Light spotting during early pregnancy

A sensitive cervix, recent sex, or an examination can cause a small amount of blood. Infection or changes inside the uterus can also contribute. Spotting may settle without harming the pregnancy, but bleeding can also accompany miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy, which may become dangerous. The amount of blood alone cannot identify the cause; pain, pregnancy location, and examination findings matter.

Contact your maternity team or an urgent care service and describe when the spotting began, its colour and amount, and whether you have cramps. Use a pad rather than a tampon so you can observe the bleeding. Keep your pregnancy details and medication list available. A clinician may recommend an examination, pregnancy hormone testing, or an ultrasound depending on your stage and symptoms.

Seek emergency help for severe or one-sided abdominal pain, shoulder-tip pain, dizziness, fainting, fever, or bleeding that becomes heavy. Do not wait for a routine appointment if you feel weak or unwell. Urgent assessment is also needed when spotting is accompanied by worsening cramps or you have not yet confirmed that the pregnancy is in the uterus.

Could the cervix, an infection, or a pregnancy complication explain this? Do I need an ultrasound or blood tests? Which symptoms mean I should go directly to emergency care?