Two days of spotting before a period

Spotting is lighter than a usual period and may look pink, red, or brown. Hormonal contraception, a change in contraception, ovulation timing, irritation after sex, or an infection such as chlamydia can contribute. Conditions affecting the cervix or womb, including cervical dysplasia, cervical cancer, endometrial polyps, uterine fibroids, or womb cancer, can also present with abnormal bleeding. These possibilities do not mean that a brief episode represents a serious condition; the pattern, age, pregnancy status, examination, and testing guide the assessment.

Record the dates, colour, amount, relation to sex, contraception changes, pelvic symptoms, and the date your period arrives. Take a pregnancy test if pregnancy is possible, following local clinical advice about timing. Arrange a routine appointment if spotting recurs, continues beyond your expected period, happens after sex, or is accompanied by discharge or pelvic pain. A clinician may examine the cervix, offer infection testing, and decide whether blood tests or pelvic imaging are appropriate.

Seek urgent help for heavy bleeding, severe or one-sided pelvic pain, fainting, dizziness, shoulder-tip pain, fever, or bleeding during a possible pregnancy. Get prompt assessment for bleeding after menopause or bleeding that is becoming more frequent. Urgency is based on the symptom pattern and your wellbeing, not on assuming what the spotting represents.

Ask what causes fit your bleeding pattern, whether pregnancy or infection testing is needed, whether the cervix needs examination, and what changes should prompt urgent review.