Spotting or light bleeding is a part of the period if it occurs during the period time however it is seen that on certain month spotting is observed before period. Spotting before period can happen for several reasons. It might be possible that it is normal and not a matter of concern and also possibilities exists that it is happening because of some serious health-related problems.
Spotting before or between the two-period cycles occur for two to three days or might be more than that, depending upon the reason of its occurrence. If you are noticing this spotting consecutively for three to four months then it is not a normal health indication and in most cases, it happens because of cervical cancer, thyroid, and other severe health issues.
Reasons for Spotting before Period
Whether the spotting you are observing is for some normal concerns or due to some severe internal health-related problems depends upon the color, thickness, and frequency of spotting. If regularity is found in spots then it’s better to consult with the gynecologists who can guide better and make you aware regarding the reasons for spotting. Here we have enlisted some common possibilities of spotting.
Implantation
Implantation is the initial phase of pregnancy in which a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine lining because of that slight and very low level of spotting is observed. So if you are spotting a week or some days before your scheduled period day then possibilities are there that you are having implanted bleeding or spotting.
Implantation spotting is generally of a pink color and its consistency of flow remains same all the time or day till it exists. So it is absolutely different from the normal bleeding like the period. These spottings are very thin and there is no clotting in it like the flow of menstrual cycle. It lasts for few hours to maximum two days. In very rare case you will find that it is lasting for more than two days.
If your spotting is lasting for more than two days accompanied by a good range of flow then this is not a symptom of implantation spotting and it must be occurring due to some other reasons. So make it clear by thorough check up as recommended by a gynecologist.
Implantation happens after 10 to 14 days of your conception. Along with spotting, you can feel a little bit of cramping but this cramp or pain is not as intense just like the cramping due to period. So you can also differentiate between the period spotting and the implantation spotting with respect to the camping difference.
Birth Control Methods
Many birth control methods which are used for avoiding unwanted pregnancy causes untimely spotting before the period. These birth control procedures throw its impact on the hormonal balance of the lady who is applying it and this hormonal misbalancing cause spotting or light bleeding before your period.
If you have inserted IUDs for controlling the birth then chances exist that the occurrence of spotting before the period for next six months or lesser than that. After that, you get accustomed to it and there will no further spot before your period. Women who take contraceptive pills as a birth controlling method can observe spotting in the beginning few months when they started taking these pills.
If someone is taking contraceptive pills on the daily basis but by chance have missed it on a certain day then also spotting can occur before the period bleeding. When you suddenly stop taking these contraceptive pills under that condition also you can observe spotting before your period.
The reason of spots due to the contraceptive pills that it increases the level of estrogen hormone in your body which affects you many ways, spotting is also noticed by its users as a side effect. Sometimes when any couple does unprotected sex then they use the emergency contraceptive pills to avoid the pregnancy because of unsafe sex. In that condition also spotting occurs before your period.
Over Stress
Stress or tension though is an abstract thing but affects your body and health badly when you take overstress. It affects directly to your hormone level and this over and unusual changes in hormones causes secretion of spotting before the period date.
This you can realize by yourself if you are spotting quite before your period days and at the current point of time, you are suffering from over stress than the normal days of your life. It occurs as a side effect and can get vanished once your mind comes to its normal level by bursting the stress or tension.
Overstressing causes to release of cortisol which affects your hormonal level and then there will be a very lesser amount of discharge of estrogen and progesterone which makes your menstrual cycle untimely. Sometimes you get early period sometimes you get period crossing its exact occurrence date. So in between the late or early period time, you observe spotting.
You can use some effective stress bursting methods to get rid of the issue of spotting before period. Do regular healthy workouts, go for jogging, make yourself busy in some games like indoor or outdoor games etc. These healthy habits will not only keep your body fit but also will help in reducing your stress level.
Starting Phase of Period
During the starting or initial phase of the period many girls’ notices spotting before the period. This particularly happens because this is something new phenomena for your body and it takes time to get adapted to it. Irregularity in the period, uneven flow on different months and in between the two months period cycle spotting or light bleeding are some common incidents that a girl faces in the initial time period cycle.
As this is your adolescence period and slowly you are moving towards the maturity so things go slowly in accustoming itself with your body. Sometimes uterus starts shedding its lining an abnormal time or at the time when it is not expected. So all these things together cause irregularity in the period cycle, hence spotting is observed sometimes.
These kind of spotting are temporarily and will get vanished by the time your body gets accustomed to the period cycle. After that, there will be normal 5 days period happens without any spotting in between the time.
Ovulation
Ovulation occurs before fifteen days or two weeks before the period cycle. Ovulation is the best and accurate time of conception as at this point of time eggs secreted in the uterus of a female which can easily get fertilized if merged with sperm during the sex course. As you are ovulating so because of internal changes inside the reproductive system you can observe spotting.
Ovulation is a good sign of health and if you are spotting just before 15 days of the next period cycle then there is nothing to worry about it as everything is going normal. During the ovulation phase, you can also feel little bit cramping like the period cramp but only on one side.
At the time of ovulation, you can experience pink, brown and light red colors discharge in the way of spotting. This is a pick time of fertilization and couples who are planning for the new baby can take an advantage of this time as there exist very high chances of conception during this time.
Thyroid
If your body is suffering from thyroid then it may be possible that you can observe spotting before your period. Thyroid affects your body many ways and can be severe if it is not treated on the right time. Unusual spotting before the period cycle is one of the side effects of thyroid health issue.
Some common symptoms of the thyroid are an abnormal loss or gain in your weight, sudden changes in the heart rate, frequent changes in the body temperature, skin is getting dry, brittle nails, constipation, rapid hair fall, swelling at the neck area, irregularity in period or spotting between two period cycle etc. If you are also observing all these symptoms then you are most likely the victim of thyroid and because of that, you are spotting before the period.
Infection
Certain kind of vaginal infection may cause you to face spotting before your period. Infection especially in the vaginal area is not a normal health condition and it can get malicious if remains untreated. If an infected bacteria get transmitted from one partner to another during the sex course then it can affects your reproductive system and even it can cause infertility if not treated well on time.
Chlamydia is the severe form of vaginal infection which is transmitted during the intimate time and the worst thing about this infection is that in more than 75% cases it doesn’t comes with any symptom so it is very difficult to start its treatment. However, in few cases spotting before the period is observed if the person is affected by this infection but this is a rare case.
The gonorrhea is another kind of vaginal infection which comes with the symptoms like bleeding or spotting in between the period cycle, pain or cramp during urination, different types of vaginal discharge. The infection can be controlled with some antibiotics.
Bacterial Vaginosis is one another common form of infection which comes with the symptoms like foul or fishy odor, spotting before the period, unusual sudden vaginal discharge. This needs to be given an immediate medical attention otherwise the condition get malicious if the infection gets severe. Once it is diagnosed then an antibiotic are prescribed by the doctors which can relieved your condition by treating the infection from the root.
Injury or Accident
Some kind of injury out of an accident can affect directly to the reproductive system and causes internal damage which will in future may cause you to spotting before the period. This happens because the opening canal of the cervix remains very tender and sensitive too and even little harsh hit on this area can cause bleeding. This sensitivity varies from one woman to another and depending upon that the injury effect plays its role.
Also if you are indulged in an aggressive or intense form of sexual attachment then at that point of time the cervix area or uterus opening can get damage and bleeding may occurs till the time it is not healed. The spotting due to injury remains of the red color on the day it is happened and slowly its color changed to light red or brown as the injury gets old.
As the cervix is a very soft and sensitive body area so if any kind of injury happens to it an immediate medical attention is required otherwise the condition can get severe.
Fibroids
If fibroids are growing in the uterus then it can lead you to face unusual spotting before the period. Fibroids are small tissues which are non-cancerous and as its size remains very small so many women don’t even realized that they have developed fibroids until a painful symptom comes into the picture.
Fibroid causes difficulty in normal blood flow in the period time also it creates pain while urinating if growth is increasing to a very high level. Some medications are generally prescribed by the doctors to treat it but if the situation gets sever and medication is not enough to handle your condition then a surgical procedure is only option to get relieved from the fast growth of fibroids.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is the most severe vaginal health condition which can be life threatening too if early stage treatment is not provided. Because of some infection on the vaginal internal portion cervical or endometrial cancer occurs which causes spotting or bleeding before the period.
If you are spotting unusually before the period starting date then you should visit to a gynecologist who will do a physical examination of your vaginal area to find out whether this spotting is due to cervical cancer or not. Later on, biopsy and ultrasound reports are required to confirm the vaginal cancer. It will be your good luck if it is diagnosed in its early stage as because with the initial treatment you can get relieved completely. However, any delay in figuring out this health concern can be malicious.
When to Visit a Doctor?
If you are observing following symptoms along with spotting before period then you need to visit a doctor immediately.
- Bleeding is observed every time after sex.
- Even if you have crossed your menopause cycle, still you are noticing unusual bleeding.
- Spotting before period remains continued for three months or more than that.
- Untimely bleeding before period lasts for more than three days.
- If any abnormal bleeding is observed.
- If bleeding is observed in three weeks frequency.
If you are spotting before period then don’t take it lightly. Immediate consultation with a gynecologists is necessary in order to relieved with your current health condition also you will be assured if you are spotting normally or because of some internal health issue by a thorough diagnosis, which can save you from a severe condition if diagnosed in the initial stage.