Is Spotting An Early Sign Of Pregnancy?

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Written by Editorial Team

Editorial Team

With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.

Spotting An Early Sign Of Pregnancy

Whenever the period of pregnancy begins, a woman has to take care of two lives, i.e., the life of the baby and the other life is herself. A woman has to take a lot of precautions and observe whatever the way her body is functioning and showing signs for various changes.

Spotting is one of those early sign of pregnancy where most of the women ignore it and take it casually. Many women neglect it and think that it is due to their periods. This article gives an overview of spotting at various stages of pregnancy, its representation in early pregnancy, if you should take a pregnancy test while spotting or not, differences between period spotting and pregnancy spots. So, let’s get started with the topic.

In This Article

What Does the Spotting Look Like in Early Pregnancy?
What is Implantation Bleeding?
Does Spotting Mean You Are Pregnant?
How Long Do You Spot When Pregnant?
Can I Take a Pregnancy Test While Spotting?
What Does It Mean When You Spot Brown?
What’s the Difference Between Pregnancy Spotting and Your Period?

What Does the Spotting Look Like in Early Pregnancy?

You should always observe the colour of spots so that you can tell it to your doctor and he can diagnose you with further steps accordingly. The colour of the spotting depends upon the time taken by the blood to exit the body from the vagina. A fresh spotting is light or dark in a red colour. Sometimes spotting also gets brown due to oxidation. The older the blood spotting, the more it gets brown. When the blood gets mixed with other components in the vagina, then the spotting is pink or orange in colour.

What is Implantation Bleeding?

Implantation bleeding is one kind of bleeding that happens during early pregnancy. It generally takes place 10-14 days following conception, in other words, just about the time of your missed monthly chums. The implantation bleeding usually appears as light spotting. You might sometime notice it when u swipe down there with a tissue, or it may appear as a light stain in panty liners. However, you should evaluate the colour and consistency of the spotting. You should note its frequency as well. Your doctor will ask about these details.

[Read : Implantation Bleeding – What Are the Signs to Look Out For]

Does Spotting Mean You Are Pregnant?

spotting in women

According to various studies, 20 percent of women experience spotting during their early months of pregnancy. Usually, the spotting occurs in the first few weeks of pregnancy. When you are not sure about the reason behind spotting, then you should consult a doctor. If you are sure that spotting is due to pregnancy, then it is not a matter of concern. Other factors that lead to spots are:

Sexual assault or rough intercourse can also lead to spotting.
Birth control pills also lead to spotting. Women who use birth control pills for the first time experience light spotting.
Menopause is also the reason for spotting. This happens due to fluctuation in hormones, and your periods become more unusual and start getting a delay.

So, you should be sure about your pregnancy, and if you are not confirmed of the cause, you should immediately consult a doctor because spotting without pregnancy can be a matter of concern.

How Long Do You Spot When Pregnant?

Spotting is due to the implantation of egg on the wall of the uterus. Women sometimes misunderstand spotting with regular menstruation. The duration of spots may differ from woman to woman. Almost one-third of women experience spotting during pregnancy. Feeling cramps and tiredness are common when an egg is implanting on the uterus lining.

Can I Take a Pregnancy Test While Spotting?

women with pregnancy test kit

It is usually suggested that one should take a pregnancy test after two weeks of sexual intercourse. Spotting occurs within six days after the eggs are fertilized. So, early pregnancy tests are a waste of time and may not give a positive result even if you are pregnant. The sensitivity of the test also varies, but you should take pregnancy tests after two weeks of intercourse. You should take pregnancy tests either on the first day of your missed period or after one week of spotting.

[Read : How Soon To Take The Home Pregnancy Test?]

What Does It Mean When You Spot Brown?

Spotting brown indicates many things.

It can be due to pregnancy and pre-menopause. Pre-menopause is the time when ovaries itself start producing fewer eggs or reduce the production of estrogen. It basically occurs many years before menopause.
Brown spotting is actually an early sign of pregnancy. If you are spotting brown, then you should either consult a doctor or take a pregnancy test. Brown spotting occurs when the egg sticks to the wall of the uterus. Vagina releases the brown blood within 1 to 2 weeks after the fertilization of the egg. So, having brown spots during pregnancy is not at all a sign of any abnormality, and so, you don’t have to worry about it.

[Read : Is it Implantation Bleeding Spotting or Menstrual Period? Know the Difference]

What’s the Difference Between Pregnancy Spotting and Your Period?

women pregnancy spotting or periods

Bleeding during menstruation occurs every month in the women who are of reproductive age, whereas light bleeding during the pregnancy period is very normal. The blood is a little brown in colour and is a normal sight in pregnancy.
Blood released by the vagina during menstruation has a regular pattern every month — every woman faces a period within 28 days or more. The date of the period varies from woman to woman. On the other hand, spotting is very irregular. It happens once or twice in a day and occurs alternately. The blood released during pregnancy is very light, and there is no heavy blood released from the vagina.
Menstrual bleeding leads to light cramps to intense cramps. The cramps vary from woman to woman. Also, the release of blood is very heavy in periods than in spots, whereas the release of blood in spotting is very light and can be easily differentiated from that of menstrual blood.
Spotting can be due to some vaginal injuries or maybe abdominal injury too. So the blood lasts for a very short period of time. But menstrual blood lasts for 5-7 days, and it may vary from woman to woman.

While you are planning for pregnancy, you should always keep yourself updated with everything. Spotting is a very early sign of pregnancy, which is not at all a matter of concern, but still, a woman should take care of it.

Editorial Team,

With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.Read more.

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