Occasional spotting during pregnancy: what to know

Spotting is a small amount of blood from the vagina. Possible causes vary with the stage of pregnancy and can include a sensitive cervix, bleeding after sex or an examination, infection, or a small area of bleeding near the pregnancy. Sometimes the source is not immediately clear.

Pregnancy bleeding can also occur with miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, placental problems, or labour-related changes. Spotting itself does not identify the cause. Conditions such as cervical dysplasia, chlamydia, fibroids, polyps, and cancer are assessed according to the wider clinical picture rather than assumed from bleeding alone.

Contact your midwife, obstetric team, or maternity assessment service and tell them how far along the pregnancy is, when spotting began, its colour and amount, and whether you have pain, dizziness, discharge, or fluid loss. Use a pad to observe the bleeding and avoid tampons.

Follow the advice about examination, ultrasound, blood tests, and follow-up. Keep track of fetal movements once you are at the stage when you normally feel them. Do not take medicines for bleeding without checking with a pregnancy clinician.

Seek urgent maternity or emergency care for heavy bleeding, severe or one-sided abdominal pain, shoulder-tip pain, faintness, collapse, fever, or feeling very unwell. Contact maternity services immediately for reduced or changed fetal movements, regular painful contractions, or fluid leaking. These warning signs need assessment even if spotting began lightly.

Ask what may be causing the spotting, whether you need an examination or scan, and which symptoms should trigger an immediate return. Ask whether your blood group affects the plan and how follow-up will be arranged. If bleeding continues, ask whether cervical, uterine, or infection checks are appropriate.