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Try one of these related symptoms.
Bleeding between periods
Bloody vaginal discharge
Bleeding after menopause
Implantation bleeding
Brown spotting between periods
Bleeding after period ends
Bleeding 2 weeks after period
Bleeding that occurs in between a normal menstrual cycle. Irregular and unpredictable period bleeding is considered abnormal and should be investigated.
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Generally, Bleeding between periods can be related to:
Ovulation is the process when the ovary releases an egg as part of the normal female reproductive cycle. It typically happens in the middle of a menstrual cycle (about 2 weeks after the end of the period). At the time of ovulation, some women may feel some cramping or lower abdominal pain that resolves by itself. This is called mid-cycle pain (mittelschmerz), and it can occasionally cause some mild bleeding or spotting along with it. If there is no other cause for the pain or bleeding, this is not considered to be harmful.
The vast majority of women develop post-menopausal bleeding as their first symptom of uterine cancer or cancer of the womb. Risk factors include age, with most cases appearing after menopause, a history of estrogen-only hormone treatment, and obesity. Diagnosis is after a pelvic exam, ultrasound, biopsy and other scans to determine whether the cancer has spread.
This complication occurs in women who have had a cesarean section and the muscle layer of the uterus fails to heal properly in that area. Another name for this condition is cesarean scar defect or uterine niche. It can in some cases cause abnormal vaginal bleeding, pain, and infertility.
Sometimes, Bleeding between periods may be related to these serious diseases:
This is a condition during pregnancy where the placenta separates from the uterus before the fetus is born. Since the placenta is rich in blood supply and provides oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, separation can result in significant vaginal bleeding and cut off oxygen supply to the fetus, endangering both mother and child. Common causes include abdominal trauma in pregnancy such as being in a motor vehicle accident or falling on your abdomen. Other causes are also possible. Symptoms typically include vaginal bleeding and abdominal or pelvic pain similar to contractions. Any such concerns in pregnancy should seek emergency care.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
Reviewed By:
Ravi P. Chokshi, MD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN), Critical Care)
Current Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow with Dual board certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Critical Care Medicine. | 5+ years experience managing a general Ob/Gyn practice and working in the Intensive Care Unit. | Previously Physician Lead of a large single specialty practice with 8 Physicians and 10+ Advanced practitioners. | Member of the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Patient education committee. | Frequent Medscape Consult contributor.
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN))
Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.
Content updated on Feb 6, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Q.
Abnormal Bleeding? Why Hysteroscopy is Key & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Abnormal uterine bleeding is best evaluated with hysteroscopy, a safe, minimally invasive procedure that lets doctors directly see the uterine lining and often treat causes like polyps, submucosal fibroids, adhesions, thickened lining, or early cancer. Most causes are treatable, and hysteroscopy enables targeted biopsy or same-visit removal when appropriate. Next steps vary by findings, from hormonal therapies to polyp or fibroid removal, with urgent evaluation needed for very heavy or any postmenopausal bleeding; there are several factors to consider. See the complete guidance below for who should get hysteroscopy, what to expect, risks, alternatives, and when to seek emergency care.
References:
* Di Spiezio Sardo, A., et al. "Hysteroscopy for Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: Why, When, and How." *Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology*, vol. 28, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 31-39. *PubMed*, doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2020.07.009.
* Hovav, Y., et al. "The role of hysteroscopy in evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding: a literature review." *International Journal of Women's Health*, vol. 11, 27 June 2019, pp. 395-403. *PubMed*, doi:10.2147/IJWH.S205218.
* Vilos, G. A., and E. T. Vilos. "Hysteroscopy in the Diagnosis and Management of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding." *Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology*, vol. 30, no. 4, Apr. 2023, pp. 259-270. *PubMed*, doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2023.01.002.
* Ceci, O., et al. "Diagnostic value of hysteroscopy for abnormal uterine bleeding in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women." *Menopause*, vol. 24, no. 1, Jan. 2017, pp. 80-86. *PubMed*, doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000720.
* Wouk, N., and J. H. Blatner. "Management of abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive-aged women." *American Family Physician*, vol. 102, no. 9, 1 Nov. 2020, pp. 541-549. *PubMed*, PMID: 33151121.
Q.
Brown Discharge but No Period? Why Your Body is Spotting & Medical Next Steps
A.
There are several factors to consider: brown discharge without a period is usually old blood leaving slowly and is often linked to normal cycle changes, hormonal shifts, or birth control, but it can also happen with ovulation or early pregnancy. Take a pregnancy test if there is any chance, track timing and symptoms, and seek care if spotting persists, is painful, foul-smelling, heavy, follows sex, or occurs after menopause. See below for important details on infections, PCOS, uterine or cervical conditions, and the exact next steps a clinician may recommend, which could change what you do next.
References:
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30419253/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34685141/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31855913/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27068212/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28552174/
Q.
Brown Discharge but No Period? Why Your Body Is Spotting & Medical Next Steps
A.
There are several factors to consider: brown discharge without a period is usually old blood and is often due to hormonal shifts, birth control, ovulation, or early pregnancy, but it can also be linked to infections, PCOS, perimenopause, polyps or fibroids, and rarely ectopic pregnancy or other serious issues. For the right next steps, see the complete guidance below, including when to take a pregnancy test, what symptoms to monitor, and when to seek urgent care for severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever, dizziness, or a positive test with pain.
References:
* Jha S, et al. Intermenstrual bleeding: a systematic review of causes, diagnosis and management. BJOG. 2021 Jul;128(8):1378-1386. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.16709. Epub 2021 Apr 22. PMID: 33818816.
* Singh S, et al. Early pregnancy bleeding: a narrative review. Women Health (Lond). 2023 Jul;19(2):169-183. doi: 10.1177/17455065231180016. PMID: 37470691.
* Abdel-Rahman YM, et al. Breakthrough bleeding in women using hormonal contraception: a systematic review. Contraception. 2021 Sep;104(3):284-290. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2021.05.006. Epub 2021 May 26. PMID: 34052309.
* Anastasiadis A, et al. Endometrial Polyps and Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: A Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 22;19(6):3745. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063745. PMID: 35323719; PMCID: PMC8955212.
* Vilanilam G, et al. Abnormal uterine bleeding in non-gravid women: a pictorial review. Insights Imaging. 2020 Feb 28;11(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s13244-020-00827-x. PMID: 32107567; PMCID: PMC7048701.
Q.
Brown Discharge But No Period? Why Your Body Is Spotting & Medical Next Steps
A.
Brown discharge without a period is usually old blood and can be normal near your period or ovulation, or linked to hormonal changes, birth control, or early pregnancy. There are several factors to consider; less common causes include infection, fibroids or polyps, and rarely cancer, so see the complete details below. Next steps: monitor if brief with no other symptoms, take a pregnancy test if possible, and contact a clinician for spotting that persists or recurs, has a foul odor, or comes with pain, fever, bleeding after sex or after menopause, heavy bleeding, dizziness, or fainting.
References:
* Sassarini J, et al. Abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive-aged women: an overview of the causes, diagnosis and management. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2022 Dec;85(Pt B):104-116. PMID: 36058694.
* Dziubanov A, et al. Bleeding in early pregnancy: causes, diagnosis, and management. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2023 Dec 1;35(6):629-636. PMID: 37785535.
* Kaneshiro B, et al. Breakthrough bleeding with contraceptive use. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Dec 1;34(6):533-539. PMID: 36130325.
* Mitchell C, et al. Diagnosis and Management of Vaginitis. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 May 1;137(5):896-905. PMID: 33830913.
* Pinkerton JV. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Perimenopause. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020 Jul 1;105(7):dgaa208. PMID: 32338782.
Q.
Brown Discharge But No Period? Why Your Body Is Spotting & Medical Next Steps
A.
Brown discharge without a period is usually old blood and can be normal around the start or end of a cycle, with ovulation, after changes in birth control, with stress or hormonal shifts, early pregnancy, or perimenopause. There are several factors to consider; see below for causes, timing clues, and what they mean for your next steps. Seek care urgently or promptly if spotting is persistent or heavy, painful, foul smelling, occurs after sex or after menopause, or if you have fever, a late period with a positive test, pelvic or shoulder pain, dizziness, or other pregnancy concerns. Full guidance on when to watch and when to call a clinician, plus testing and treatment options, is provided below.
References:
* American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 191: Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Jan;131(1):e1-e12. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002447. PMID: 29377898.
* Gallo MF, Grimes DA, Schulz KF. Managing breakthrough bleeding and spotting in women using hormonal contraception. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Mar 5;(3):CD007134. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007134.pub5. PMID: 24584090.
* Hasan R, Baird DD, Herring AH, Olshan AF, Jonsson Funk M, Hartmann KE. Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy: Incidence, outcome, and risk factors. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2017 Nov;31(6):528-538. doi: 10.1111/ppe.12411. Epub 2017 Oct 16. PMID: 29033320; PMCID: PMC5660856.
* Goldstein SR. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Perimenopause. J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 29;11(13):3768. doi: 10.3390/jcm11133768. PMID: 35790833; PMCID: PMC9268388.
* Stamellou A, Tsamandas AC, Ioannidis A, Vaxevanidou A, Tsironi E, Stamboulis K. Cervical Polyps: A Review. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Mar 24;11(3):580. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11030580. PMID: 33807208; PMCID: PMC8001648.
Q.
Brown Discharge but No Period? Why Your Body is Spotting & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
There are several factors to consider: brown discharge without a period is most often old blood, but it can also result from hormonal shifts, ovulation, recent birth control changes, early pregnancy, infections, PCOS, fibroids, or perimenopause, with rare but serious causes like ectopic pregnancy or cervical or uterine cancer. See below to understand more. Next steps include taking a pregnancy test if your period is late, tracking timing and symptoms, reviewing contraception changes, and seeking urgent care for severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever, foul odor, a positive test with pain, or any postmenopausal spotting; complete guidance and key nuances that could change your next steps are outlined below.
References:
* ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 209: Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Jul;134(1):e1-e24. PMID: 31343644.
* Whitaker L, Karjane N. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: An Overview for the Healthcare Professional. Prim Care. 2020 Dec;47(4):531-542. PMID: 33423405.
* Hickey M, et al. Intermenstrual bleeding: aetiology, diagnosis and management. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2017 Nov;45:33-46. PMID: 28823862.
* Litta P, et al. Uterine polyps and abnormal uterine bleeding. Minerva Ginecol. 2018 Jun;70(3):314-320. PMID: 29758778.
* El-Naggar A, et al. Early pregnancy bleeding: diagnosis and management. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Aug;32(4):246-252. PMID: 32620713.
Q.
Is It Implantation Bleeding? Why You’re Spotting Early & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Light, short-lived pink or brown spotting about 6 to 12 days after ovulation can be implantation bleeding, but it is less common than many expect and often mistaken for an early period. There are several factors to consider, including timing, flow, and symptoms; test on the first day of a missed period and seek urgent care for heavy bleeding, severe pain, dizziness, or shoulder pain. See below for complete, medically approved next steps and key details that could change what you do next.
References:
* Koopman C, Bleiberg B, Peleg D, Melnikov S. Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy. Am Fam Physician. 2021 Mar 15;103(6):353-360. PMID: 33720760.
* Vathanan V, Lumsden MA, van der Spuy ZM. Vaginal bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy: a practical guide. BJOG. 2018 Sep;125(10):e1-e11. PMID: 29969677.
* Jurkovic D, Overton C, Bender-Atik R. Early pregnancy assessment and management of bleeding and pain. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2013 Aug;27(4):593-605. PMID: 23746682.
* Gulumser C, Akyol D, Duran B. The incidence and clinical significance of self-reported bleeding during early pregnancy. J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc. 2018 Dec 28;19(4):203-207. PMID: 30295610.
* Cheah PP, Tang MI, Sivalingam VN, Tan PC. The role of the early pregnancy assessment unit in the diagnosis and management of early pregnancy complications. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2018 Oct;58(5):490-495. PMID: 29388145.
Q.
Why am I spotting 1 week after my period?
A.
One week after your period ends is the time of ovulation or release of an egg. You may get some lighter bleeding due to hormonal shifts that happen after your period.
References:
Sweet MG, Schmidt-Dalton TA, Weiss PM, Madsen KP. Evaluation and management of abnormal uterine bleeding in premenopausal women. Am Fam Physician. 2012 Jan 1;85(1):35-43. PMID: 22230306.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1ACOG Patient FAQ - Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/abnormal-uterine-bleedingMenstruation in Girls and Adolescents: Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2015/12/menstruation-in-girls-and-adolescents-using-the-menstrual-cycle-as-a-vital-signDavis E, Sparzak PB. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. [Updated 2022 Sep 9]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532913/