What does spotting look like pregnancy

Bleeding and spotting from the vagina during pregnancy are common
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If you bleed or spot during pregnancy, it doesn’t always mean there’s a problem but in some cases they may be signs of a problem for you or your baby’s health
If you have heavy bleeding, call your health care provider right away
Tell your provider about any bleeding or spotting you have during pregnancy

Bleeding and spotting from the vagina during pregnancy are common. Up to 1 out of 4 (up to 25%) of all pregnant women have some bleeding or spotting during their pregnancy.

Bleeding and spotting in pregnancy don’t always mean there’s a problem, but they can be a sign of miscarriage or other serious complications. Miscarriage is when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Call your health care provider if you have any bleeding or spotting, even if it stops. It may not be caused by anything serious, but your provider needs to find out what’s causing it.

What’s the difference between bleeding and spotting?

Bleeding or spotting can happen anytime, from the time you get pregnant to right before you give birth. Spotting is light bleeding. It happens when you have a few drops of blood on your underwear. Spotting is so light that the blood wouldn’t cover a panty liner. Bleeding is when the blood flow is heavier, enough that you need a panty liner or pad to keep the blood from soaking your underwear and clothes.

What should you do if you have bleeding or spotting during pregnancy?

Call your health care provider if you have any kind of bleeding during pregnancy and do these things:

Keep track of how heavy your bleeding is, if it gets heavier or lighter, and how many pads you are using.
Check the color of the blood. Your provider may want to know. It can be different colors, like brown, dark or bright red.
Don’t use a tampon, douche or have sex when you’re bleeding.

Call your health care provider right away at any time during pregnancy or go to the emergency room if you have:

Heavy bleeding
Bleeding with pain or cramping
Dizziness and bleeding
Pain in your belly or pelvis

What causes bleeding or spotting early in pregnancy?

It’s normal to have some spotting or bleeding early in pregnancy. Bleeding or spotting in the first trimester may not be a problem. It can be caused by:

Having sex
An infection
Implantation. When a fertilized egg (embryo) attaches to the lining of the uterus (womb) and begins to grow.
Hormone changes. Hormones are chemicals made by the body.
Changes in your cervix. The cervix is opening to the uterus that sits at the top of the vagina.
Certain types of testing during pregnancy like an amniocentesis or Chorionic villus sampling (CVS). These are tests that are done to check for genetic abnormalities in your baby. Genetic abnormalities are changes in the genes that are passed down to a baby from mom or dad. These genetic changes can cause health problems for a baby.
Problems related to smoking. If you smoke, it’s best to stop before pregnancy or as soon as you know you’re pregnant.

Sometimes bleeding or spotting in the first trimester is a sign of a serious problem, like:

Miscarriage. Almost all women who miscarry have bleeding or spotting before the miscarriage.
Ectopic pregnancy. This is when a fertilized egg implants itself outside of the uterus and begins to grow. An ectopic pregnancy cannot result in the birth of a baby. It can cause serious, dangerous problems for the pregnant woman.
Molar pregnancy. This is when a mass of tissue forms inside the womb, instead of a baby. Molar pregnancy is rare.

What causes bleeding or spotting later in pregnancy?

Bleeding or spotting later in pregnancy may be caused by:

Labor
Having sex
An internal exam by your health care provider
Problems with the cervix, like an infection, growths, inflammation or cervical insufficiency. This is when a woman’s cervix opens too early. Inflammation of the cervix is when it may be painful, swollen, red or irritated.

Bleeding or spotting later in pregnancy may be a sign of a serious problem, like:

Preterm labor. This is labor that happens too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Placenta previa. This is when the placenta lies very low in the uterus and covers all or part of the cervix.
Placenta accreta. This is when the placenta grows into the wall of the uterus too deeply.
Placental abruption. This is when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before birth.
Uterine rupture. This is when the uterus tears during labor. This happens very rarely. It can happen if you have a scar in the uterus from a prior cesarean birth (also called c-section) or another kind of surgery on the uterus. A c-section is surgery in which your baby is born through a cut that your doctor makes in your belly and uterus.

How are bleeding and spotting treated?

Your treatment depends on what caused your bleeding. You may need a medical exam and tests.
Most of the time, treatment for bleeding or spotting is rest. Your provider may also suggest treatments like:

Take time off from work and stay off your feet for a little while
You may need medicine to help protect your baby from Rh disease. Rh disease is when your blood and baby’s blood are incompatible (can’t be together). This disease can cause serious problems — even death — for your baby.
Don’t have sex, douche or use tampons
If you have heavy bleeding, you may need a hospital stay or surgery

Last reviewed: April 2020

When you’re trying to conceive, it’s only natural to obsessively monitor what’s happening with your vagina. But don’t panic and assume you’re not pregnant if you notice a little spotting. Light, brief bleeding that lasts just a day or two can actually be a sign of early pregnancy. It’s known as implantation bleeding, and it can be a tip-off that an egg has successfully nestled into your womb.

It can be unnerving when you see a streak of blood on your underwear or after wiping. Of course, if you’re actively looking for signs of pregnancy, you may feel optimistic or even excited about this sudden symptom. Suffice to say, you probably have a lot of questions—and we’re here to help. Want to learn how to recognize implantation bleeding, when it occurs, what it looks like and how you can tell the difference between this kind of bleeding and menstruation? Read on to get the full lowdown on implantation bleeding and what it may (or may not) mean.

What Is Implantation Bleeding?

Implantation bleeding is a small amount of spotting or bleeding that happens after a newly fertilized egg burrows into the lining of your uterus. Since the uterine lining is rich with blood, some women spot a little at this point. This is totally normal and no cause for concern, but a pregnancy test and doctor’s visit may be order to make sure implantation bleeding is truly the culprit.

So how much do you bleed during implantation? “It’s typically a small amount of spotting or bleeding,” says Laurie MacLeod, APRN, CNM, a certified nurse midwife at ProMedica in Oregon, Ohio. Implantation bleeding is usually much lighter than a regular period; it’s not enough to warrant a feminine pad, but you might consider wearing a pantyliner just in case.

How common is implantation bleeding?

According to the American Pregnancy Association, approximately one third of women experience implantation bleeding in early pregnancy. All in all, there’s no real way to know whether spotting (or lack thereof) indicates pregnancy—only a test can tell. “Bleeding in the first trimester is common, although I would never say ‘normal,’” says Michael Cackovic, MD, a maternal fetal medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. According to him, about 25 to 30 percent of women will experience some bleeding—including implantation bleeding—in the first trimester.

If you have no implantation bleeding, that’s perfectly normal too. “Don’t worry! It has no bearing on the success of your pregnancy,” says Julie Lamppa, APRN, CNM, a certified nurse midwife at Mayo Clinic.

When does implantation bleeding occur?

If you’re compulsively checking your underwear every few hours in hopeful anticipation, you may be wondering: How soon after conception would you notice spotting? So, when does implantation bleeding occur? “Implantation bleeding may occur right around the time you think you may be getting your period,” Lamppa explains—which is why it can be confusing for women who experience it. “Some women will notice a small amount of spotting or bleeding about 10 to 14 days after fertilization of the egg,” she adds.

If you suspect you’re experiencing implantation bleeding, you may be eager to take a home pregnancy test—and stat. Not so fast, though. While there’s no harm in taking a test at this point, you’re better off waiting a few more days.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, your body starts producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) about 10 days after conception, which is around the same time implantation bleeding may occur. At this early stage in a healthy pregnancy, hCG levels double every two days. Still, it takes time for the hormone to build up in your system and reach a volume that can be detected by an over-the-counter urine test. Some tests may be able to detect hCG about 10 days after conception, but waiting until after a missed period can lower the chance of a false negative. Blood tests are more sensitive to hCG and can detect the hormone 9 to 12 days after conception.

How long does implantation bleeding last?

It depends on the woman, but some claim it lasts for one day, while others say three or four. Implantation bleeding can seem like a period, but it doesn’t last as long. “You don’t continue to bleed like a normal period,” Lamppa says.

Implantation Bleeding Vs. Period: How to Tell the Difference

How can you tell if it’s implantation bleeding or your period? Depending on how you typically experience menstruation, this could be a bit of a waiting game. Implantation bleeding is usually lighter than a normal period. “If you experience bleeding that’s considered to be heavy spotting or bleeding, that would be more than implantation bleeding,” Lamppa says. But if you tend to have light periods anyway, you might not notice a huge difference.

Your period will typically last longer than implantation bleeding, Macleod adds. If you bleed for a day or two, it’s more likely to be implantation bleeding. If it stretches beyond that time frame, you may have gotten your period. Still not sure? Wait a few more days and take a pregnancy test.

What Does Implantation Bleeding Look Like?

Now that you understand what it is and when it occurs, you might be left wondering: What does implantation bleeding look like? The truth is, implantation bleeding can resemble a lighter version of your period. The color is usually pink or slightly red when it starts, MacLeod says, although it can be brownish as the bleeding resolves. The texture can vary, but it shouldn’t be overly thick. “It should not contain clots,” Lamppa says. Clots typically form with heavy bleeding, so if you’re truly experiencing implantation bleeding, you shouldn’t have them.

Implantation Bleeding Symptoms

Women can experience implantation bleeding differently. Some may have no additional symptoms besides the light bleeding, while others may start to encounter a few early signs of pregnancy, MacLeod says. According to her, these can include:

• Nausea • Headache • Lower back pain • Light cramping • Breast tenderness • Fatigue

But again, don’t worry if you don’t experience these things. “You may not have any associated pregnancy symptoms at this time because it’s still so early,” Lamppa says.

There are a lot of things that can cause bleeding during the first few weeks and months of pregnancy. “Causes of bleeding during early pregnancy can range from irritation to the cervix and vagina as blood flow is increased to the area, to threatened miscarriage or even ectopic pregnancy,” Cackovic says. If you experienced bleeding and you’ve gotten a positive pregnancy test, it’s important to see your doctor sooner rather than later to determine what’s going on.

“Your provider will assess how far you are into the pregnancy, the amount of bleeding you’re experiencing, if you’re feeling pain and other possible risk factors,” Lamppa says. “All of this information will help your provider figure out the next best steps for your care.”

When you’re actively trying to get pregnant, it’s natural to scrutinize the inner workings of your reproductive system and even compare your symptoms to those of other women. But remember, you may have implantation bleeding, or you may not, and your experience may be different than others’. The tricky part is determining if the spotting is actually the result of implantation or something else entirely (like your period). If you’re on pins and needles waiting for an answer, take a deep breath, monitor for additional bleeding and consider taking a test in a few days. Of course, never hesitate to reach out to your doctor with any concerns.

Michael Cackovic, MD, is a maternal fetal medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. He is also an associate professor of medicine at Ohio State University. He received his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Julie Lamppa, APRN, CNM, is a certified nurse midwife at Mayo Clinic. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Laurie MacLeod, APRN, CNM, is a certified nurse midwife at ProMedica, an integrated healthcare organization in Oregon, Ohio. She received her Master’s of Science in nursing, specializing in midwifery, from The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

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