Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Spotting Early Pregnancy

Question:
I was so excited last week when I did a hpt and it was positive!!! However...last night and today I have been spotting on and off. I never had this with my prior pregnancies. Just wondering if anyone else has had this. Of course I am so afraid of miscarriage. I called my OB/GYN. I am actually scheduled to go in tomorrow for my first appointment but in the mean time she said I should get this blood test done and then they will retest in 48 hours to see if I am still pregnant. They are looking for some hormone level I think. Anyways...I hope it is nothing!! It is not heavy bleeding...just spotting at this point, but I know that it can turn into bleeding which is definitely a sign of miscarriage. Oh...also...one other thing...I know you can have spotting when implantation occurs. Maybe that is what it is. When does that usually happen and can you get spotting more than once with that. I had the spotting last night and then again this afternoon. I am only 3 or 4 weeks along I think.

Answer:
Spotting is uncommonly common. It should always be reported, however and hormone levels checked which is what you say is being done tomorrow. It usually amounts to nothing but you should report any increase, clotting, cramping (which is also common), etc. An ultrasound can also reveal the presence of the embryo and sac and any abnormalities in attachment that need watching. I'm sure you will know a lot more after your visit, but so far it sounds like the usual implantation spotting. According to TCOYF Implantation spotting usually occurs 7-10 days after ovulation. What you are experiencing.. could be the normal spotting that a lot of women get.. around the time that their periods would have started if they hadn't gotten PG. Glad your Dr is doing the Blood test.. that should help ease your mind. sometimes it is nothing and sometimes it is early signs of a MC -- I have a friend who bled a lot through the first few months of pregnancy - almost had an abortion because she thought they were just delaying the inevitable -- and she had a perfectly healthy full term baby boy I think this is really common. I had spotting at 4 weeks and again at 8 weeks, so I kind of prepared for it at 12, but it never came. I was told I should go to the doctor only if the bleeding became heavy or associated with pelvic pain. (It was my doctor who told me this, she didn't see me as it was only light spotting, although it was bright red). I am 21 weeks now and doing fine.