• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Brown Spotting While Pregnant

January 5, 2018 by ds_9395 Leave a Comment

Any spotting or bleeding during pregnancy can be scary, but in many cases it does not signify a serious problem. This is especially true if the spotting is brown in color and if it occurs during the first trimester. In fact, brown spotting while pregnant is relatively common, especially during the first trimester. It is, however, important to contact your doctor whenever you have an onset of any kind of spotting during your pregnancy.

Significance of Brown Spotting While Pregnant

Blood that is brown in color is old blood. This is a good sign for women concerned about a miscarriage or other problems in the pregnancy. Serious problems are usually indicated by bright-red bleeding. Pregnant women who experience brown spotting while pregnant accompanied by other symptoms such as clotting, a fever or brown spotting that turns to bright red should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Time Frame

Brown spotting occurs most frequently during the first trimester. In fact, it can even occur before you know you are pregnant. Implantation bleeding, when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining, is a common cause of brown spotting and usually occurs before a women even takes a pregnancy test. Brown spotting during the second trimester is not nearly as common. Brown spotting during the third trimester is a little more common, because it often signifies the loss of the mucus plug and the start of labor.

Causes

Brown spotting during the first trimester can be caused by a swollen or fragile cervix, which can bleed slightly during intercourse or after a pap smear. This is because blood flow to the cervix is increased during pregnancy. Yeast infections, urinary tract infections and hemorrhoid can cause brown spotting to occur at any time during a pregnancy. It can also signify the start of a miscarriage. Later in the pregnancy, placenta previa, in which the placenta covers the cervix, and placental abruption, in which the placenta tears away from the wall of the uterus, can cause brown spotting, but the bleeding in these cases is usually bright red.

Prevention/Solution

In most cases, brown spotting cannot be prevented. This is especially true in the case of a miscarriage, according to the American Pregnancy Association. If the bleeding is caused by irritation to the cervix, your doctor might recommend avoiding intercourse for a short while. In more serious cases, brown spotting might indicate a need for bed rest, but even this may not stop the bleeding.

Warning

Brown spotting during the first trimester can indicate an ectopic pregnancy, in which the egg implants into the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. This is a serious complication that necessitates immediate medical care. For this reason, all women who experience any brown spotting early in their pregnancy should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Brown Spotting While Pregnant:

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Pregnancy

About ds_9395

April Sanders has been a professional writer since 1998. She has worked as an educator and now writes academic research content for EBSCO Publishing and elementary reading curriculum for Compass Publishing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in social psychology from the University of Washington and a master's degree in information sciences and technology in education from Mansfield University.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting

The world is full of advice for pregnant and … [Read More...] about What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting

Must Have

ToniBox

Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

If you are looking for something to occupy your children … [Read More...] about Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

Did you know?

Decoding a Man’s Hug

Decoding a Man’s Hug

how to find out your pregnancy due date

How to Find Out Your Pregnancy Due Date

Painful Intercourse During Pregnancy

Painful Intercourse During Pregnancy

Meals That Pair With Corn on the Cob

Meals That Pair With Corn on the Cob

what causes baby hiccups

What Causes Baby Hiccups?

Refrigerate Fresh Lemon Juice

How Long Can You Refrigerate Fresh Lemon Juice?

Can I Use Baking Powder to Thicken Sauce

Can I Use Baking Powder to Thicken Sauce?

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.