Spotting refers to light vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. As many as 30% of pregnant women may experience spotting at one time or another during the pregnancy.
Spotting, or light brown vaginal bleeding, can occur in both viable and nonviable pregnancies. It's easy to panic and fear the worst when you discover that you are spotting, especially in the first trimester, but try to stay calm. Miscarriage is only one possible cause of spotting.
The following factors can also cause light bleeding or spotting in pregnancy:
- Recent sexual intercourse
- Recent pelvic exam
- Recent transvaginal ultrasound
- Implantation bleeding
- Cervical infection
- Placenta issues, such as placenta previa
- Miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy
If you are spotting, keep an eye on the flow to see if it gets heavier. If the spotting goes away, it is more likely to be nothing to worry about, but if it gets heavier and begins to resemble a menstrual flow, a call to your doctor is warranted. Bleeding in the second and third trimesters, especially red bleeding, should always be reported to a doctor.
Source:
American Pregnancy Association, "Bleeding During Pregnancy." Aug 2007. Accessed 20 Jun 2008.
