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What Causes Spotting?

Although light spotting is a common occurrence for many women in between their periods, it can be disconcerting. The reasons spotting occurs are varied and range from minor to more serious. Knowing the reasons that spotting may occur can help you determine if you need to seek medical attention.

  1. Infections

    • There are a number of infections in the pelvic region that can cause spotting, including vaginal, cervical, uterine or ovarian infections. Sometimes these are due to an exposure to a sexually transmitted infection. The spotting can be a warning sign that something is seriously wrong. Also, pelvic inflammatory disease is sometimes the cause. Usually these infections will cause spotting after sexual intercourse or douching.

    Birth Control

    • Often different forms of birth control can cause spotting. Birth control pills cause a change in your hormone levels which can lead to spotting. If you recently switched or started a new birth control pill, it can take a few months for your body to adjust to the change in hormones. To help minimize spotting due to birth control, take the pills at the same time daily to ensure the hormone levels remain balanced. Also, an intrauterine device, or IUD, greatly increases your risk of spotting between periods. An IUD is a small device that is attached to the lining of your uterus to help prevent pregnancy.

    Ovulation

    • When your body releases an egg during your monthly cycle, this is known as ovulation. In general, this occurs 14 days after the start of your last period, and some women experience spotting at this time. Along with spotting, you may experience a mild pain located on either the left or right side of your lower back. Conversely, if you are not ovulating, you may experience spotting as well since the uterine lining becomes thick and small parts of it may shed during the time of the month you would normally ovulate. A common cause of the lack of ovulation is polycystic ovary syndrome.

    During Pregnancy

    • There are a number of times you may experience spotting if you are pregnant. One of the first times many women experience it is during implantation. When the newly fertilized egg affixes to your uterus, you may experience light bleeding for a day or two. A less common reason for spotting during pregnancy is a molar pregnancy. A molar pregnancy is when the chromosomes from the mother and father do not grow properly and the pregnancy cannot be supported. When this occurs, the first sign of a problem is usually spotting. Sometimes spotting is just something that occurs with no given reason, such as breakthrough bleeding. This occurs when your body continues to spot every month when you would normally have a period, but there is no reason for it. However, no matter how light the spotting is, contact your medical provider immediately if you experience any bleeding during a pregnancy to ensure there are no major problems developing.

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