Causes of Menstrual Spotting
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Menstrual spotting is something that happens to most women at some point in their lives although it can be more frequent for some women than it is for others. Because menstrual spotting is common, it is not something that should cause you great levels of concern if you experience it. However, you should know that menstrual spotting could possibly be caused by something serious and also shouldn’t just be ignored. The important thing is to make sure that you understand the possible causes of menstrual spotting so that you can figure out what is causing this change in your body and deal with it. It may not be a big thing but it’s something that deserves a little bit of attention and care.
There are two major causes of menstrual spotting that you will want to rule out first when you are trying to figure out what is causing you to have this problem:
1. You could be pregnant. If you are sexually active and it is time for you to have your period but instead you only experience some very light menstrual spotting then you may be pregnant. Although most women simply don’t get their period when they become pregnant, some women do experience menstrual spotting particularly in the first month of pregnancy. If your period is late and you’re experiencing menstrual spotting then you should assume that this could be a cause and get tested immediately to see if you are pregnant.
2. You are taking birth control pills. A situation that is somewhat related to the first cause of menstrual spotting but is also quite different is that you may experience menstrual spotting because you are taking birth control pills. The hormones in birth control pills considerably change your body and can have many effects including causing menstrual spotting. Some women experience light menstrual spotting when in the first few months after starting birth control pills whereas other women may experience spotting throughout the time that they are on the pill. Menstrual spotting is most common when women who use birth control pills miss some of their pills or take them irregularly, throwing off the rhythms of the body. If you are having problems with menstrual spotting and you are on birth control pills then the pills are most likely the reason for the spotting. It’s worth mentioning when you see your gynecologist to rule out any other possible causes of the spotting but it’s not something to be excessively alarmed about. You can talk to your doctor about changing your pills if you don’t want to experience this problem.
Most women who experience menstrual spotting will find that the cause is either pregnancy or the use of birth control pills. However, these are not the only things that can cause menstrual spotting. Here is a look at some of the other common causes of menstrual spotting that you may want to look into if you are experiencing this problem but aren’t pregnant or taking birth control pills:
• Hormone imbalance. The reason that birth control pills cause menstrual spotting is because they change the hormone balance in your body. However, birth control pills aren’t the only things that can do this. There may be other causes of hormone imbalance in your body that cause menstrual spotting. If it’s an ongoing problem then you may want to ask your doctor about getting checked out for a hormone imbalance. This is a problem that can be remedied with changes in diet or even by starting to take a low dose birth control pill.
• Infection. Whenever you experience infection in an area of the body related to menstruation (including the vagina, the cervix and even the bladder) there is the possibility that it may cause menstrual spotting. If you know that you have an infection and are experience spotting then the infection is most likely the cause. If you are experiencing spotting but don’t know why, you may want to tune into your body and consider whether you may have an infection that is going untreated.
• Medications. There are some medications that can have an adverse effect on menstruation and may cause menstrual spotting. Blood thinning medications may have this effect. This isn’t a common cause of menstrual spotting but should be ruled out as a possible cause.
• Polyps. These are little growths on the cervical canal. These aren’t cancerous and are basically benign but they have the negative side effect of sometimes impacting your menstrual cycle and causing menstrual spotting. These can be easily removed in a standard procedure which should clear up the problem if this is what is causing your menstrual spotting.
• Dysplasia. This is a slightly more serious condition in which tissue cells mature abnormally. It is relatively common for women to experience some dysplasia in the cervix and a common side effect of the problem is the experience of menstrual spotting. In most cases, the dysplasia isn’t really a problem and can be dealt with easily. However, dysplasia can sometimes be a warning sign for cervical cancer so this is definitely something that should be ruled out and dealt with medically if it turns out to be a cause of menstrual spotting.
• Cervical cancer. In rare cases, menstrual spotting is a symptom of cervical cancer. Don’t panic. This isn’t the case for almost all people who experience menstrual spotting. However, you should know that menstrual spotting can be serious and should be checked out in case it turns out to be related to a major underlying condition such as cancer.
So, basically, there are a lot of different things that can cause menstrual spotting. In fact, some women just naturally experience light spotting in the middle of their menstrual cycle as a part of how their bodies handle ovulation. But there can also be some serious causes of menstrual spotting so it’s a condition that should be discussed with your doctor. A basic exam should reveal the true cause of the problem and then you can proceed with treating it accordingly if it needs to be treated.
- Menstrual Irregularities, Heavy Bleeding, Spotting - Alternative Remedies
- Answers to your FAQs about abnormal bleeding without birth control
Woman's Diagnostic Cyberfrequently asked questions FAQs about Abnormal Menstrual Bleeding Without birth control pills BCPs - Spotting in the Menstrual Cycle: Assessing the Health Risks Associated with Unexpected Vaginal Bleed
Many women experience spotting at some point during their cycle. Sometimes it’s perfectly normal, and sometimes it's an indication of something wrong, be it minor or major. - Healthline on Symptoms of Menstruation
- Symptoms, Their Causes & Cures Menstrual Spotting
- Crash Course in Menstrual Spotting
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Very good hub! Thanks for the info.
Thanks for your submission to the February edition of the Advice for Women from Women blog carnival.
Great info! Thanks, Kathryn.
And yes, Triplet mom. I actually had that experience myself earlier this year. It terrified me really, expecially at the thought that it might be cervical cancer. I was lucky though, it was only stress. I felt so relieved.
Great Info. You have covered it all... A Thumbs up to you.
Great information. I experienced such condition after my doctor removed me from HRT due to early menopause which started at 40. spotting was not significant to cause alarm but when your stop already and begin again, then it becomes a concern but luckily everything is fine.
Thanks for this hub, it's really informative.
thanx good info
This is extremely informative and kind of scary.
However, this information is invaluable in case something may actually be wrong.
It is a very informative hub and lots of things you shared here are common and can happen with anyone..
amazing information
im suppose to have my period this last week of december,but i only have spottings. could it be that im pregnant?
I'm a boy, so I will assume this is not for me. But interesting read nonetheless. :)
Daniel
Thnx Kathryn. very informative. I have been trying for a baby since 3 years and this month 14th was my my due for period. But i have been seeing a kind of spotting which is not a true period( jus few drops of blood and no clots), but there are no other pregnancy symptoms though i have leg pain pelvic pain. Could I be pregnant?!(luckily)
Very informative hub :)
I think those victims of infection and cancer will not just experience menstrual spotting. There must be other more definite signs as well.
Another possible reason: If you take steroids or other androgens for body building, it might possibly lead to this. But I figure that's probably common sense for the ladies who do it.
hi i had a L5 N S1 HERNIATION disc slip and i have got the steroid injection on may and in april i have taken morning after pills..but from june i got my periods 7 days ahead of ma date and i waz jus having light spoting for like 5 days than it stopd and than aftr a week i started having light spotting again..m realy woried .would you please tel me wat would be a cause of it thankz
I sometimes get spotting and I think it's because of stress (and worrying about the spotting) I've had a vaginal swab, urine sample, blood test and an ultrasound which all came back clear but I'm still worried about it. So to all who are worried try and relax it might just be stress? It can be worrying but going to the doctors won't hurt and put your mind at rest.
I am experiencing spotting before and after my period but who knows maybe am pregnant, my period has been acting strange lately and the last three months is when my spotting started, I have no idea what it is. Can someone please help me understand?
Hi, this is the first time it happened to me, after i read these information i will go to my gyno tomorrow..
wish me luck, will post to you what the doctor say!!
I had this and thought I had yeast infection but it didn't seem right and come to find out I had bacterial vaginosis and a yeast infection
i have problem about my spotting my first priod on june 26 untill july 3..i worried coz i spotting on july 09 to 12 then stopbut spot again on july 19 and 20 i worried a lot can you advice me my urine also a bit and hot yellow desturb me a lot can you gave me an advice i hope i can have my answer as soon as posible
I have very very light spotting and haven't had my period since April and before that I went from December to April without it. Its basically non-existent spotting but there none the less, my hands and feet are also swollen and I think I am retaining water....My boyfriend and I are very careful, we always use protection, although I am not on birthcontrole I feel as if pregnancy is out of the question...Any thoughts of what it can be?
hI
I had my periods normally, the full weeek as usual as i am a hevy loader, fine, i stopped as expected, but now 4 days later i bled during my sleep, that was it.
Then 3 days later again i bled while having sex with my husband, everythime i had an intercourse at during that one weekend i just bled, but after or before sex, i see nothing.
it's my firat time this happen to me, please help
Afternoon ladies, I have been bleeding for almost 7weeks straight, I have been to my gyn prior he has put me on birth control pills n the bleeding has not stopped it taking a toll on my life n has added more stress to my life as is...I need help...
Hi, I have been bleeding for 7 day ,i stoped using pill in November last year, trying to be pregnant but up to now nothings happened, could i be pregnant know please help me?
Ithink i am going thru the change,,,,,,,my periods arent right i skip a month ,only spotted in nov. most of the time i have a very heavy flow ,evn clots
Hi, my last regular menstruation was between 11th to 15th of January and I don't have a regular monthly cycle, usually it comes a week late than expected. This 6th of February, I have a black discharge on my panty and in took about 3 days before I had my menstruation, but it's not as heavy as I used to. I looks like it's different from my usual menstruation because it was somewhat lighter in color. That only lasts a day and the next day it's just scanty, and for five following days, i had spotting every now and then, just light blood. Just wondering what happen to me. Pls advice... thanks.
I just have my period in Feb.6 and finish Feb.10,,,but after 18 days I have spotting,plsss help me I'm really scared..I don't what happening to me..
really a relevant information given thanx
i have spotting feb.,29 i expect that i can be able to have my menstration on the firstweek of march but it didnt come so i missed 1 mnth ,now its already atril but i stil dnt have my period.
its been a week since my period and im spotting dark blood and im getting light cramps. I got my tubes tied after my second child so I know I'm not pregnant. Can someone just help me out here. Please thanks. :)
I've been spotting since last monTh and they.usually last a day.. Im too busy with work that i have not made time foe a dr visit what should i do??
I had sex with my boyfriend 3 days ago, with some slight bleeding during sex and now i have my period and menstural cramps, could it be that i was getting my period when i had sex with him? I need an answer. and i'm scared.
Triplet Mom Level 3 Commenter 3 years ago
Great hub, I would also say that stress can cause spotting as well. I would agree that if there are changes in your period you should get checked out by your doctor to rule out anything serious. Thanks