Period When Pregnant: Is It Possible?

Normal menstrual bleeding is unlikely during this time and may indicate health issues.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shashwat Jani, MS Dr. Shashwat Jani Dr. Shashwat JaniMS facebook_iconlinkedin_iconinsta_icon Specialty: Obstetrics & GynaecologyExperience: 14 years
Written by Rebecca Malachi Rebecca Malachi
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Can You Have Your Period When Pregnant-1

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You cannot have a menstrual period during pregnancy. Once you conceive, you do not ovulate. It means the egg doesn’t get released. Every month your body produces the uterine lining, preparing your uterus for a possible pregnancy. If you do not get pregnant in that month, the lining gets shed as your menstrual period. This does not happen when you are pregnant.

You might have some vaginal bleeding during pregnancy but that is not due to the menstrual cycle. In this MomJunction post, we tell you about the causes of this spotting or bleeding during pregnancy.

There could be several reasons for bleeding during pregnancy.

Causes Of Bleeding In The First Trimester

While the causes of bleeding are not exactly known, it could likely happen due to the below reasons (1) (2) (3).

  1. Implantation bleeding: It usually occurs two weeks after fertilization when the fertilized egg implants into the uterine lining. Since it occurs around the time of a regular period, women might mistake this spotting for a period. But this is lighter than the period bleeding and lasts fewer days.
  1. Changes in the cervix: During early pregnancy, the cervix turns soft and rises as more blood reaches the cervix with increasing estrogen levels in the body. Putting any pressure, particularly during intercourse, could cause spotting.
  1. Other causes of bleeding:
  • Molar pregnancy (an abnormal form of pregnancy where a non-viable fertilized egg implants into the uterus)
  • Cervical infections or inflamed cervix
  • Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) (abnormal growth of fetal tissue inside the uterus)
  • Trauma While the bleeding is more likely during the first trimester, it cannot be completely ruled out in the second and third trimesters.

Causes Of Bleeding During The Second And Third Trimesters

Although rare, bleeding can happen during the mid and late pregnancy. The most probable reasons are:

  1. Sexual intercourse: You might have slight bleeding or spotting (4) after the intercourse as the cervical and vaginal tissues become sensitive.
  1. Placenta previa: If the placenta implants close to the cervical opening, it could increase the risk of bleeding.
  1. Placental abruption: The placenta begins to separate from the uterus before the delivery of the baby (second stage of labor), causing bleeding (5).
  1. Internal examination: Sometimes, your doctor may check the cervical region for any abnormalities, and this procedure could lead to some spotting.
  1. Labor: Cervical dilation and uterine contractions that help the fetus to move down the birth canal can cause bleeding (6).
  1. Uterine rupture: If the uterine muscles separate or tear during labor, it could result in excessive vaginal bleeding (7). It is likely to happen in women with a history of C-section or other uterine surgery.
  1. Vasa previa: Some fetal umbilical cord blood vessels run just above the cervical opening and are at risk of rupturing and bleeding (8).

All the above reasons could cause spotting or bleeding during pregnancy and you might also have symptoms like light cramping, fatigue, and lower back pain, but that is not period bleeding.

It is difficult to say whether bleeding indicates any medical emergency during pregnancy. Therefore, it is important to check with your healthcare provider if you are bleeding.

When Should You See A Doctor?

You should seek medical attention if the following symptoms accompany bleeding:

  • Bleeding that is bright red and soaks more than a pad a day
  • Severe pain and cramps
  • Fainting or dizziness
  • Heavy bleeding or passing clots
  • Pelvic pain

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it normal to have period pains while pregnant?

Mild cramps are normal as your body prepares for pregnancy. Changes during implantation and uterine growth may cause pain and cramps similar to those during menstruation (9). However, you should consult a doctor if the pains are severe, persistent, and accompanied by bleeding or vaginal discharge.

2. Why do I feel pregnant even though I had my period?

Hormonal changes during and after a period may produce symptoms that make you feel pregnant. Some of the common symptoms include sore breasts, food cravings, mood swings, and fatigue (10).

3. Can anyone bleed heavily but still be pregnant?

Light bleeding up to 20 weeks of pregnancy may occur for various reasons, but continued or heavy bleeding may indicate something serious such as a miscarriage (11) (12). However, it may not be impossible to bleed and still be pregnant. Getting medical help is the best approach.

4. Did I miscarry or is it my period?

About 10-25% of all pregnancies may miscarry. If pregnancy is lost shortly after implantation, it may result in bleeding that occurs around the time of an expected period, and you may not realize that you had conceived. However, you may look for some signs of miscarriage that may be slightly different from your regular period. They are (13):

  • Heavier bleeding that flows as a gush of blood
  • Color of the discharge may resemble coffee grounds or near black
  • Pain worse than menstrual cramps
  • Increased passage of tissue with clot-like material from the vagina

Bleeding during pregnancy should not be ignored. However, if there is random spotting, you must wait until your next appointment. If it is more than just spotting, you must immediately contact your health care professional. It will help them diagnose the problem if it is addressed well within time to ensure that there are no complications involved in your pregnancy.

Key Pointers

  • During the first trimester, you may experience bleeding due to implantation or changes in the cervix.
  • Molar and ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage may cause bleeding in the first trimester.
  • You may experience bleeding during mid- or late pregnancy due to sexual activity, internal inspections, or labor.
  • However, if you bleed enough to soak a pad, along with pain, cramps, and dizziness, you may require medical attention.

References

1. Reem Hasan, et al.; Patterns and predictors of vaginal bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy; NCBI
2. Bleeding in pregnancy/placenta previa/placental abruption; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
3. Bleeding during early pregnancy; The University of Chicago Medical Center
4. Vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy; NIH (2018)
5. Pamela Schmidt and Deborah A. Raines; Placental abruption (abruptio placentae); StatPearls Publishing (2019)
6. Complications of pregnancy; University of Rochester Medical Center
7. Antenatal care module: 21. late pregnancy bleeding; The Open University (2019)
8. Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy; NIH (2018)
9. When Should Cramps During Pregnancy Be Worrisome? Willamette Family Medical Center
10. What are the Symptoms of Menstruation? National Institute of Child Health and human Development
11. Bleeding During Pregnancy – What‘s Normal? American Academy of Family Physicians
12. Reem Hasan et al.; Patterns and predictors of vaginal bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy; NICB (2011)
13. Signs of miscarriage; American Pregnancy Association
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Dr. Shashwat Jani
Dr. Shashwat JaniMS
Dr. Shashwat Jani is a consultant obstetrician & gynecologist in Smt. N.H.L. Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad. He has 14 years of experience with a special interest in high-risk pregnancy, infertility, and endoscopy.

Read full bio of Dr. Shashwat Jani
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