Spotting During Pregnancy: Should I Be Worried?

Spotting during a pregnancy can cause concern for most pregnant women as they may be worried that they are starting to miscarry their pregnancy or that something is wrong. Although there are some cases where spotting or bleeding is a cause for concern, spotting in pregnancy can actually be very normal and no cause for concern. Here is a look at some of the reasons for spotting during pregnancy and when or if one should contact their doctor.

One of the most common reasons for spotting or light bleeding in the very beginning of pregnancy is implantation spotting. This often occurs before most women know they are pregnant but with today's technologies and pregnancy tests being able to detect pregnancies earlier on, some women may notice they have a light spotting for a day or too. Generally if this occurs without cramping and is very light it is not cause for worry and fairly common. Some women may feel more comfortable wearing a panty liner till it stops.

Vaginal infections such as yeast infections may also be cause for light spotting or bleeding during pregnancy. Many women report getting a light pink spotting during pregnancy when they are suffering from a yeast infection. Other types of infections such as untreated STD's or sexually transmitted diseases may also cause spotting. If this is suspected one should call their doctor as soon as possible in order to get treatment as untreated infections may cause serious problems in pregnancy.

If one has had a pap smear this may also cause spotting or bleeding. Generally it only lasts for a couple of days if that long but most doctors and midwives will advise their patients to take it a bit easier after a pap smear till it goes away.

Sex during pregnancy can also cause spotting or bleeding as there is more blood flowing to the cervix during pregnancy. In this case it will usually go away quickly and so long as it is a normal pregnancy most doctors will advise their patients they can resume their normal activities.

Another reason for spotting or bleeding during pregnancy may have to do with placenta problems. In some cases the placenta may be lying low or more serious problems. If ones' doctor suspects this is the case they will usually order an ultrasound to determine the location of the placenta and then advise the mom-to-be on what she should do from then on out. In some cases bed rest or partial bed rest may be recommended.

If the spotting or bleeding occurs near the end of pregnancy it could be a definite sign of labor coming on. In this case the patient should always contact their doctor or midwife and let them know what they are experiencing.

Sadly in some cases spotting or bleeding in pregnancy may mean a possible miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. If the bleeding goes on for several days or increases the pregnant woman should contact her doctor or go straight to the emergency room to find out what exactly is going on. Bright red blood or lots of blood is never okay and should be treated immediately.

Sources Cited: My own experiences and http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/bleedingduringpreg.html