Someone asked us:

What exactly is spotting?

Spotting, also called “breakthrough bleeding,” is vaginal bleeding that happens in the middle of your menstrual cycle.  Although it varies from person to person, spotting is usually not as heavy nor does it last as long as your regular period. It’s fairly common, especially if you’ve just started a hormonal contraception method like the pill or ring, but will usually go away after a couple of cycles. Spotting is also more common for women who use the pill or ring continuously, without taking a week a month for placebo pills or to leave the ring in.

If you’ve been on a hormonal method for a few months and spotting is bothering you, talk with your health care provider about trying a different method or a different version of the pill that is less likely to cause spotting.

-Nathan at Planned Parenthood