Can You Be Pregnant but Still Get Your Period?

You peed on that little stick (or a few of them!) that confirms you’re pregnant. But now, you’re having some bleeding. Could you be having your period? Aren’t those supposed to stop when you’re pregnant?

“Officially, no, you can’t have your period when you’re pregnant,” confirms Ob/Gyn Erin Higgins, MD, “but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have some bleeding.”

It’s not uncommon to experience some spotting or even bleeding during pregnancy — and it doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong. Let’s take a look at what could be happening.

Can you get your period and still be pregnant?

You can’t be pregnant and have a menstrual period at the same time. But to understand why, you first have to understand why periods happen — namely, that having a period is what your body does when you’re not pregnant.

“Your period is the process when your uterine lining sheds due to the complex interplay of hormones in your body when you don’t get pregnant,” Dr. Higgins explains.

Each month, your body prepares itself for the possibility of pregnancy: Your ovaries release an egg, your hormone levels increase, your uterine lining (endometrium) thickens and so on. If you don’t become pregnant, your body has to rid itself of the prep work it’s done, which is why you have your period — it’s your body’s way of shedding all of that blood and tissue.

But if you do become pregnant, your body doesn’t have anything to shed — it needs to hang onto that blood and tissue to support a growing fetus. This is why you don’t have a period when you’re pregnant.

“Some experience period-like bleeding, especially in early pregnancy, but we would not call that a period,” she continues, “because the physiological process that happens during your menstrual period just isn’t happening when you’re pregnant.”

Pregnant and still having a period?

Again, you can’t be pregnant and have a period. So, if you think you’re pregnant and are experiencing bleeding, then one of two things is at play. The first option is that you’re not pregnant and are, in fact, having a regular period. The second option is that you’re pregnant but are bleeding for some other reason, which isn’t necessarily something to be worried about.

“If you have any bleeding when you’re pregnant, that’s not the uterine lining shedding,” Dr. Higgins further explains. “But it could have a number of other causes.” Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities.

Implantation bleeding

Implantation bleeding sometimes occurs when a fertilized egg implants into your uterine lining. It’s a normal symptom of early pregnancy that happens in about 1 in 4 pregnancies.

“As the egg implants into the endometrium, it can lead to a little bit of spotting,” Dr. Higgins says. “This is one of the most common reasons for bleeding in pregnancy.”

Cervical bleeding

Your cervix, the canal that connects your uterus and vagina, is especially sensitive during pregnancy, so sexual intercourse or a pelvic exam can cause some bleeding.

Pregnancy also makes you more likely to develop a harmless condition called cervical ectropion. It doesn’t usually bring symptoms, but the most common one is — you guessed it — bleeding.

“With cervical ectropion, one of the types of cells on the cervix becomes very friable, meaning that it bleeds if you touch it,” Dr. Higgins says. “Some have it throughout pregnancy, and they may have some bleeding any time they have sex or get an exam.”

Subchorionic hematoma

Vaginal bleeding is the main symptom of a subchorionic hematoma, which is sort of like a blood clot on the placenta (or as the placenta is developing).

Dr. Higgins explains that this diagnosis has become more common as early ultrasounds have become more common. But having a subchorionic hematoma doesn’t always signal a problem with your pregnancy.

“Having a subchorionic hematoma is not necessarily a predictor of bad pregnancy outcomes,” she says. “It may continue to bleed, or it may not. Oftentimes, it goes away on its own.”

Placenta previa

The placenta is a temporary organ that forms during pregnancy, attaching to your uterine wall and providing your growing fetus with the nutrients and oxygen it needs. If the placenta blocks some or all of your vaginal canal, that’s placenta previa.

“Depending on your diagnosis, you may be put on pelvic rest, which means avoiding or modifying activities that could put pressure on your pelvis, like intercourse,” Dr. Higgins states. You may also need to plan to deliver by C-section.

Ectopic pregnancy

Severe bleeding accompanied by pain can be a sign of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, a life-threatening emergency that typically occurs early in the first trimester. An ectopic pregnancy happens when a fertilized egg implants outside of your uterus, in a part of your reproductive system that can’t support it — usually your fallopian tubes.

“Until we see a specific finding, like a fetal pole or yolk sac, on your ultrasound, it’s what we call a ‘pregnancy of unknown location,’” Dr. Higgins shares. “So, if it’s early into a pregnancy and someone is having bleeding and pain, we need to do an ultrasound and lab work to determine where the pregnancy is.”

In addition to heavy bleeding, symptoms of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy can include symptoms like dizziness, weakness and pain in your lower abdomen, pelvis and lower back. This condition requires immediate treatment.

Placental abruption

Placental abruption, which happens when the placenta detaches from the uterus, can cause vaginal bleeding that’s often accompanied by painful abdominal cramping. Though it can happen in the second trimester, it more often occurs in the third trimester.

There are varying degrees of placental abruption, and the severity of your bleeding doesn’t necessarily indicate how severe your condition is. But it can be a medical emergency.

“Placental abruption can be very serious,” Dr. Higgins stresses. “So, it’s important to reach out to your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing symptoms.”

Miscarriage

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy. And though most miscarriages happen in the first trimester of pregnancy, they can happen later, too.

“Not everyone who experiences a miscarriage experiences vaginal bleeding,” Dr. Higgins clarifies, “but miscarriage-related bleeding may progress from light to heavy and include tissue or blood clots.”

Another possibility is a threatened miscarriage, a complication in early pregnancy that can bring some vaginal bleeding.

“Your cervix stays closed, but you experience bleeding and sometimes pelvic cramping or pain,” she continues. A threatened miscarriage doesn’t always result in the loss of a pregnancy.

When to see a doctor for pregnancy-related bleeding

First things first: It’s always OK to call your Ob/Gyn about vaginal bleeding, even if it’s minimal and even if you think it’s probably not a big deal. It’s best to know for sure, and the only way you can do that is to speak with your healthcare provider.

“If you’re seeing some spotting, or you notice a little bit of blood when you wipe, there’s a high likelihood that it’s nothing too worrisome and that your provider will just want to keep an eye on it,” Dr. Higgins reassures, “but it’s always best to ask them.”

But heavy vaginal bleeding while pregnant always warrants a call to your provider — and maybe a visit to the emergency department.

“If you're having heavy bleeding to the extent that it resembles a period, call your provider’s office right away,” she urges. “And if you’re soaking through menstrual pads, that rises to the level of seeking emergency care.”

Final thoughts on periods and pregnancy

Sometimes, women don’t realize they’re pregnant because they’ve just had (what seemed like) a normal menstrual period. Only looking back later do they realize that bleeding couldn’t have been a period.

“If you find out that you’re pregnant a week or two after you’ve had your period, that wasn’t a period,” Dr. Higgins confirms. “It could have been one of those other things, like implantation bleeding or a subchorionic hematoma, but we would not call that a period. It was something related to pregnancy.”