There are surprisingly many women asking can you have a period and still be pregnant. The answer to this question is simple and logical: no. However it is possible to notice some vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. This could be intermittent bleeding that looks something like a period.
Differences between bleeding and pregnancy period
Remember that pregnancy bleeding isn’t the same as your period. Menstruation can only occur when you aren’t pregnant. In every month the uterus grows a lining rich in blood that would nourish the baby. If there is no fertilization the blood and the tissue will shed and this is your menstrual period.
On the other hand regarding the period during pregnancy, if the fertilized egg gets implanted in the lining of the uterus, the pregnancy hormones will prevent the lining from shedding. This way the baby will be nourished and you will have your next period only after you give birth.
Why does bleeding appear?
If you are asking can you have a period and be pregnant you should know that there are a lot of reasons that could lead to vaginal bleeding or spotting during pregnancy. In some cases women experience some bleeding after their ovulation, around the time when they should have their period and they think that it is their period.
In fact this period while being pregnant is known as implantation bleeding. It is caused by the fact that the fertilized egg gets buried in the sensitive lining of the uterus Normally this kind of bleeding is lighter than the regular period and it lasts for a shorter period of time.
It is also possible to see the period when being pregnant after a Pap smear, an exam or after having intercourse. This happens because during pregnancy there is more blood that crosses the cervix and since this is a sensitive tissue, it is easy for the blood vessels to be injured.
The bleeding can also be a sign of a serious problem, such as a miscarriage. This refers to the death of the baby and the loss of the pregnancy before the 20th week of pregnancy. Usually it occurs during the first trimester.
Another reason of bleeding during pregnancy is an ectopic pregnancy. This means that the mature egg was fertilized, it didn’t get implanted in the uterus, but somewhere else, such as in the fallopian tubes. In this case there is nothing to do to save the pregnancy.
If you see spotting during pregnancy it may be important for you to tell your doctor right away even if the bleeding already stopped. This is because it could be a sign of different kinds of complications. However most probably there is an entirely natural explanation for the bleeding.
Now you know the answer to the question can you have a period and be pregnant: the answer is a definite no; there is no way for that to happen.
