How To Stop Spotting: Causes, How To Stop, And Seeking Help

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Sexual Health

How to Stop Spotting

Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — Written by Scott Frothingham on June 25, 2019

Diagnosis
Causes and treatment
Spotting and contraceptives
When to seek medical help
Takeaway

Spotting, or unexpected light vaginal bleeding, is typically not a sign of a serious condition. But it’s important not to ignore.

If you experience bleeding in the time between your periods, discuss it with your doctor or an OB-GYN.

Your doctor can recommend treatments to address spotting. You can also take steps on your own to help reduce spotting. It all starts with understanding why the spotting is happening.

Identifying the cause of spotting

The first step in stopping spotting is to diagnose what’s causing the spotting. Your doctor will start with questions about your menstrual history, including the typical length and type of bleeding you experience during your period.

After gathering information about your general health, your doctor will likely give you a physical exam. They may also recommend additional tests, including:

blood test
Pap test
ultrasound
hysteroscopy
MRI scan
CT scan
endometrial biopsy

What’s causing spotting and what should I do about it?

Spotting can be a sign of a number of conditions. Some can be treated by your doctor, while others can be addressed with self-care.

Pregnancy

When a fertilized egg is implanted in your uterine lining, implantation bleeding can occur. If you have missed an expected period and think you might be pregnant, consider taking a home pregnancy test.

If you believe you’re pregnant, see an OB-GYN to confirm your test results and talk about next steps.

Thyroid condition

Hormones produced by your thyroid help control your menstrual cycle. Too much or too little thyroid hormone can make your periods very light, heavy, or irregular. These conditions are known as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism is commonly treated with antithyroid medications or beta-blockers. Surgery to remove all or some of the thyroid might be recommended.

Hypothyroidism is commonly treated with man-made forms of the hormone that your thyroid should be making.

STIs

The sexually transmitted infections (STIs) gonorrhea and chlamydia have been known to cause spotting.

Other symptoms of gonorrhea and chlamydia include:

vaginal discharge
pain or burning sensation while urinating
pain in the lower abdomen

If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor for a diagnosis. Treatment options for gonorrhea and chlamydia include the medications ceftriaxone, azithromycin, and doxycycline.

Medication

Some medications can cause spotting as a side effect. Examples include:

anticoagulants
corticosteroids
tricyclic antidepressants
phenothiazines

If you take any of these prescription medications and experience spotting, speak with your doctor.

Stress

A 2005 study in young women showed a relationship between high stress and menstrual irregularities.

You can manage and relieve stress by:

staying physically active
eating a healthy diet
getting enough sleep
practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga, and massage

If these self-care methods aren’t effective for you, consider asking your doctor for their suggestions on stress relief and management.

Weight

According to a 2017 study, weight management and changes in body weight can affect the regulation of your menstrual cycle and cause spotting.

You can limit these effects by maintaining a consistent weight. Speak with your doctor about a healthy weight range for you.

Cancer

Spotting can be a symptom of malignant cancers such as cervical, ovarian and endometrial cancers.

Depending on the cancer and stage, treatment may include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, or surgery.

Spotting and contraceptives

If you start, stop, skip, or change oral birth control, you might experience some spotting.

Changing birth control can change your estrogen level. Since estrogen helps keep your uterine lining in place, spotting might occur as your body tries to adjust when estrogen levels are changed.

According to a 2016 study, spotting can also be caused by other forms of birth control, including:

Implant. Spotting is common with the etonogestrel implant.
Injectable. Spotting is common with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), an injectable form of progestin only contraception.
IUD. As a foreign body in your uterus, a hormonal or copper intrauterine device (IUD) can cause spotting.

When to see your doctor

Although spotting is not uncommon, consult with your doctor or OB-GYN if:

it happens more than a couple of times
there’s no obvious explanation.
you’re pregnant
it occurs after menopause
it increases to heavy bleeding
you experience pain, fatigue, or dizziness in addition to spotting

Takeaway

There are many potential causes for spotting. Some need professional medical treatment, while others you can handle with self-care. Either way, it’s important to see your doctor to diagnose the underlying cause.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Abnormal uterine bleeding. (2017). http://acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Abnormal-Uterine-Bleeding
Chlamydia - 2015 STD treatment guidelines. (2016). https://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/qa/chlamydia-qa.htm
Gonorrhea treatment. (2016). https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/treatment.htm
Ko KM, et al. (2017). Association between body weight changes and menstrual irregularity: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010 to 2012. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5503870/
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2019). Vaginal bleeding causes.https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/vaginal-bleeding/basics/causes/sym-20050756
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2019). Stress management. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037?p=1
Nagma S, et al. (2015). To evaluate the effect of perceived stress on menstrual function.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25954667
Ovarian cancer treatment. (n.d.). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/treating.html
Stress. (2019).https://medlineplus.gov/stress.html
Thyroid disease. (2019).https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/thyroid-disease
Unscheduled bleeding and contraceptive choice: Increasing satisfaction and continuation rates. (n.d.). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5683158/
Villavicencio J, et al. (2016). Unscheduled bleeding and contraceptive choice: Increasing satisfaction and continuation rates. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5683158/
What causes bleeding between periods? (2016). https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/womens-health/what-causes-bleeding-between-periods/

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Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — Written by Scott Frothingham on June 25, 2019

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