Can Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Lead To Infertility
Imagine that you woke up one morning and realised you are bleeding. Your last menstrual period just ended a week ago, and you aren’t due to start again until next month. Why are you seeing blood now?
This unexpected bleeding is considered mid-cycle spotting, or abnormal uterine bleeding. When experienced outside of your normal menstrual period, mid-cycle spotting can often be frightening. It brings up a range of emotions and questions you likely don’t know how to answer. Am I pregnant? Do I have a hormone imbalance? What is wrong with my body?
Mid-cycle spotting is one of the most asked-about fertility concerns women approach us with. The concern is valid. As far as most of us learned growing up, you are only supposed to bleed during your period, not randomly throughout your cycle. There is some truth to this, but there are also a few exceptions. I hope to help you understand the different causes of mid-cycle spotting, and learn to recognize what is normal and when it may be a sign that something isn’t quite right, which may warrant a trip to consult with your gynecologist.
Causes Of Mid-Cycle Spotting
Abnormalities of the Cervix – Though rare, conditions of the cervix such as HPV or cervical fibroids may cause some slight bleeding mid-cycle. If the mid-cycle bleeding is accompanied by pain in the cervical region, having your gynecologist check this out would be best. Very rarely, abnormalities of the cervix may be cancerous.
Endometriosis – Some, but not all women with endometriosis report mid-cycle spotting. The cause is not completely understood, but it is speculated that a disruption in hormone signaling may be the culprit. Excess endometrial tissue under the influence of hormones may be given disrupted signals, leading to breakthrough bleeding.
Implantation Bleeding – Implantation bleeding can be the most confusing of all, particularly for women currently trying to conceive. The hope is that the spotting they are experiencing is a sign of pregnancy, and not simply another period.
Ovarian Cyst Rupture – If you experience a sharp pain on either side of your lower abdomen, followed by slight bleeding around the time ovulation should occur in your cycle, it may be a ruptured ovarian cyst. Ovarian cysts are a sign of disrupted ovulation, which may cause difficulties in achieving pregnancy.
Note: See a doctor immediately if you have excruciating pain, nausea, vomiting and/or bleeding from the vagina during any point in your cycle.