What you need to know about spotting and/or vaginal bleeding. There are several causes for vaginal bleeding or spotting but the specifics aren't always known. For half of the women who experience vaginal bleeding or spotting, there are no further complications and the bleeding stops.
It's normal to sometimes have spotting when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus or when there's an unexpected period. Other possibile reasons for vaginal bleedng or spotting might be an ectopic pregnancy or a sign of a miscarriage.
If you are less than 37 weeks and you have vaginal bleeding or spotting, be sure to call your care provider as this could be a sign of premature birth. In late pregnancy from 37 weeks on, it's very common to have vaginal bleeding. This can often be called bloody show and can be a sign that labor is approaching.
In late pregnancy, it's very common to have a fairly heavy amount of vaginal bleeding or spotting. So, it's important to call your care provider as this can sometimes be a sign of placenta privia or placenta abruption. Placenta abruption is when the placenta separates from the uterus wall. This can cause complications so you want to be sure to call your care provider.
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