ask: How do you determine if its your actual period or spotting?
Can we get pregnant even if we have our period? (thats IF we think its our period)
Because i know women mistakenly think that once they bleed, its menstrual period already. thank you!
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Hi dt1230,
Thank you for your post. Spotting usually, but not always, occurs about a week before your period is due. You can definitely tell when it is spotting and not your period because there is no consistent bleeding, color is usually a straw-pink or brown, and when you wipe it looks like dots on your paper (as well as on your pad or underwear).
Some women actually get their periods during the first few months of pregnant, not just spotting-- hence not knowing they were pregnant. If you suspect pregnancy for any reason, a simple home pregnancy test can ease your mind.
September 29, 2009 - 5:20amThis Comment
really? women could be pregnant still even if they have their menstrual period??? woaaaah. so having your menstrual period is not a relief then that youre not?
September 29, 2009 - 2:56pmGreat question, as many women have asked this.
If a woman is pregnant, she is not able to have a menstrual period. A menstrual period is the shedding of the lining of the uterus...where the fertilized egg implants itself for a viable pregnancy.
If a woman is pregnant, she MAY experience some bleeding or spotting...but neither of these would be a menstrual period. If there is uterine bleeding, this could indicate a problem. In fact, "up to a quarter of pregnant women have some spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy, and about half of these women miscarry". And, please know, this type of bleeding is not menstrual bleeding (shedding of the uterine lining), but originates from elsewhere (such as bleeding from the cervix, vaginal walls, etc).
What else would cause spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy, if not from a period?
- Sex, Pap smear, inserting a tampon or any vaginal medication into the vagina may cause some spotting. The blood supply to the cervix has increased, and "bumping" it may cause some light bleeding or spotting.
(What type of vaginal medication could I be referring to? It is common for women to experience a yeast infection early in pregnancy, due to hormonal fluctuations, and a doctor may recommend using an OTC product---such as monistat--for treatment).
- Infection (including yeast infection), sexually transmitted infection or disease, could all cause some spotting
- Implantation bleeding (should be called implantation spotting!), which can occur about the time of your expected menstrual period. Women, on average, ovulate in mid-cycle, or about 2 weeks before their period begins. Coincidentally, it takes about 2 weeks from the time of an egg to be released (ovulation) to implantation. Most women do not experience, or rather do not notice, implantation spotting, but it can occur around the time of an expected period (assuming you have a regular cycle).
As Rosa said, spotting could be pink, brown or red, and it is literally a "spot" or extremely light bleeding...much like you would experience at the very end or very beginning of your menstrual period. When you have a menstrual period, it is unmistakable--it is heavy, red and lasts for several days. Spotting can be defined by any type of light bleeding that occurs when you are not having a period. Breakthrough bleeding, however, is another type of bleeding that is not during your period, and occurs between your normal period. Breakthrough bleeding is heavier, more like a period, and would not be considered "spotting".
For all of these factors, it is important for women to know their cycle, and have a basic idea when their menstrual periods occur. Only when you know what's normal for you, will you then know if the bleeding you are experiencing is a menstrual period, spotting, breakthrough bleeding...or bleeding that may be caused by an infection or trauma.
I hope this helps to clear up any confusion!
September 29, 2009 - 1:14pmThank you so much for the information. its hard in my case coz i really cant talk to my conservative parents about it, nor doctor nor friends..so i just consult here. i do know my cycle...or when i have my period. heres mine so far:
JAN 13
feb 16
march 19
april 17
may 18
june 15
july 17
august 17
and the recent one sept 16. last up to 5 days but the last 1 or 2 days are light. the first day, no doubt hurts(cramping)
but then im confused, rosa said that women still get their period a couple of months even though they are pregnant. and you said in the beginning, if a woman is pregnant, she is not able to have a menstrual period.
i now know what spotting is....i could differenciate that. however, what i dont get is we could still be pregnant even if we have our menstrual period? hope you guys could reply asap! tnx!
September 29, 2009 - 3:02pmHi,
I think Rosa meant that you could experience bleeding, but not a period. Most women would not care to know the difference between a "period" and "bleeding" (they just know they're bleeding, and want to know why!).
Since you do care about how your body is working on a more in-depth level, then women can not experience a menstrual period and be pregnant at the same time. I assume there is always the medical exception, but this could be an ectopic pregnancy or another medical condition. For the vast majority of healthy women who receive ongoing health care, a menstrual period sheds the lining of the uterus, making a pregnancy not possible. There are many stages that occur in a woman's cycle, and even once a woman's egg matures, the egg is released (ovulation), the egg is fertilized in the fallopian tube by sperm, then travels down the fallopian tubes into the uterus...she is still not pregnant! The fertilized egg must burrow into the uterine lining and implant itself, causing "pregnancy hormones" to be released. It is at this moment she is pregnant. If the fertilized egg is not able to burrow into the uterine lining, or if it does but a miscarriage happens from uterine bleeding, she would no longer be pregnant.
I hope this clears up some more of the confusion! I wish we learned this stuff in school, or that doctors had more time to talk about women's bodies during our physical exams...wouldn't that be nice! :-)
Let us know if you have any other questions!
September 29, 2009 - 3:17pmthank you so much for the info:) i learned this back when i was gradeschool and first year high and quickly brushed through the reproductive system...teachers didnt really go deep into it considering its very very awkward! lol thanks again!:) now i know:)
September 29, 2009 - 4:06pmI just had to share this. ignorance is not an excuse!
type up "how pregnancy happens -the fun way" in youtube.click in the cartoon one! you'll learn a lot:)
September 29, 2009 - 4:19pmHi,
I read all of the post and they are extremely helpful. I just started back on my birth control and im on the begining of my 3rd week, and im having cramps and light bleeding... im also seeing that brownish discharge. Now i know i was just on my period about 2 weeks ago...is that normal?? COuld i be pregnant or what? im somewhat confused...
October 13, 2009 - 10:04amBleeding is usually not a sign of a pregnancy, but rather the absence of monthly bleeding (period) is the sign of pregnancy.
From your description, it sounds like you are experiencing "breakthrough bleeding", which is very common when starting a new hormonal contraceptive (whether it be the pill, patch, ring, depo shot, etc). Your patient information brochure in your prescription should talk about breakthrough bleeding, so you feel more comfortable about it.
Did your doctor tell you what to expect with starting birth control? You can experience a change in your "period" for a few months, have breakthrough bleeding (which is a fancy term for bleeding that is in-between your "periods", or the inactive pills). It is a nuisance, but nothing to worry about. If breakthrough bleeding is painful, lasts for more than a week, you may want to talk with your doctor.
October 13, 2009 - 12:18pmMy periods always start heavy and then lite but I started on the Oct 16 as a brown to red to pink and now red but all is lite
October 18, 2009 - 2:17pm