Is Spotting Normal During Pregnancy?

Spotting during pregnancy has been and is still one of the major concerns for pregnant women. Though this mainly occurs as a sign of early pregnancy, spotting may be a sign of something else.

The question really is: Is spotting normal during pregnancy? Whenever you experience spotting at whatever stage of the pregnancy, it is important to seek advice from your healthcare provider.

Why is spotting normal during pregnancy?

Is Spotting Normal During PregnancyDuring the early stages of pregnancy or the first trimester, spotting is normal and mostly appears as brownish or pinkish in color. This is common and is reported to happen in almost 20 to 30% of all pregnancies. The spotting is usually caused by getting rid of the remains of a fertilized egg and sperm from the womb.

Another cause of the spotting is implantation of the fertilized egg on the walls of the uterus. Usually when the fertilized egg attaches itself on the uterus lining, some internal minimal bleeding may occur causing spotting.

So is spotting normal during pregnancy? Yes, however, if the spotting progresses to bleeding which lasts longer and is high, this may be a sign of a complication. Heavy bleeding may be signs of problems with the developing fetus or a miscarriage. A doctor should be consulted if your spotting becomes heavy or bleeding which may be accompanied by fever, chills and cramps.

Some other causes of spotting during pregnancy

Sometimes spotting during pregnancy may not necessarily be caused by the normal hormonal changes in your body. There are some other factors that may cause the occasion spotting experienced by most pregnant women.

  • Sex may be one of the causes of this spotting especially during the early stages of pregnancy.  When having intercourse, more blood flows to the cervix which may lead to light spotting after sex.
  • Vaginal exams or pap smears may also cause some light spotting.
  • Placental problems especially during the second and third trimesters may also cause spotting or even bleeding.
  • When nearing labor, your cervix normally dilates and spotting is common at this point when the mucus plug is passed.

It is understandable why many women ask: is spotting normal during pregnancy? Any sign of blood is worth raising an alarm especially for pregnant mothers. Even though spotting may be normal especially during the pregnancy first trimester, you should constantly monitor your spotting frequencies. Different women go through different symptoms of pregnancy therefore keeping track of any signs of spotting during your pregnancy is key to assuring both your health and that of the developing baby.

If the spotting is accompanied by any form of pain, be sure to consult a doctor. Any kind of spotting during the second or third trimester should receive immediate attention. You could require having a few tests to determine the cause of the pain and spotting. Ensuring optimal health for your baby is the most important thing. One of the most effective ways of managing spotting during pregnancy and especially during the last stages is having bed rest. All in all, if you were to ask a doctor: is spotting normal during pregnancy? The answer would be yes unless otherwise.

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