Spotting or Light Bleeding

Spotting is a gynecology term and refers to the light bleeding that occurs during pregnancy, after menopause, after sex or sometimes in between periods.

Much of the time, spotting is either pink or light brown in color. A more intense spotting can be red. The flow of blood during spotting is light and minimal and can only visible through a few droplets of blood at times, which is not enough to soak a sanitary pad.

It can at times be an indication of something amiss happening, such as a miscarriage; however, it can also happen in a healthy pregnancy as well. Spotting can now and then additionally be an indication of pregnancy if the blood is pink or brown in shade and shows up days after ovulation.

Light bleeding or spotting can imply any number of things, from the generous to the really troublesome. Before you panic, read more about the issue of spotting in women:

Different Cases of Bleeding:

1. Between Periods:
2. Once in a while, there is a probable chance that your period may show up right amidst your menstrual cycle. With one drop here or two drops there, spotting between periods can scare you. A few ladies see brownish colored light spotting for a day or two after ovulation.
3. Spotting between periods typically implies light bleeding within your menstrual cycle. Bleeding between menstrual periods is often referred to as IMB- inter-menstrual bleeding or abnormal uterine bleeding. It is further described as the disturbance of the normal pattern because of the presence of a hemorrhage, which causes the issue of spotting between periods.
4. Abnormal vaginal bleeding seems light with simply little amounts of spotting that can only be seen on a bathroom tissue. There could be a lot of reasons for spotting between periods like Ovulation, contraception, vaginal thrush, pregnancy or menopause.

2.After Sex

1.Light bleeding or spotting after a sexual intercourse is pretty much normal. This is because of the excessive friction caused because of the lack of enough lubricant. In any case it is very important to counsel with a gynecologist if the vaginal bleeding or spotting has become a common occurrence even after days of intercourse or recurring bleeding.
The main source of bleeding brought by vaginal sex is your cervix. But whatever the case is, you need to get yourself checked by a doctor because it can be treated easily if diagnosed on time.

2.There are a lot of probable causes for spotting after sex. Gonorrhea and Chlamydia are two of the sexually transmitted diseases which are very common and can likewise bring about vaginal bleeding after intercourse. In such cases, there are other symptoms attached to the spotting such as irritation, vaginal discharge and feeling of burns while urinating.

3.Vaginitis may likewise bring about light bleeding, exacerbating after intercourse.

4.Cervicitis is another such cervix inflammation that is accompanied by rotten, yellow or dark release that causes intercourse bleeding.

5.Other common causes include: Endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease

6.Other uncommon yet conceivable causes: Tumors in reproductive organs, uterine fibroids, cervical or uterine polyps and cervical dysplasia.

7.It is essential to treat these conditions as early as possible. Postponing medication may bring about infertility in women.

3.During Pregnancy:

1. Spotting amid pregnancy is generally alluded to Implantation spotting or bleeding. This happens when the egg that is fertilized attaches itself to the wall of the uterus. However, it is stated by the doctors that a few ladies may encounter light bleeding or spotting as an early sign of pregnancy but for the most part, all of the ladies get befuddled when they see implantation spotting or light bleeding amid their pregnancy. Typically, light bleeding or spotting happens around of 6–12 days of your last menstrual period which suggests it happens within 2 weeks of your last monthly cycle date.
2. One out of every three ladies is bound to encounter bleeding after implantation. However, more often than not spotting amid pregnancy might be an indication that a lady is pregnant yet it can likewise imply that there can be a conceivable issue with the pregnancy.
3. Despite the fact that spotting (even if exceptionally negligible) for pregnant ladies might be viewed as typical, it is still savvy to have it checked by a Gynecologist. The accompanying conditions in pregnancy may require prompt consideration as it might represent a significant issue in future:

• Heavy bleeding in the vagina from first to second month of pregnancy might happen because of ectopic pregnancy and hence can result into an unsuccessful pregnancy.
• If bleeding happens after the second month of pregnancy, it might be an indication that there is an issue with the placenta.

4.After Menopause
Menopause is the time after you have had your last period and it is affirmed 12 months after your last period. Any case of light bleeding or spotting after this point is referred to as PMB- postmenopausal bleeding. Spotting or bleeding 12 months or more after your last period is not normal.

Bleeding after menopause is generally an indication of a minor well being issue yet can now and then be an early indication of a more serious illness. Probable causes are as follows:

• Cancerous growth in uterus
• Thinning of lining of uterus and vagina
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Uterus abnormalities

What is the difference between spotting and a real period?

1. Flow: The primary difference between menstruation and spotting is the flow. The flow of spotting is very light whereas flow of menstruation is usually heavier. Spotting will not cause blood clots like normal menstruation. So heavy bleeding implies either miscarriage (if you are pregnant) or menstruation.
2. Color: Spotting is always brown or pink in color but can also be light red rarely. The color brown implies that the blood had been stuck in the uterus after the egg was implanted. If it is bright red or darker shades of red, then it is menstruation. Implantation bleeding can never be red because blood takes its time to move out of the body and hence turns brownish as it gets aged inside the body. Most women experience brown blood with foul smell during the implantation bleeding.
3. Cramping: Both spotting and menstruation cause cramps, but the intensity of menstrual cramps is much higher than that of spotting. If you are having brownish or pink bleeding along with faint and light cramps, you can rest assured that it is because of the implantation bleeding or spotting.
4. Consistency: Menstrual bleeding continues for 4–7 days normally whereas spotting or light bleeding stays on and off as it comes and goes. Also, spotting usually lasts two to four days and sometimes even for just a few hours.