Spotting is something that women face every month throughout the period during which it remains possible to bear and give birth to a baby. But not always such discharge is the norm. Consider why spotting may appear in the middle of the cycle, after sex, during pregnancy, and in other cases.
Implantation bleeding
In some cases, spotting dark red discharge from the genital tract accompanies the process of introducing a fertilized egg into the uterine cavity. As a rule, this lasts no longer than a few days, but usually it is just a couple of hours. The color can be pinkish, red, dark red, the discharge is not as plentiful as usual during menstruation. It turns out the blood that appears during the introduction of the fetal egg into the uterine wall, or the remains of the epithelium from previous critical days.
Bloody discharge after successful conception occurs in approximately 20-30% of women. Many confuse them with the onset of menstruation, so that a woman may not be aware of her interesting situation. As a rule, such discharge appears on the sixth to twelfth day after fertilization. In some cases, the timing may coincide with the expected deadline for critical days, which further confuses the woman. If there is no discharge next month, then we can talk about the onset of pregnancy.
With the likelihood of conception, you can donate blood for hCG ten days after ovulation. Particularly sensitive tests will show an interesting position even a few days before the expected menstruation, unless, of course, this is a mistake. Implantation bleeding is a variant of the norm, so you should not worry about this, although, of course, it is better to visit a gynecologist just in case.
Pregnancy pathology
Spotting during pregnancy (except for implantation bleeding, which was discussed above) can also be a variant of the norm, but only in the early stages. For example, such a symptom may appear on the days of the alleged menstruation, in which case the reason is hormonal restructuring of the body. Also, discharge can threaten a breakdown, indicate placental abruption, internal hematoma, be a symptom of a pathology (ectopic pregnancy), or miscarriage.
In the later stages, atypical discharge always threatens with a late miscarriage, a serious detachment of the placenta, or premature birth. If there is a 14th week of pregnancy, spotting requires urgent medical attention. From the second trimester (14–26 weeks) and during the third (from 26–28 weeks before delivery), such changes in a woman’s condition are dangerous. But immediately before birth, the expectant mother can normally observe light pink discharge - they accompany the discharge of the mucous plug. About a week after the onset of such a symptom, delivery can be expected.
It must be remembered that not always spotting in a woman in an interesting position can talk about pathology. In 80% of cases, expectant mothers successfully bear and give birth to a healthy baby. However, in case of suspicion, it is better to consult a gynecologist observing pregnancy.
Ovulation bleeding
Bleeding from the genital tract at the time of occurrence may coincide with ovulation (12-16 days after menstruation). The discharge is not very plentiful, the duration is about three days. Such spotting in the middle of the cycle may be a variant of the norm, they occur from time to time in all women. This state indicates the onset of ovulation, that is, the greatest ability to conceive a child. Allocations are usually light pink in color and smearing in nature, often there is an admixture of mucus. If the bleeding is too profuse, prolonged, occurs regularly, is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, on the right or left, then you need to see a doctor.
The use of hormonal contraception
The norm option is spotting in the first months of using hormonal contraception (patches, rings, implants, tablets or injections). In this case, the woman’s body naturally “adjusts”, gets used to the new mode of functioning. Contraceptives include a large number of hormones that enter the circulatory system. A woman’s body, accustomed to another (natural) concentration of its own hormones, needs time to rebuild.
Slight spotting can be observed in the first two to four months after the use of hormonal contraceptives. As a rule, the symptom disappears after a few months of taking the pills. It is necessary to consult a doctor if the discharge lasts regularly for more than three months, to ensure hygiene, two to three daily panty liners are not enough, have a pale pink or scarlet color (normal discharge is brown or red).
Oral contraceptive skip
If you skip the use of one or more birth control pills, bloody discharge may appear. The reasons are clear. As a result of violations of the reception of such funds, the hormonal background of a woman changes. Against the background of skipping the pill, the discharge is smearing, lasting from several hours to two days.
The presence of a spiral
The intrauterine device is adjacent to the mucous membrane, as a result, the natural process of endometrial detachment may be disturbed. The spiral can interfere with endometrial detachment, changing the nature of the bleeding or delaying the onset of menstruation. A metal or plastic spiral has an adverse effect on the walls of the uterus, causing it to contract strongly. Such a reduction can also provoke spotting from the genital tract in the middle of the cycle. As a rule, smearing discharge appears a few days after the completion of menstruation and lasts several days. If a spiral is installed, then such bleeding is a variant of the norm.
If a woman uses a spiral with progesterone (hormonal spiral), then atypical discharge appears for a slightly different reason. Progesterone, which is released from such a spiral, makes a woman’s internal organs susceptible to wounds and injuries, thins the walls, and as a result, there may be slight bleeding between menstruation for several months. Such discharge, as a rule, lasts for six to twelve months after the installation of the spiral. At the same time, menstruation can even disappear, which is also a variant of the norm, if a hormonal spiral is installed.
Gynecological diseases
Gynecological diseases are pathological causes of spotting with blood. Abundant or scarce discharge can go with:
- polyps on the cervix or in the cavity of the organ;
- endometriosis;
- cervicitis;
- endometritis;
- polycystic ovary syndrome;
- oncological diseases of female genital organs;
- uterine fibroids;
- chronic infectious diseases of the female reproductive system (ureaplasmosis, mycoplasmosis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis).
Usually the above gynecological diseases are accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms, among which are:
- itching, burning in the perineum;
- periodic sharp or sharp pains radiating to the lower back or rectum;
- burning sensation during urination, frequent urge to the toilet "little by little";
- dry vagina, discomfort ;
- general weakness, dizziness, fainting, fever.
Hormonal imbalance
If there is bloody discharge in a woman, this may be the reason for the increased level of prolactin or female sex hormones in the blood, a decrease in the number of thyroid hormones. In this case, appropriate treatment is necessary. It is necessary to consult a gynecologist who will prescribe a course of therapy. Otherwise, you may encounter more serious deviations in the future, including the inability to conceive and bear a child.
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
Uterine bleeding can be a consequence of genital dysfunction and instability in the work of natural mechanisms that regulate the onset of ovulation and the menstrual cycle in general. Typically, such problems appear in girls under twenty years of age or older than forty-five. It is in these categories of women that instability of the mechanisms that control the cycle is more often noted.
Non-gynecological reasons
In addition to the above reasons, discharge with an admixture of blood can be due to those reasons that are completely unrelated to the intimate sphere. Non-gynecological causes are the following factors:
- taking medications that affect blood coagulation;
- pathology of the blood coagulation system.
In any case, when atypical vaginal discharge appears, a gynecologist should be consulted. If the doctor does not find the causes of this phenomenon in the intimate sphere, then he will refer the patient to other narrow specialists or a general practitioner. The causes of bloody discharge can be varied, so self-medication is strictly unacceptable. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose and prescribe adequate therapy, which will get rid of the problem as soon as possible and without negative consequences for health.
When to consult a doctor
Be sure to visit a gynecologist if:
- bloody discharge lasts a week;
- they are too intense, plentiful;
- appeared in the late stages of an interesting position;
- accompanied by abdominal pain, poor health, dizziness, fainting;
- occur in the middle of the cycle for several months in a row.
The consequences of atypical discharge
The consequences of bloody discharge depend on the causes of this condition. In some cases, this symptom may be a variant of the norm (occasionally during ovulation, in the early stages of a child’s expectation - implantation bleeding, after installing the helix or when you miss a birth control pill), but in the rest this will indicate serious violations in the body. If bleeding is a symptom of an ectopic pregnancy or physiological pregnancy pathology, then this can cause a woman to die or lose a baby.