Spotting That Stops Then Starts Again a Few Weeks Later

You know when you're on your period. The blood is flowing, your mood is swinging, and your cramping uterus just confirms what yous already know to exist true. When you're spotting, things might not be so clear. Seeing a few ruddy dots in your underwear could meansomany dissimilar things: pregnancy, ovulation, stress, a looming visit from Aunt Flo. Regardless of how well you know your body and your menstrual bike, unexpected haemorrhage of any kind can exist anxiety inducing. Don't panic—nosotros've got the lowdown on spotting before, after, and in-betwixt your periods.

The Deviation Between Spotting and Your Period

Generally, periods come every 21 to 35 days. Some women have shorter periods that last upward to two days, while others menstruate for upwards to vii days. Yet others tin drain for even longer just this is a sign of a heavy menstruum (or menorrhagia) and, although common, is not normal and can indicate that in that location are underlying reproductive bug.

The offset day of your period is considered "twenty-four hour period 1" of your monthly bike and is ofttimes accompanied by period pains: headaches, cramps, cravings, and the similar. Though it may seem similar you're bleeding out, the amount of claret women release is usually between 4 and 7 tablespoons. The color of period blood can range but is typically red or, if your uterus is shedding off old tissue, brown.

On the other hand, spotting tin occur at any time during your monthly wheel and is near likely going to be simply a few drops of claret throughout the 24-hour interval. Spotting blood is normally either light pinkish or dark brown. Though cramps and periods seem to be best buds, you probably won't feel any hurting if you lot're spotting—unless you are experiencing implantation spotting merely we'll go to that.

Now that you're clear on the differences between spotting and having your period, let'south motion on to the actually of import stuff: why you're spotting at different times throughout your menstrual cycle.

You're Stressed

When our order glorifies busy-ness and often views a packed schedule as a status symbol, whoisn'tstressed these days? No one, that'due south who. Whether it'southward stress from a cluttered career, family issues, or just general pressure to be amazing at everything (youactuallyare enough, lady), increased levels of cortisol can take a price on your menstrual cycle. While missed or irregular periods are mutual symptoms of beingness and so stressed that youcan't fifty-fifty,and so is spotting.

If you tin can correlate your spotting to times when your stress levels are through the roof, y'all may have identified the cause. Your best bet is to practise what you tin to tone down on the stress — take a bubble bath, practice some yoga, or just beginning saying no to things you don't want to do (or don'treallytake time for). Managing your stress in a good for you fashion should assistance your spotting subside and your menstrual cycle get back to normal.

You are Ovulating

When you lot cease up your menses, your encephalon signals to your ovaries that it's time to make an egg. When your ovaries release that egg into your fallopian tube, you lot're officially ovulating. This usually happens around day 14 of your cycle but, of course, this can vary if you have a shorter or longer cycle. That 12 to 24-hour window that your egg is waiting for sperm to find and fertilize information technology tin can cause haemorrhage. Though only almost 1 to 2 pct of women accept ovulation spotting, those who do may find that their pink or light chocolate-brown spotting is mixed in with some "egg white" looking discharge, which is a sign of ovulation and fertility.

Your Eggo is Preggo

And then, yous know how your ovaries release an egg during ovulation? Well, if that egg isn't fertilized, it dissolves into the inner lining of your uterus, which is sloughed off during your period. But if itisfertilized, it travels back up into your uterus, sperm in tow, and implants to kickoff growing a infant. While your egg gets cozy in your uterus, you may feel what is known as implantation bleeding. This is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy but is not one thatallwomen experience. If y'all do get implantation spotting, information technology can last anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple days and you just might experience a piddling bit of cramping in your lower abdomen.

Your Period Just Stopped

You lotjustput the unused tampons from your purse back into the piddling black box on your counter (yay!) just –bam! – spots of blood in your favorite panties. WTH, right? Well, lady, hate to pause it to you just this is ane of the most common spotting times. The reason behind after-period spotting is usually that your uterus didn't stop flushing out its unused inner lining. Unless your period starts again soon later it ends, you don't have anything to worry nearly.

You lot Just Started, Stopped, or Switched Birth Control

Though men can't seem to handle the side effects too every bit women tin, birth control is yet such a smashing invention. Specially for those of united states of america who don't want children (however or ever), dealing with the side effects is well worth it if it means preventing pregnancy. Ane of those side furnishings is spotting.

If yous just got an IUD, spotting is a normal symptom that can last several months. Thankfully, many IUD users eventually take lighter periods or no periods at all. Similarly, starting, stopping, or missing a dose of an oral contraceptive can crusade pink or brownish spotting. This is due to your estrogen, which keeps the lining of your uterus in identify. Doing anything that alters your estrogen levels tin cause spotting.

You Took a Morning Afterward Pill

That night of fun concluded with you popping a Program B on your style home the next morning. Yous thought all was good in your uterus just now you're spotting. Don't error this every bit a sign of pregnancyoryour menstruum. The hormones present in emergency contraceptive—estrogen and progesterone—can cause light spotting. It should go abroad pretty quickly so put on a pantyliner and go celebrate not being pregnant with a mimosa (or three).

You Accept Uterine Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are a type of benign tumor that grow in and around the wall of the uterus. Though doctors haven't identified a specific cause of fibroids, they exercise say that African American women and overweight women are more at risk for developing them. Spotting is one of the master side effects, forth with infertility, painful sex, lower back hurting, and a chronically bloated feeling. In other words, don't presume you have uterine fibroids just considering you lot're spotting. There are a lot of other causes that are far more than probable.

You're Sick

So this is a little tricky. Being sick with the cold or flu isn't likely to cause spotting but non feeling well when yous're spotting could exist a sign of some other health problem—anything from an STI, like chlamydia, to a miscarriage to cervical cancer.

Don't jump right to this conclusion, though. It's some other factor you can consider but isn't necessarily a primary cause of spotting. Rule out stress, nascence command, and pregnancy before you start Googling symptoms and diagnosing yourself. Actually, don't even attempt to diagnose yourself. Go to your doctor if y'all think something is wrong—you know your trunk ameliorate than anyone.

You Recently Got YourFirstPeriod

Reaching your menarche may be the commencement of a decades-long menstrual cycle but rarely are the commencement few years of haemorrhage consequent. In addition to irregular periods making information technology hard to know when you're safe to rock your white shorts, spotting is a mutual occurrence for girls who are just getting acquainted with tampons, cramps, and an undeniable craving for chocolate.

Should you worry?

Don't worry until it's time to worry. Basically, if y'all tin can link your spotting to stress, nascence control, the morning-after pill, or your beginning menstruation, y'all're in the clear. If you think you have an STI, cervical cancer, are pregnant, or have uterine fibroids, information technology could be fourth dimension to schedule an engagement with your doctor.

Overall, spotting is normal and nada to freak out well-nigh. It's not something you lot can (or demand to) try and stop. Simply let your uterus do its thing. On that note, if you are spotting for more than a week at a time, have any pain or discomfort during spotting, or just have a feeling that something isn't right – trust your gut instinct and caput to your gynecologist.

Ane last point on spotting:don'tuse a tampon (even a low-absorbency one) to control spotting. This can profoundly increase your risks of getting Toxic Shock Syndrome. Though using organic tampons eliminate the fear of having toxins in your vagina, spotting doesn't produce almost enough moisture to make using a tampon safe. Stick with a pantyliner and you'll be only fine.

This commodity has been medically reviewed by Dr. Janet Brito.

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**We love reading your comments, merely unfortunately are unable to post or respond to comments or questions that outline specific medical issues and seek medical advice. For whatever medical concerns, we always advise consulting a medical professional. If you'd like to learn more than virtually your period, we'd recommend checking out other Blood and Milk manufactures.**

Featured image by Lana Abie

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