What spotting blood colour during pregnancy can mean

Pink or light-red spotting may be a small amount of fresh blood mixed with vaginal fluid. Brown spotting often reflects older blood leaving the vagina. Bright-red blood is fresher and deserves more attention, especially if it is increasing, comes with pain, or is more than light spotting.

Blood can change colour as it moves through the vagina, so a darker shade does not automatically mean a more serious problem. Spotting may occur after sex or an examination because pregnancy can make the cervix more sensitive and prone to bleeding. Infection, changes around the cervix, and problems affecting the pregnancy can also cause bleeding. A colour description cannot distinguish these possibilities.

Note when the spotting began, whether it is pink, brown or red, how much you see, and whether you have cramps, one-sided pain, dizziness, fever, unusual discharge or shoulder-tip pain. These details help a clinician decide how urgently you need assessment.

Contact your maternity team, obstetrician or another qualified clinician for advice about any bleeding in pregnancy, even when it is light or brown. Use a sanitary pad rather than a tampon so you can observe the amount, and avoid putting anything in the vagina until you have received advice. Do not rely on the colour becoming lighter as proof that the cause is harmless.

Have the date of your last menstrual period, your pregnancy stage, blood group if known, recent sex or examination, medicines, and any previous pregnancy complications ready. Assessment may include questions, an examination, blood tests or an ultrasound depending on your stage and symptoms.

Seek urgent medical care now for heavy or rapidly increasing bleeding, severe or one-sided abdominal pain, fainting, marked dizziness, shoulder-tip pain, fever, or feeling very unwell. These symptoms need prompt assessment because bleeding in pregnancy can sometimes accompany a problem requiring treatment.

If you are in later pregnancy, bleeding with regular contractions, fluid leaking, reduced fetal movement, or abdominal pain also needs urgent maternity assessment. If you cannot reach your usual team, use local emergency services. Do not drive yourself if you feel faint.

You could ask: What might explain this colour and amount of bleeding at my stage of pregnancy? Do I need an examination, blood test or ultrasound? Which symptoms mean I should return immediately? Should I change any activity or medicines while I am being assessed?