Spotting During Ovulation: Nothing To Fear
The female reproductive cycle involves a host of different changes and processes that go on in an endless cycle. Even the most well-informed women can be surprised by some of the changes that can happen as this cycle goes on. If you start to experience light spotting in between periods due to ovulation, you may be alarmed at this new development. Fortunately, ovulation spotting is nothing to worry about.
Nasty Details
The first and most important fact to get straight regarding ovulation bleeding is that this is a completely normal (if not entirely universal) experience for all fertile women. There are several physical changes that are part of the ovulation process that might cause the release of minor amounts of blood, usually appearing over the course of one to three days immediately following the release of an egg.
Ovulation may cause light bleeding for two main reasons. The first is that you ovaries don’t actually have openings for eggs to leave through. The hormonal changes of your fertility cycle soften the surface and let the egg ease out, but the process may still cause the ovary itself to bleed. The other factor that can cause ovulation spotting is the change in the position of the uterus. This rarely causes bleeding in itself, but it may release menstrual blood that has been trapped in the depths of your reproductive system.
Common Experiences
As noted above, spotting due to ovulation rarely lasts more than three days. (An extremely small number of women have reported mid-period spotting lasting up to five days, but this is very rare.) Ovulation spotting is usually very light, and the color is also distinct from your menstrual blood. Rather than bright or dark red, ovulation spotting is often pink or brown. Pink spotting is a result of diluted ovarian bleeding while brown spotting comes from old blood being released.
Ovulation spotting is sometimes accompanied by cervical mucus. This clear, sticky substance has a stringy consistency that is usually likened to egg whites. Many women experience this mucus discharge regularly — with or without spotting — during or immediately after ovulation. The combination of cervical mucus with small amounts of blood is another factor that can give ovulation spots a pinkish color.
Important Safety Notes
While spotting due to ovulation is entirely normal and nothing to be concerned about, you should bear in mind that not all mid-cycle bleeding is caused by ovulation. Uterine fibroids, hormone imbalances, and side effects from birth control or other hormone treatments can all cause you to bleed in between your periods. While this sort of bleeding is rarely serious, it may indicate a real health problem.
You should consult your doctor if you regularly experience mid-cycle spotting and know that you are not ovulating. He or she will review your symptoms in depth and outline a course of further diagnostics to determine the cause of the issue. This may include a standard pelvic exam to check for the presence of fibroids.
Hopefully, this quick overview has allayed any fears you might have regarding spotting due to ovulation. It’s an entirely normal process that countless women have experienced before. If you want to absolutely guarantee your reproductive and overall health, you can always seek the advice of a medical professional — but in this case the news from your doctor is almost certainly going to be good.
