What Can Cause Bleeding During Pregnancy
During early pregnancy, it is not uncommon for a woman to have bleeding or spotting. This bleeding can sometimes be mistaken for a period. Twenty to twenty-five percent of women have bleeding or spotting during pregnancy. The bleeding is generally not as heavy a regular period. However, if a woman did not know that she was pregnant, she may assume the bleeding was just a light period. Often early pregnancy bleeding occurs around the same time a woman anticipates having her period, so this can add to the confusion.
Potential Causes Of Bleeding During Pregnancy
Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
It is not possible to have a true menstrual period during pregnancy. Your hormone levels during pregnancy will change to prevent you from menstruating, and it is not possible for your body to shed its entire uterine lining while maintaining a pregnancy.
It is, however, possible to have menstrual-like bleeding for a variety of reasons during pregnancy.
That Said There Are Several Situations That Can Cause Period
If you get your period at the usual time, it lasts for the usual amount of days, and the amount of blood that you see is pretty typical for you, its pretty unlikely that youre pregnant, G. Thomas Ruiz, M.D., lead ob-gyn at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, tells SELF. But you could have bleeding in early pregnancy that just so happens to coincide with when your period is due, Dr. Schaffir says. In fact, up to 30 percent of pregnant people have some form of bleeding in early pregnancy, according to the American Pregnancy Association.
For instance, you might experience implantation bleeding, which is light spotting or bleeding that can happen when the embryo burrows into your uterine wall, and can also be a cause of bleeding in early pregnancy. But Dr. Ruiz says its unlikely this would be mistaken for a normal period because it tends to be much lighter.
Or you might have a cut or tear in your vagina, inflammation of your cervix, or irritation of your cervix from an infection that causes bleeding, Dr. Schaffir says. It can even be caused from sex: Sometimes women have blood vessels close to the surface of the cervix and, during sex, the friction causes a little bleeding, he explains. However, again, these usually produce far less blood than a period.
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Can You Get Pregnant On The Last Day Of Your Period
If you stop bleeding on Day 6, have sex on Day 7 and ovulate on Day 11, its possible the sperm from Day 6 will be waiting in your fallopian tubes for conception. Your chances of conceiving right after your period increase each day after your bleeding has stopped. If you are trying to conceive this is a good time to have sex. Increase your chances of conception by having sex every other day for the next 14 days.
Can You Have A Period While You’re Pregnant
Most of us have probably met at least one woman who claims that she “had her period” through her cycle. In at least one case, I’ve heard the claim of women who continue to “have cycles” during their pregnancies.
It seems like a reasonable claim, considering that many women bleed during pregnancy.
However, not all vaginal bleeding is a “period.”
You cannot have a menstrual cycle while you’re pregnant.
Why? Because during your menstrual period, your body sheds the lining of the uterus.
Many women cite anecdotal evidence for their reasons to believe that it’s possible to have a period during pregnancy. This article strives to provide accurate information on the topic so that you know whether you should take a home pregnancy test, consult your doctor, or wait. You will find several sources listed throughout the article to support the statement that it is impossible to have a period and still be pregnant.
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Can Women Have Period While Pregnant
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Implantation Bleeding Or Spotting
Implantation bleeding happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus. As the egg burrows into the lining, it sometimes causes some of the lining to shed. A woman might notice light bleeding a week to a few days before her period is due. Implantation bleeding is usually light brown, pink, or red spotting but can be as heavy as a light period. It could conceivably be confused with a light period or an early period.
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Bleeding Later In Pregnancy: Why It Happens
Weve already discussed why it isnt possible to have a period during pregnancy, and why some people may experience light bleeding or spotting during their first trimester. Bleeding during the second and third trimesters is possible, though not common, and it may be an indicator that something else is going on. If you experience bleeding later in your pregnancy, its important to see your health care provider.
Potential reasons for mid- or late-term pregnancy bleeding include:
Can Implantation Bleeding Look Similar To Period Bleeding
Implantation bleeding is one of the most commonly cited explanations for early pregnancy bleeding. But surprisingly, there is no evidence that the process of implantation causes bleeding.
In fact, there is evidence that implantation does not cause bleeding. This study found that, for most women who experience spotting during early pregnancy, it doesnt start until at least five days after implantation. Yes, bleeding during early pregnancy is fairly common, but it has nothing to do with when the fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining.
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Conception That Occurs Close To Menstruation Or Low Progesterone Levels May Cause What Looks Like A Period While Pregnant
Conception may not occur until mere days before your period is due if you have a short cycle or dont ovulate mid-cycle.
For example, lets say youre regularly maintaining a 26-day cycle. Chances are youll ovulate around day 13. Even if fertilization occurred that day, it would still take six to twelve days for the fertilized egg to reach and implant in your uterine lining.
If those hormone levels are insufficient, such as in a situation of low progesterone from luteal phase defect or had already begun to fall, you might have what seems like a lighter than usual period. You might even have what seems like an entirely normal period. In that case, its possible not to have any indication youre pregnant until you are already around eight weeks pregnant.
This type of bleeding is often referred to as break through bleeding, and is the most common type of bleeding mistaken for a period while pregnant. Break through bleeding is usually seen during the first month of pregnancy but may continue in the first trimester if hormone levels stay low.
Its important to note that any bleeding following the first bleed would not occur in a timely, predictable manner like a period. It would be sporadic bleeding with a varying flow. Multiple timely bleeds like a period, whether irregular/light for you or not, are very unlikely to be pregnancy bleeding.
What About Right Before Your Period
The likelihood of getting pregnant right before your period is extremely low. For women with a typical 28- to 30-day cycle or longer and their cycles are regular, it is fairly safe to say your ovulation occurred between Day 11 and Day 21. The egg is only available for 12 to 24 hours for conception.
This means the days right before your period are the safest to have sex without the expectation of getting pregnant. The number of safe days right before your period go up with longer cycles and lessen with shorter cycles.
If you wait 36 to 48 hours after ovulation, you should be beyond the possibilities of conception. The further you are from ovulation, the less likely your chance for conceiving. This is not the time to have sex if you are trying to conceive. Its still a good time to enjoy intimacy with your partner.
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Can You Get Pregnant Right After Your Period
You are moving into your fertility window, so yes, you can get pregnant right after your period. On a typical cycle that occurs every 28 to 30 days, the fertility window is usually between Day 11 and Day 21. Remember, sperm can live up to 5 days. If your period lasts for 5 to 7 days, and you have sex right after that, you are approaching your fertility window.
How Does Conception Occur
The ability to conceive is miraculous. It requires the meeting of a males sperm with a females egg. Once a womans ovary releases an egg, the egg lives for only between 12 and 24 hours. The male sperm can live for about three days.
The typical female cycle is 28 days. Day 1 is when she starts her period. A woman typically ovulates around day 14 .
Ovulation is when a womans ovary releases an egg for fertilization. If a sperm is available in the uterus, pregnancy can occur.
Ovulation can vary based on a womans cycle. Some women have a longer cycle of around 35 days between periods. Ovulation would then happen around day 21. Women with a shorter cycle of 21 days ovulate around day 7.
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When Can I Get Pregnant During My Menstrual Cycle
You have the highest chance of getting pregnant on the days leading up to ovulation these are called fertile days.
Ovulation usually happens about 14 days before your period starts but everyones body is different. You may ovulate earlier or later, depending on the length of your menstrual cycle.
Your egg lives for about 1 day after its released from your ovary, and sperm can live in your uterus and fallopian tubes for about 6 days after sex. So you can usually get pregnant for around 6 days of every menstrual cycle: the 5 days before you ovulate, and the day you ovulate. You can also get pregnant a day or so after ovulation, but it’s less likely.
Many people track their menstrual cycles and other fertility signs to help them figure out when theyre ovulating. This is called fertility awareness some people use it to prevent pregnancy, and others use it to try to get pregnant. Check out our app, which makes it easy to chart your cycle and figure out your fertile days.
Some people have very regular cycles, and other peoples cycles vary from month to month. Its really common for young people to have irregular periods. Since your period can be unpredictable, its hard to know for sure when youll ovulate . So if you dont want to get pregnant, use birth control every time you have vaginal sex.
Best Time To Get Pregnant After A Period
The likelihood of becoming pregnant is highest during the two days before ovulation begins or exactly on the day of ovulation, when an egg is released from the ovary. Usually, ovulation happens about two weeks before the start of the next period. Cycles and ovulation dates vary, so you may want to try an efficient method of predicting ovulation to improve the chance of conception.
Here are four methods for predicting ovulation they can help you find the best time to get pregnant after your period:
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Why Do Periods Stop During Pregnancy
Each month, your body goes through a cycle of changes to prepare for a potential pregnancy. One of your ovaries releases an egg, hormones prepare the vagina and cervix to support possible sperm, and your womb or uterus thickens to nurture a possible baby. If you dont become pregnant, on day 28 on average the cycle ends and the lining of your womb sheds this blood is your period. If you have sex during a cycle and your egg meets a sperm, you can become pregnant. Throughout your pregnancy, your body retains the lining of your womb, which is why you stop getting your period during this time.
Can You Be Pregnant And Still Have A Period
A period during pregnancy? What the? So canyou be pregnant and still have a period?
Youre like, can I be pregnant and still have a period? Cmon, body! Make up your mind. Surely you cant have it both ways, can you?
Well, it turns out that your body can indeed do some very strange things during pregnancyincluding giving you something that looks like a period.
Before we go any further, listen up very carefully to the next eight words: if you are concerned, talk to your doctor.
There are so many different reasons why bleeding during pregnancy can occur.
Some are harmless, some arentso its best to check as soon as possible.
Right. Now onto what appears to be the Schrdingers cat of womens health: if you are having a period while pregnant, youre also not having a period while pregnant.
And the reason for this takes us back to the very definition of menstruation.
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Your period is the shedding of what your body prepared for a possible pregnancy and only happens when that pregnancy it prepared for does not take place.
Therefore, if a pregnancy has taken place, there is no need for your period.
So it looks like a period, it feels like a periodbut is it a period? Umm, no.
Bleeding during pregnancy, on the other hand, is less of a paradox and can happen for a variety of reasons.
So how rare is it to be pregnant and have your period? Lets take a look.
In this article:
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How Can You Tell The Difference Between Your Period And Pregnancy Spotting
The short answer? You cant. Many women experience vaginal bleeding during the luteal phase of their cycle, as well as during early pregnancy. Taking a pregnancy test is the only way to know for sure whether your spotting is because of pregnancy or because youre about to get your period.
The best time to take a pregnancy test is 12 14 days past ovulation , which is around the time that most women would normally get their period.
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