Spotting After Period

A woman's periods, on an average, get over between three to five days. Sometimes, the woman might experience spotting or bleeding even after her periods have ended, or in the middle of the menstrual cycle. What causes spotting after periods? Is it normal or something that should be reported to a gynecologist immediately? Let us find out by learning first of all, what constitutes normal as well as abnormal menstruation.

Normal and Abnormal Menstrual Bleeding

Normally, women experience their periods every twenty-three to thirty-five days. Bleeding through the vagina takes place during the periods when there is shedding of the uterus lining, known as endometrium lining. Periods mark the end of a reproductive cycle and the start of another one. Bleeding during periods can be heavy or light and it can last from two days to several days, varying from woman to woman.

Abnormal vaginal bleeding is that which is unrelated to this reproductive cycle. The bleeding may be in the form of spotting after period or it may even be heavy bleeding, sometimes lasting for up to a week.

Causes of Spotting After Period

• The most common cause of spotting, which occurs a week or so after the periods have ended, and is brownish in color, could be because the uterus was not able to fully pass out the menstrual tissue during the periods, and hence is expelling it, a week after the menstruation has ended. If this does not happen every month and the blood flow is less, it is nothing to worry about. However, if this becomes a regular occurrence and the bleeding is so large in quantity that you need a sanitary napkin, a doctor should be consulted.
• Spotting after periods could be due to the hormonal changes that are taking place inside a woman's body, due to various reasons such as sexual intimacy.
• Another reason for spotting after the periods have ended is anxiety and stress which a woman is experiencing.
• If the woman is taking certain medicines or drugs, they can cause side effects such as spotting in between the cycle.
• Certain health conditions, such as, cancer, diabetes, thyroid problems, can result in spotting post periods.
• Spotting in the middle of the cycle, especially if it is very less and the blood discharged is brown in color, could be due to implantation bleeding.
• If the bleeding is in excess, it could be a signal of miscarriage.
• Any injury that has occurred to the vagina, due to putting foreign objects inside it, can cause spotting after period.
• If the woman has started taking oral contraceptives, or has suddenly stopped taking them, it can cause spotting post periods in her.
• Spotting may also occur during ovulation in a woman, i.e., between day ten and day nineteen of her menstrual cycle, which is considered quite normal.
• Girls who have just started with their periods, may experience some kind of spotting in between their periods, as their menstrual cycles have still not regularized.
• Uterine Fibroids, a harmless condition in most of the cases, leads to bleeding in between periods as well. Though pretty much harmless, if uterine fibroids grow big in size, they should be immediately removed.

Remedies for Spotting After Period

Bleeding after periods, if it occurs just once or twice, and if the bleeding is very less during that time, is considered normal. Stress or any change in routine, might be the reason behind such an occurrence. An effective remedy for stress induced spotting after period, is to do yoga and meditation. Taking adequate rest and sleep might also help. If a particular contraceptive pill is causing spotting in the middle of the menstrual cycle, switching to some other contraceptive method or changing the pill can help the woman in getting rid of the spotting.

Spotting after period, in most women happens, just a few times, and even the blood discharge that takes place is quite less. However, spotting after period, which is very heavy, goes on for more than a week, with blood that is bright red in color, accompanied by sharp pain in the pelvic/stomach region, should be reported immediately to a doctor, especially if the woman is of childbearing age. In such a case, some serious conditions could be causing it, such as miscarriage or ovarian cyst, which require immediate medical attention. Take care!