracker says i got 13 days left until my period supposed to be here. I am not ovulating. I cant be pregnant cuz my man had a vasectomy. So what is wrong with me this has never happened to me before should i worry. ReplyMy period was supposed to start on the 15th but I spotted brown 3 times very lightly and the next morning was nothing until I got moving and spotted a few more times throughout the day that was it woke up the 3rd day and nothing at all back to normal just sore boobs and before spotting was severe lower back pain and cramps all the way down my legs does anyone have any advice if you think it could be pregnancy or should I be worried about more ? I’m freaking please give some opinions as to what you all think thank you -Tiffany ReplyIt’s
very uselful matter u provided, got some idea about my problem Had an extra long period 2 weeks ago. Then started heavy spotting for 3 days now day 4 bleeding a little heavy. Should I be concerned? ReplyNeed Advice! I was spotting my entire week of when my period should have been going on. Spotting stopped for a week and now I am spotting again. Am I pregnant? I started prenatal vitamins 4 days into my period cycle. I am trying to get pregnant. Curious if this is the start of pregnancy? I’ve taken multiple tests. All say negative ReplyI had my period for eight and a half days for this June month after that I started spotting its day five now and I’m still spotting dark brown ReplyHello, I am 25, when my periods are near I spotted brown dots 2 days on 3rd day it’s nothing. it’s happened a lot of time with me recently. ReplyGreat post! Really very much informational thanks keep posting such article. ReplyGreat post! Thanks for the valuable information. ReplyThanks for your advice, it was helpful . ReplyI menstruated but found out I got pregnant before. When did I conceive? ReplyMy period flow started on 10 th before two days I was having spotting.now on day 7 am spotting.what might be the cause plz help.am single.no sex life. ReplyI started spotting on the 3th for a couple hours,then started back spotting on the 10th and then it was a light flow and I’m never light. My period was not suppose to come until the 15th what could this be. ReplyWhat happens when you spot brown on and off for a day and then for it to stop. Nothing happens the next day and to have bleeding the following day? I can’t link anything with what’s going on. ReplyTy for such nice article ReplyThanks for this piece After having my menstruation i experience light bleeding and i wonder why it doesnt stop until now its almost one week then. can you give me some advice ReplyLeave a ReplyCan you implantation bleed right after your period?Implantation bleeding is generally light and short, just a few days' worth. It usually occurs 10-14 days after conception, or around the time of your missed period. However, vaginal bleeding has been reported anytime in the first eight weeks of pregnancy. Spotting is also common before the start of a menstrual period.
Why am I spotting after my period Am I pregnant?Bleeding outside your period can be really alarming, but most of the time it's nothing to worry about. There are several reasons why a woman might experience spotting. Spotting can be an early symptom of pregnancy, a side effect of birth control, or a symptom of an underlying medical condition.
Why am I spotting 3 days after my period?The reason behind after-period spotting is usually that your uterus didn't finish flushing out its unused inner lining. Unless your period starts again soon after it ends, you don't have anything to worry about.
Could I be pregnant if I'm bleeding a week after my period?Spotting or bleeding may occur shortly after conception, this is known as an implantation bleed. It is caused by the fertilised egg embedding itself in the lining of the womb. This bleeding is often mistaken for a period, and it may occur around the time your period is due.
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Can implantation bleeding happen right after period
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