A small amount of red or brown discharge but no period could be an early pregnancy symptom. This may especially be true if your cycle is as regular as clockwork but you have spotting instead of your period. It's common to have light bleeding or spotting in early pregnancy. This type of bleeding may be caused by the development of the placenta. How do I know if it's spotting or my period?You can usually tell the difference between pregnancy spotting and a period. Spotting in early pregnancy is much lighter than a period. Spotting shouldn't last longer than three days, and you may only notice it when you go to the loo. Most spotting is painless.If your cycle isn't always regular though, it's possible that your period is on its way. The quickest way to be sure is to take a pregnancy test. Pregnancy tests detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Your levels of hCG rise quickly after the fertilised egg implants. If you get a negative result, but your period hasn't started properly, try doing another test after a few days. I have brown discharge but no periodAgain, bleeding or discharge that is much lighter in flow than your period is classed as spotting. The colour of blood may get darker as it gets older. So a small amount of red to brown discharge but no period may well be a sign that you're in the early stages of pregnancy.It’s also common to have some pink or brown discharge, spotting or light bleeding between week six and week seven (Hasan et al 2010, Newson 2014). If you have bleeding that seems unusual, see your doctor to be on the safe side. Bleeding that’s lighter, and brighter, or darker red than usual, or more watery, may be symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo implants outside the womb, and it needs immediate treatment. Why does pregnancy spotting happen?In the first weeks of pregnancy, your body does the job of providing your baby with nutrients and oxygen. It's thought that spotting may be triggered around the time that the placenta becomes your baby's lifeline.There's also a possibility that it’s caused by the implantation of the fertilised egg in your womb. Or the hormones that control your periods could still be in your body. There could be other explanations for your spotting. Your cervix could be inflamed, and bleed easily, perhaps because of an infection. If you have a positive pregnancy test, tell your midwife or doctor about the bleeding, just in case. If you do get your period, and haven't had a pre-pregnancy visit to your GP, it's worth doing so now. Your GP can check that you are immune to rubella, which can be harmful to unborn babies, with a blood test. They can also have a chat with you about how to get your body ready for pregnancy. See all in: Am I pregnant? Show
on August 13, 2021 Latest update:See moreStocksy  Get your period after a positive pregnancy test? Here's what you need to know about a chemical pregnancy, a very early pregnancy loss. Back to Top In This Article
Getting your period a week after a positive pregnancy test can be confusing and frightening, but it’s actually much more common than you might realize. You may have experienced what’s often referred to as a chemical pregnancy. Many women who have a chemical pregnancy actually don’t even realize they’ve conceived. But having a chemical pregnancy doesn't indicate that there’s something wrong with you or that you won’t one day give birth to a healthy baby. What is a chemical pregnancy?A chemical pregnancy is a very early pregnancy loss that happens when an egg is fertilized and implants in the uterus, but is unable to grow normally. It usually occurs at around week 4 to 5 of your menstrual cycle. In pregnancy, a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall about three weeks after the first day of your last menstrual period. Cells that would become the placenta begin to produce levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) that by the time or your expected period are high enough to detect on a blood or urine test. With a chemical pregnancy, this implantation does not progress, and the cells don’t develop all the way into an embryo and placenta. This results in bleeding a few days to a week after your regular period was due. Chemical pregnancies are extremely common. In fact, experts actually believe this very early pregnancy loss may account for up to 50 percent of all conceptions. Often, the only sign of a chemical pregnancy is a late period. You’ll only know if you had a pregnancy loss if you happened to take an early pregnancy test soon after conception. Signs of a chemical pregnancyMany women don’t realize they’ve had a chemical pregnancy. Symptoms that indicate you might have had a chemical pregnancy include: Continue Reading Below Read This NextWhat Happens After a Medical Termination of Pregnancy and How to Cope Pregnancy After a Miscarriage What Is a Rainbow Baby? What Happens After a Medical Termination of Pregnancy and How to Cope Pregnancy After a Miscarriage What Is a Rainbow Baby?
Implantation bleeding vs. a chemical pregnancyLight spotting or bleeding following a positive pregnancy test doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a chemical pregnancy. Some (but not all) women experience light implantation bleeding, which is a sign that you are pregnant. On the other hand, heavy bleeding and menstrual-like cramps in pregnancy may indicate an impending early loss. Either way, if you experience any bleeding after a positive pregnancy test, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends calling your doctor. What causes a chemical pregnancy?Most early pregnancy losses, including chemical pregnancies, are caused by chromosomal abnormalities. At the start of a pregnancy, an egg and a sperm combine 23 chromosomes from each partner to form a zygote with 46 chromosomes. The zygote begins to grow through rapid cell division, evolves into a blastocyst and implants in the uterine wall. In a chemical pregnancy:
Chromosomal abnormalities occur randomly and can happen to anyone. However, the chance of chromosomal abnormalities increases significantly with age. Chemical pregnancies definitely don’t mean you won’t be able to get pregnant and stay pregnant in the future. Chemical pregnancy risk factorsSeveral risk factors can put you at a higher risk of early pregnancy loss. These include:
Chemical pregnancies and IVFChemical pregnancies are also a possibility if you’ve gone through in vitro fertilization (IVF) — and in fact, they can occur quite frequently after IVF or another fertility procedure. But the good news is that an early pregnancy loss like this one can mean a greater chance of conceiving in future IVF cycles as compared with women who have only negative pregnancy tests. While experiencing a chemical pregnancy after undergoing infertility treatments is certainly disheartening and may even prompt you to stop IVF attempts altogether, the science is on your side. Talk with your doctor about your chances of conception and whether another round of IVF is advised. While chemical pregnancies do not occur more often with fertility therapies, they tend to be identified more often in this situation, because patients getting fertility therapies are often taking many early pregnancy tests. Recovery and grief after a chemical pregnancyA chemical pregnancy may appear more like a cycle in which a pregnancy never occurred than a miscarriage later in pregnancy. But emotionally, it can be a very different story. It’s natural to feel upset no matter how early a pregnancy loss occurs. Let yourself grieve if you need to. Remember that a chemical pregnancy is not your fault. Since most miscarriages are caused by chromosomal accidents, there’s nothing you can do to prevent them. To get through this tough time, it may help to understand the grieving process, which typically includes several stages such as denial, guilt, anger and even depression. Allow yourself to experience each phase at your own pace. You might also feel jealousy at the sight of other pregnant women or mothers and babies, and you could experience setbacks during your recovery from a chemical pregnancy. Keep in mind that it’s very normal for feelings to return and fluctuate. Consider taking some concrete steps as part of your recovery process, including memorializing your baby, finding time for self-care, writing your thoughts in a journal or joining a support group for parents who’ve experienced a similar loss. But if your grief starts to overwhelm or consume your days and prevents you from going about your daily routine, seek help from a counselor or physician. Also know that just because you had an early miscarriage doesn’t mean that you’ll have another. In fact, although it might sound unfair right now, doctors actually look at a single chemical pregnancy as a positive sign that you can get pregnant — and hopefully will again soon. Trying to get pregnant again after a chemical pregnancyVery early pregnancy losses don’t usually require medical intervention, but you can visit your practitioner if you think you’ve experienced one. They may be able to confirm a chemical pregnancy happened depending on how recently you experienced the bleeding. Be sure to see your doctor if you’ve noticed that you tend to have an irregular period or a cycle that’s over 35 days long. Your doctor may want to rule out conditions that involve anovulation, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), that can make it harder for you to get pregnant. They may refer you to a fertility specialist if necessary. It’s always a good idea to see your doctor if:
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy. Is spotting OK at 4 weeks pregnant?Your Body. The embryo continues to implant in your uterus, burying itself deep within the endometrium. Some women have slight cramping and spotting during this week while implantation happens. They might mistake this for a period, especially because this is around the time their monthly period was due.
Does bleeding after a positive pregnancy test mean miscarriage?Spotting after a positive pregnancy test doesn't mean you're miscarrying. About 50% of people who have vaginal bleeding during the first three months of pregnancy will continue their pregnancy. 2 While 50% doesn't sound like great odds, it's clear that spotting doesn't absolutely mean you will miscarry.
How long does spotting last after positive pregnancy test?Yet, this kind of spotting should resolve with 24-72 hours. When the uterus lining adjusts to the newly implanted egg, some women have reported bleeding. This appears six to twelve days after conceiving. This type of bleeding will go away on its own, and it is quite common.
What causes spotting at 4 weeks pregnant?Implantation bleeding
In early pregnancy, you might get some harmless light bleeding, called "spotting". This is when the developing embryo plants itself in the wall of your womb. This type of bleeding often happens around the time your period would have been due.
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Spotting at 4 weeks pregnant after positive test
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