Light spotting during pregnancy

Pregnancy increases blood flow and sensitivity around the cervix, so sex or a vaginal examination may trigger spotting. Vaginal infection, a small cervical growth, or a problem involving the placenta can also cause bleeding, depending on the stage of pregnancy. Spotting itself does not establish the cause. A clinician may need to consider your symptoms, pregnancy stage, blood group, and previous scan results together.

Call your maternity service or obstetric clinician and give a clear description of the bleeding. Use a pad, rest if you feel unwell, and avoid sex until you have received advice. Do not stop prescribed medicines without asking the prescriber. Keep notes about cramps, contractions, fluid leakage, fever, reduced fetal movement later in pregnancy, and any trigger such as sex or an examination.

Go to emergency care for heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, regular painful tightening, faintness, fever, fluid leaking from the vagina, or shoulder-tip pain. Later in pregnancy, reduced or changed fetal movement needs urgent maternity advice. If you are unsure how much bleeding is significant, call your maternity service rather than waiting for it to stop.

What causes are most relevant at my stage of pregnancy? Do I need an examination, ultrasound, or blood tests? Should I change activity or avoid sex, and how will I know when it is safe to resume?