What is spotting?
Spotting is defined as light vaginal bleeding that
happens outside of your regular periods. Typically, spotting involves small
amounts of blood. You may notice it on toilet paper after you’ve used the
restroom, or in your underwear. It usually only requires a panty liner if you
need protection, not a pad or tampon. Bleeding or spotting any time other than
when you have your period is considered abnormal vaginal bleeding, or
intermenstrual bleeding.
There are many different causes for spotting between
periods. Sometimes, it can be a sign of a serious problem, but it’s often
nothing to worry about.
What causes spotting between periods?
There are several reasons you might experience spotting between
your period. Many of these causes can be effectively treated or dealt with.
1. Birth control: Hormonal birth control pills, patches, injections, rings,
and implants can all cause spotting between periods. Spotting can happen
spontaneously, or when you:
- first start using a hormone-based
birth control method
- skip doses or don’t take your
birth control pills correctly
- change the type or dose of
your birth control
- use birth control for a long
period of time
Sometimes, birth control is used to treat abnormal bleeding
between periods.
2. Ovulation: About 3 percent of women experience spotting
related to ovulation. Ovulation spotting is light bleeding that occurs
around the time in your menstrual cycle when your ovary releases an egg. For
many women, this can be anywhere between 11 days and 21 days after the first
day of your last period. Ovulation spotting may be light pink or red in
color, and will last for about 1 to 2 days in the middle of your cycle. Other
signs and symptoms of ovulation may include:
- an increase in cervical mucus
- cervical mucus that has the
consistency and look of egg whites
- a change in the position or
firmness of the cervix
- a decrease in basal body
temperature before ovulation followed by a sharp increase after
ovulation
- increased sex drive
- pain or a dull ache on one side
of the abdomen
- breast tenderness
- bloating
- an intensified sense of smell,
taste, or vision
Paying close attention to these symptoms may help you narrow
down your window to conceive.
3. Implantation bleeding: Implantation spotting may occur when a fertilized egg
attaches to the inner lining of your uterus. But everyone doesn’t experience
implantation bleeding when they become pregnant. If it does occur,
implantation spotting happens a few days before your next period. Implantation
bleeding is usually light pink to dark brown in color, much lighter in flow
than a typical period, and doesn’t last as long as a typical period.
You may also experience the following with implantation:
- headaches
- nausea
- mood swings
- light cramping
- breast tenderness
- an ache in your lower back
- fatigue
Implantation bleeding isn’t something to worry about and
doesn’t pose any danger to an unborn baby. However, if you do experience heavy
bleeding and know that you’re pregnant, you should seek medical attention.
4. Pregnancy: Spotting during pregnancy is not uncommon. About 15
to 25 percent of women will experience spotting during their first
trimester. The bleeding is often light, and the color may be pink, red, or
brown. Usually, spotting isn’t a cause for concern. If you experience
heavy bleeding or pelvic pain, contact your doctor right away. This could be a
sign of miscarriage or an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy.
5. Perimenopause: As you transition to menopause, you may have months
where you don’t ovulate. This transitional time is called perimenopause.
During perimenopause, your periods become more irregular, and you may experience
some spotting. You might also skip your periods altogether or have menstrual
bleeding that’s lighter or heavier than usual.
6. Trauma: Trauma to the vagina or cervix can sometimes cause irregular
spotting. This can be due to:
- sexual assault
- rough sex
- an object, such as a tampon
- a procedure, like a pelvic exam.
If you’ve experienced sexual assault or were
forced into any sexual activity, you should seek care from a trained healthcare
provider.
7. Uterine or cervical polyps: Polyps are small abnormal tissue growths that can occur
in a number of places, including the cervix and uterus. Most polyps are benign,
or noncancerous. Cervical polyps typically don’t cause any
symptoms, but may cause:
- light bleeding after sex
- light bleeding between periods
- unusual discharge
Your doctor can easily see cervical polyps during a routine
pelvic exam. Generally, no treatment is needed unless they’re causing
bothersome symptoms. If they do need to be removed, removal is generally easy
and not painful. Uterine polyps can only be seen on imaging tests like
ultrasounds. They’re most often benign, but a small percentage can become
cancerous. These polyps most commonly occur in people who have
finished menopause.
Symptoms may include:
- irregular menstrual bleeding
- very heavy periods
- vaginal bleeding after
menopause
- infertility
Some people may only experience light spotting, while others
experience no symptoms at all.
8. Sexually transmitted infection: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), can cause spotting between periods or after sex. Other
symptoms of STIs include:
- painful or burning urination
- white, yellow, or green discharge from the vagina
- itching of the vagina or anus
- pelvic pain
9. Pelvic inflammatory disease: Abnormal bleeding between periods is a common symptom
of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). You can develop PID if bacteria
spreads from your vagina to your uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.
Other symptoms include:
- painful sex or urination
- pain in the lower or upper
abdomen
- fever
- increased or foul-smelling
vaginal discharge
If you experience any signs of an infection or PID, see your
doctor. Many infections can be successfully treated with the right organic
natural supplements and therapies.
10. Fibroids: Uterine fibroids are growths on the uterus. In addition
to spotting between periods, they can cause symptoms, such as:
- heavy or longer periods
- pelvic pain
- low back pain
- painful intercourse
- urinary problems
Some women with uterine fibroids don’t experience any
symptoms. Fibroids are also typically benign and may shrink on their own.
11. Endometriosis: This happens when endometrium-like tissue grows outside the
uterus in areas like the ovaries, abdomen, and bowel. This condition can cause
bleeding or spotting between periods, as well as other symptoms. Other
signs and symptoms of endometriosis include:
- pelvic pain and cramping
- painful periods
- heavy periods
- painful intercourse
- infertility
- painful urination or bowel
movements
- diarrhea, constipation,
bloating, or nausea
- fatigue
12. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Irregular bleeding between periods is sometimes a sign
of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This condition happens when a woman’s
ovaries or adrenal glands produce too much “male” hormones. Some women
with PCOS don’t have their periods at all or have very few periods. Other
symptoms of PCOS include:
- irregular menstrual periods
- pelvic pain
- weight gain
- excessive hair growth
- infertility
- acne
13. Stress: This
can cause all kinds of changes in your body, including fluctuations in
your menstrual cycle. Some women may experience vaginal spotting due to high
levels of physical or emotional stress.
14. Medications: Certain medicines, such as blood thinners, thyroid
medications, and hormonal drugs, can cause vaginal bleeding between your
periods. Your doctor may be able to take you off these drugs or recommend some
quality natural organic nutritional supplements as alternatives.
15. Thyroid problems: Sometimes,
an underactive thyroid can cause you to spot after your period ends.
Other signs of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) include:
- fatigue
- weight gain
- constipation
- dry skin
- sensitivity to cold
- hoarseness
- thinning hair
- muscle aches or weakness
- joint pain or stiffness
- high cholesterol levels
- puffy face
- depression
- slowed heart rate
Treatment
for an underactive thyroid usually involves taking an oral hormone pill.
16. Cancer: Certain cancers can cause abnormal bleeding, spotting, or
other forms of vaginal discharge. These may include:
- endometrial or uterine cancer
- cervical cancer
- ovarian cancer
- vaginal cancer
Most of the time, spotting isn’t a sign of cancer. But you
should get checked out by your doctor, especially if you’ve already been
through menopause.
17. Other causes: Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, liver
disease, kidney disease, and bleeding disorders, may cause spotting
between your periods. Talk to wellness consultant if you have these issues and
experience spotting.
Is it spotting or your period?
Spotting is different from the bleeding you experience
when you have your period. Typically, spotting:
- is lighter in flow than your
period
- is pink, reddish, or brown in
color
- doesn’t last longer than a day
or two
On the other hand, bleeding due to your menstrual period:
- is usually heavy enough to
require a pad or tampon
- lasts about 4-7 days
- produces a total blood loss of
about 30 to 80 milliliters (mL)
- occurs every 21 to 35 days
Should I take a pregnancy test?
If you’re of reproductive age, and you think pregnancy might
be the reason you’re spotting, you can take an at-home test. Pregnancy
tests measure the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your
urine. This hormone rises rapidly when you’re pregnant.
If your test comes back positive, make an appointment with
your OB-GYN to confirm the results. You should also see your doctor if your
period is over a week late and you have a negative pregnancy test. Your doctor
can run tests to determine if an underlying condition is responsible for
your missed period.