What should you know about type of spotting during early pregnancy?

A small amount of pink, brown, or red blood may occur when the cervix is more sensitive, including after sex or an examination. Brown blood is older blood, while brighter red blood is fresher. Spotting can also happen with changes inside the uterus, infection, or an early pregnancy complication. Colour alone cannot identify the cause. This symptom is also covered as Bleeding Between Periods.

Notice whether the blood is only on toilet paper, marks underwear, or flows enough to need a pad. Record when it began, whether it is increasing, and whether cramps, one-sided pain, dizziness, fever, or unusual discharge occur.

Contact your maternity team or clinician for advice about any bleeding in pregnancy, even if it is light and settles. Use a pad rather than a tampon so you can observe the amount, and avoid sex until you have received advice if bleeding continues. Keep a note of your pregnancy dates, blood group if known, medicines, and associated symptoms. Do not self-diagnose from colour or internet images.

Seek urgent medical care for heavy or increasing bleeding, severe or one-sided abdominal pain, shoulder-tip pain, faintness, marked weakness, fever, or feeling seriously unwell. These warning signs need assessment because bleeding in pregnancy can sometimes signal a complication. If bleeding follows a fall or injury, contact urgent services promptly.

Ask what level of bleeding should prompt a return visit, whether you need an ultrasound or blood tests, and whether your blood group changes the care plan. Ask when normal activities and sex are reasonable again, and how to contact the maternity service outside clinic hours.