There are some urban legends about women being pregnant with period. It is a fact that there is no way for a woman to have her period during her pregnancy. However there are some causes that could lead to bleeding or spotting that looks something like a regular period.
Pregnancy and period
A normal menstrual cycle means that the body produces hormones that prepare the uterus for a potential pregnancy. The lining of the uterus thickens and the ovaries release a mature egg. If there is no fertilization the lining of the uterus sheds along with the egg, and this is known as the menstrual period.
On the other hand, women shouldn’t be thinking about period during pregnancy. If the egg gets fertilized, it travels through the fallopian tubes and it gets embedded into the lining of the uterus. At this point hCG is produced that suspends the menstrual periods until you give birth. This is why you can’t have a period.
What could the bleeding be?
If you think that you have a period while pregnant you should be thinking of other causes that lead to bleeding during pregnancy. There are several causes of this kind. However you have to make sure that you are really pregnant. For this you should have a pregnancy test.
Implantation bleeding
When thinking about period when being pregnant you should know that there are a lot of women who experience some bleeding when the egg gets implanted into the lining of the uterus. This bleeding is supposed to be light with a pink or brown color and it usually appears 6-10 days after ovulation.
This means that this ‘pregnancy during period’ appears a few days before your period is due. This is why women tend to confuse the two. Nonetheless if you are actively trying to get pregnant most probably you are monitoring your symptoms and you recognize the implantation bleeding when you see it.
Hormonal bleeding
This kind of period while being pregnant is quite rare. It refers to the fact that some women during the first few months of pregnancy experience some light bleeding around the time when they are supposed to have their period. This bleeding is known as decidual bleeding.
The good news is that there is a completely normal explanation for this situation of being pregnant and having a period. It is caused by the fluctuating hormone levels. These hormones make those parts of the womb shed that aren’t involved in supporting the pregnancy yet.
Ectopic pregnancy
This is another cause of having a period when being pregnant. An ectopic pregnancy means that the fertilized egg gets implanted somewhere outside the uterus. In this case the bleeding could also be accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen on one side, fainting, sickness, and collapse.
Now you know that there is no such thing as pregnancy period. If you see some bleeding it must be caused by something else that could be normal or alarming. If the bleeding persists, you should see a doctor.
