The problem of bleeding between the periods is known as spotting between periods and it is more common than you might think.
According to specialists this is a problem that the majority of women have to face at some point of their life.
In the majority of the cases spotting between menstruations is something absolutely normal and there is no reason for concern.
Still in some of the cases it could be a sign of conditions regarding the reproductive system or other life threatening conditions.
What is spotting between menstruations?
Normally a menstrual cycle lasts for 28 days and the period lasts for 4-7 days. Nonetheless having a menstrual cycle of 21-35 days is also considered to be normal and it could also last for 8 days.
Spotting between periods is considered to be the bleeding that happens after the period is over or before the next period. It could be very light of some pink traces on toilet paper, or it could be a drop or two of blood. In serious cases it could resemble your period.
Discharge
It is natural to have vaginal discharge on the days between your periods, but if there is some blood in the discharge, then it is considered spotting between menstruations. In this case the bleeding is caused by the irritation or infection of the vagina.
The degree of the spotting between periods can vary a lot. This kind of bleeding is also known as breakthrough bleeding. In case of menopause the bleeding could be unpredictable and erratic.
Spotting between menstruations and the menstrual cycle
In case there is some spotting before your period or during the menstrual cycle, there is no reason to be too worried. It is almost normal to experience some kind of bleeding between the periods. Nonetheless you should make sure that the blood isn’t coming from the urine or the rectum.
It can be normal
About 10% of the women in their childbearing years experience spotting between periods. This usually happens because the estrogen level of the body drops when the ovaries release the egg. In many cases the vaginal discharge is tinged with blood.
The spotting could also be accompanied by cramping or mild pain. You may know that the spotting between menstruations is harmless in case it usually happens 10-14 days after your period ends or two weeks before your period starts. In other cases spotting is a sign that you will get your period soon.
Most probably there is no meaning of the fact whether the spotting between periods happens 3 or 5 days before your period or 2 days after. We have to say that these are only random numbers, but keep in mind that you know your body best.
Stress and hormones
In case you are under a lot of stress both physical and mental, you could experience some spotting between menstruations because your body is sending signals to the ovaries not to release the egg, and this is why the spotting occurs after your period is over.
On the other hand it is possible that the release of the egg is skipped or incomplete and this results in a drop of the progesterone level that again causes spotting, but in this case before your period.
Spotting between periods is also connected to the fact that the lining of the uterus has to be normal. Irregularity or extra tissue could make the lining more fragile, and so spotting could occur almost any time. Usually this is caused by benign fibroids and polyps around the lining.
Related conditions
Although spotting between menstruations could signal the onset of ovulation, there are some important changes in your life that are indicated by spotting, such as menopause or pregnancy. Even more, it is considered to be one of the first signs of pregnancy.
Later in life spotting could indicate the fact that you enter the perimenopausal stage that is the transition stage between the childbearing years and menopause, during which you shouldn’t experience any kind of bleeding.
Experiencing spotting between periods isn’t something that you should be concerned about, but if you are, you could talk to your health care provider to find the cause of it. This way you will be able to relax.
