• Please note that if spotting does occur, it could sometimes be a miscarriage but also is a common thing during early pregnancy. The best advice is to call the doctor. If it is a miscarriage, there is nothing that can be done to save the baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Drink plenty of fluids and keep your feet up. Remember, only your doctor knows for sure.

• I was nine weeks into my pregnancy when I started spotting. At first it was barely noticeable; a very light pink almost nude color. That lasted for about three days and of course I was concerned and I looked for information online. Most of the information I got implied that spotting was normal. Well, I finally told my husband and he said I should check in to the emergency room being that the doctor's office was closed. I wasn't having any cramps or pains and the spotting was not any heavier. The ER doctors did both an internal and external ultrasound, twice, and both times they found that the baby had no heartbeat. The doctors said I had what was called an "incomplete abortion". The next day I experienced painful cramps which felt like contractions although I was not bleeding. Later on that night blood just started pouring out of me and that was when I had my miscarriage. So please, I do advise if you are spotting even the faintest of colors go see your doctor immediately so you can prevent something like that from happening.

• I have read through most of these incidences and in a way I feel relieved but then again I do not. I just started spotting about 10 minutes ago, and I am totally freaking out. I am super scared, and I absolutely cant wait to go to the doctor first thing in the morning. It is a very faint color, but I am cramping too. It's really nerve wracking!

• My wife had "staining" throughout the first trimester and our son is a very healthy baby. I can't tell you the amount of tears and prayers that we're offered. By staining, I mean a light pinkish discharge every day. We called the doctor, who followed up with vaginal sonograms. We learned that staining (not spotting) is not always a sign of miscarriage.

• I spotted for up to ten weeks during all of my pregnancies (3), and all the babies were fine.

• The first time that I got pregnant, I started bleeding at about one and a half months and it led to a miscarriage. This is the second pregnancy for me and at about 7 weeks I noticed light pink blood on the tissue and of course thought that it was going to happen again so I called the doctor. By the next week it had stopped. I went in for a sonogram and everything was perfect. The doctor said it may happen again next month before I would be getting my period.

• I have just found out that I am pregnant (4 weeks) and I am also experiencing spotting of a pink/brownish colour. Also I have abdominal cramps very low down. At the clinic I have had two blood tests (every other day) where my doctor checks for the HCG levels in my blood. I was told that within 48 hours the levels should double which would indicate that the baby is growing. I have an appointment to see my doctor tomorrow so hopefully he can tell me more. In the meantime I was advised to take things easy.

• I spotted around the 11th week and freaked out. After I went to the doctor, I was assured that everything was okay. They said that although it's not a *normal* thing, most of the time its okay.

• I spotted with my first child at 9 weeks. I was so afraid, so I called my doctor and he put me in the hospital for a few days, he said my placenta started to tear. I was bed rest for the remainder of my term. I had a heathly 8lb 2oz boy.

• I am sure that symptoms of pregnancy are different for everyone. Just because you have no tenderness in the chest does not mean that you are going to miscarry. If your hormone levels are good, you probably have nothing to worry about. 1 in 5 women bleeds throughout their pregnancy I heard. I would just suggest that you be sure to call your doctor with all concerns! Don't let them brush you off when you feel as though something is wrong or you want to be seen. My doctors did that to me and being my first pregnancy I just went along with them. Take charge! Remember it is your body, your baby, and the doctors are working for you! Sometimes a woman's intuition is better than years of medical school, ya know? Be sure that they check your hormone levels frequently! My understand is that the increased hormone levels cause most symptoms including breast tenderness.

• I have been told that if you have a pinkish discharge or brown not to worry, but if you have bright red bleeding then you should get in touch with your midwife straight away.

• I have been reading posts and thought I would add my experience so far. I am 8 weeks pregnant and have been staining on and off for 3 weeks and the past 6 days consecutively. I called my Dr. they checked my HCG levels and said everything looks GREAT! I have not been recommended to come in for a sono as I had one 10 days ago. They saw a heartbeat and the yolk sac.

• Unfortunately, the staining I experienced was an indication of a miscarriage. I will be scheduling a D & C tomorrow.

• I had a miscarriage at 15 weeks in my last pregnancy and bled from 6 weeks on (heavily). The doctors told me that I had a subchorionic hemorrhage, which is kind like a big blood clot in the uterus that can heal itself. As it turns out, it was actually a uterine septum that I had versus a hemotoma. I have noticed that doctors call any unexplained bleeding with clotting a subchorionic hemorrhage, but in reality there could be other reasons for it, as in my situation. I had the septum taken out. I am currently 6 weeks pregnancy, and have noticed very faint light brown spotting.

• I have read that low progesterone is responsible for spotting before periods as well as miscarriages and that implantation bleeding does not usually last longer than 1-3 days.

• During my second pregnancy, I had a small clot of blood and some red bleeding in the 4th month (one time, after a straining bowel movement) and got scared since I had lost my first pregnancy to miscarriage. Went to the ER and they heard the hearbeat and all was well. I had a healthy baby boy.

• A lot of times spotting is perfectly normal. However, you should always check with your doctor. Sometimes it's not.

• I am 12 weeks pregnant and yesterday i had a few very small brown spotting. I called the doctor and he told me not to worry if it's brown, especially because i don't have any pain. My next ultrasound is next Tuesday... but I'm a bit scared...
• I'm about 7 weeks pregnant and had some pinkish/brownish spotting last night. I freaked out and was so upset. The clinic I went to this week told me that many women experience spotting, that if I do, not to call, because it's nothing to worry about...easier said than done... I called my sister, who's had 3 healthy babies, and she said that it might be nothing, but it might be something bad, and there was not much I could do. I then called my brother, who, lucky for me, is an OB/GYN, and he told me pretty much the same thing. If it's bright red, and accompanied by cramps, it is much more alarming, but even if not, it could mean something serious. The hardest thing for me is that he also said that there's nothing I can do or not do right now that will affect the outcome. The only thing (as some others mentioned) is to get an ultrasound and see if you can see a heartbeat. There isn't much you can do but "try not to worry, even though it's hard," (thanks, bro!). I feel fine today and the spotting seems to have stopped. I am paranoid and keep checking every 30 minutes. My sister said she's known women with whom spotting was not a sign of anything abnormal and women for whom it was. Pretty much, it's nerve-racking and terrifying and something that just needs time to see.
• I miscarried in October at 6 weeks. I am now 6 weeks pregnant again and have some light spotting. It is mostly brownish, although last night I noticed it was pink (today back to brown). I'm hoping every thing will be ok. Reading other comments is helping me stay calm.

• I'm 9 weeks and a half pregnant and having brown stains on and off now for the past week. I went to the hospital since it's always advisable to go see a doctor immediately because having blood during pregnancy is never normal... as they say. The doctors made an ultrasound and we saw the heartbeat. Apparently, it is quite common having brown stains during the first trimester of pregnancy.

• I started having light brown spotting during my 5th week of pregnancy. After 2 days of the spotting I got very worried and went to get an ultrasound. The doctor said it was too early to see anything and to get my HCG levels tested. That evening the spotting started turning bright red and that's when I knew I would miscarry. It was very heartbreaking. I do have 2 children but was still so excited to be pregnant with another. We will be waiting a couple of months and then we'll try again.

• HOLY HEMORRHAGE!! I got pregnant while using an inter-uterine device (IUD) which is a form of birth control made out of flexible plastic and contains either copper or hormones which is supposed to protect you from becoming pregnant anywhere from 5 to 12 years. PFFT!!!! I was 6 weeks pregnant with my IUD still in place, when one night I woke up in the middle of the night to use the washroom. As soon as I sat down on the toilet, a gush of blood came out with two clots in it. I called a local 24-hour nurse hotline who recommended I present to Emergency immediately. I was admitted the second I presented, given an IV, a portable ultrasound and prepared for a D&C for the next morning. They thought I miscarried. A regular ultrasound was done in the morning before the surgery and a live fetus was found, and the surgery was cancelled. After all my blood levels were checked, I was found to be low on iron, low on proteins and very dehydrated, although I had been eating properly especially already knowing I was pregnant. It's been one month since then and I'm still spotting and have constant mild cramping. I have gotten ultrasounds to calm my nerves and my baby is still alive, the heart beat is good, and my failed IUD is still in place. They cannot remove the IUD as the strings used to remove it have risen to high for them to reach and trying to get it out will put my pregnancy and chances of miscarriage even higher, making it almost certain to happen. They think one of the reasons for the bleeding is the IUD trying to do it's job and terminate the pregnancy. It's very aggrevating to say the least! The doctor says this could be just the 'type' of pregnancy I'm going to have. It's tiring and draining, and my baby and I are still not out of the clear. I am at a high-risk pregnancy but I'm taking it day by day; my baby seems to be quite the fighter if I must say so myself. So, my best advice to women with this obviously heart-wrenching concern is to be positive, even if the outcome is devastating. Try not to stress out and think the worst all of the time. STRESS can be a key factor in miscarrying, so take care of yourself, but most of all.....BE POSITIVE! There is not much I can do at this point, but wait. My body will decide what's best. Hang in there, stay positive. That's the best medicine for you, your body and your baby at this time. I'm crossing my fingers for myself as well as all you women who are going through this same worrying concern. Good luck too you all!
• I was 6.2 weeks pregnant when I started noticing some light brown spotting when I spoke to the nurse she said its normal since there is no cramping or pain along with it. After few days I observed some light red discharge I then checked into the ER where the u/s was done and they found the baby with the heartbeat.Everything seemed normal and my spotting had started to reduce. After 2 days I started observing a lot of bleeding along with a lot of cramping and pain(It was just like having my periods).I was rushed to the ER where my HGC levels were checked and found to be reducing. Yup...I was having a miscarriage and as at present just waiting for my baby to get completely drained out of my body. It is very disheartening since it was my first baby.My husband and the whole family was very excited about it but now everything has gone..... . My advice to all the people having any kind of spotting(any color) is to go and see your doctor immediately. I hope you don't experience the pain I am going through. All the best!!!!

• I'm about 5 weeks maybe little more pregnant. this morning I woke up with sore pain in my lower stomach.went to bathroom and found little-tiny red spot. I was shocked. I took utrogestan & went beck to bed. in an hour everything was gone..called up my doctor - she adviced me to stay in bed for a day and to take more utrogestan later on... so, I'm lying in bed praying everything to be fine.....
• I'm six weeks pregnant with my first baby. I've been having abdomen pains (like period pains, but... different) for the last two weeks. I was tested for pregnancy two days ago and it was positive! The cramps aren't worrying me at the moment, because they have been occurring for a week or two now, and my HCG levels, and estrogen levels were through the roof only a day ago. I've been spotting on and off. I literally had two spots last week, and have been spotting again today. It's a dark pink/brown in colour. I have my first ultrasound on Wednesday next week. <--- On the 18th of September, I began to experience a light pink bleeding. Half of it looked like the white from an egg. The next morning, I discovered a tiny clot. My partner had a car accident on the 19th - the morning I discovered the blood clot. He was fine. I went to the hospital cause I was concerned about the tiny pinkish blood clot. The doctor took another pregnancy test and told me that my HCG hormone level was only at 30%... I miscarried later that day... I never got to that first ultrasound.. If there is any sign of bleeding, go check it out!!
• I'm 20 weeks pregnant now but I thought I was going to miscarry through the whole first trimester. In the beginning, I had such horrible cramps & sometimes I'd wake up in sweat with lower back pain (excruciating & very scary). Then whenver I'd walk around doing normal activities (like shopping), I'd get this blood staining in my underwear. The blood color was normally dark (brownish/reddish). The doctor told me that brownish blood could sometimes be "old blood" leftover from the previous period that was stuck inside. I was so scared tha I'd miscarry, I was just readying myself for the inevitable but for some reason, the weeks just kept going by and now I am much better. But the first 3 months I didn't do anything-- anytime I had, I would sleep, rest, take it easy! My doctor told me not to exercise, have sex or lift anything heavy. I guess that helped a lot (to take it easy!). But I realized that if I was to miscarry, it is the body's way of terminating a pregnancy that wasn't right from the beginning (something chromosomally wrong the doc said). And I realized-- it's so hard not to worry but I also though, what if I had a baby that was mentally challenged.. how would I deal with that? So I kept reminding myself.. if it is healthy baby, I won't miscarry. If not, there's always next time and would I really be able to take care of a baby that wasn't completely healthy? It would be hard. So I forced myself to just relax, rest & let my body determine what happens. So I know it's so hard NOT to worry about miscarriage but, as my doc, said.. it is the bodies way of naturally aborting a baby that wasn't forming correctly for some reason in the first place. I also know a girl who blood so much & was diagnosed w/ a "threatened miscarriage" yet didn't miscarry (after resting for a whole month on disability) and had a healthy baby boy. Just try to take it easy.. and relax... and that's all you can do knowing you tried your best & it's not your fault if a miscarriage happens. Good luck & God bless everyone!!
• Just wanted to let you all in on my personal experience. I was pregnant with my first child and went for the sonogram and found that the baby had no heartbeat and I had never bleed at all and I was suppose to be 4 months and they said the baby stop growing at 8 weeks. Then I got pregnant again a couple of months later and at 6 weeks I had a large amount of bright red blood, went for a sonogram and the baby was fine and now I have a wonderful baby boy. Just recently we decide to try again for another one and I got pregnant and I was 8 weeks and had some brown blood with some discharge and I went for a sonogram and I had lost the baby. I am pregnant again hopefully it works out for us. But my point is they told me red or pink blood may not be good but if it is brown it would be fine but in my case it was not the truth. So please call your doctor and make them give you a sonogram if you feel that is what you need. No sense in driving yourself crazy wondering if your baby is ok or not.
• Proud Momma of a Wonderful boy! My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage. I started spotting when I was supposed to start my period, but never stopped. This went on for a whole 12 weeks before I ended up in the hospital nearly having to have blood because I lost so much. Then I went on to have a very healthy baby boy on the next try with no complications. I decided to have #2 and I spotted a little at the beginning but things seemed to be going fine. The day of my first doctors appointment (I was 12 weeks) I was finishing up at work because I was getting ready to have to leave for my appointment when I felt somthing weird and went to the bathroom to check it out. I had bright red blood and was bleeding like I was on my period. I called the doctors office and they sent me to do an ultra sound before my appointment. I had just knew I miscarried and was preparing myself for the worst. Then when they did the ulrta sound there was my baby perfectly healthy!! By the time I made it back to the doctors office the bleeding had slowed to just spotting which lasted about a week. They could never explain why I bled like that, but today that baby boy is 5 years old and will be starting school soon!

• I am 6 weeks and two days ago i had a brownish/pink spot on my underwear, the following day same thing but a little less, then yesterday i wiped and it was redder than the other two days and more blood but it only happened once a day..... I called my OBGYN and they informed me that it is "common" but not "normal" to have spotting or bleeding. She informed me to monitor it and if i cramp or get worse to call them back immediately. My first apt. Is in 4 days so I am hoping for the best. If you have spotting make sure you call your doctor.
• My wife started spotting early, we were terrified. She had tissue everytime she went to the bathroom. Bleeding stopped after one week. We called and were told it was normal. At about 7 weeks it happened again our appointment was 2 weeks away. When we were there they found a cervical polyp and removed it. The polyp was the cause for the bleeding and tissue. That was about 4 nerve wracking weeks. We have a heartbeat and are very happy now.

Yes, cramping *without bleeding* can be an early sign of pregnancy. Below, several women tell their personal experience with cramping and pregnancy:

• Cramping can be a sign of implantation, which occurs very early in pregnancy. Also, your uterus gets crampy as things start growing! If your period is late, it's time to test.

• Yes, cramping can be a normal sign of pregnancy. I asked my doctor about it and he said it is the body's way of preparing for the baby.

• It could be. I was sure I would get my period since I was cramping a lot, but all the cramping was because my uterus was preparing for the baby.

• I'm about 6 weeks pregnant with my second child and have just started experiencing some cramping that seems to come and go, but no bleeding whatsoever. My doctor says cramping in early pregnancy (unless accompanied by other symptoms like bleeding, fever, etc.) is completely normal.

• I am six weeks pregnant. I have been having period like cramping for the last 2 weeks. I thought I was going to have my period, but instead I found out that I am pregnant. Don't worry unless the cramping is accompanied by bleeding.

• Last month on cycle day 27, I took a pregnancy test and it was a very faint positive. Then several tests after that one were negative. Then I began to feel cramps like my period was coming, only lighter in intensity and of less duration, but my period didn't come until 2 weeks later and was heavy with clots. My doctor said that I had a chemical pregnancy - which is basically an early miscarriage, happens in up to 50% of pregnancies, most women don't even know they were pregnant. So while cramping could be a sign of pregnancy, it can also be a sign of your menstrual cycles following an early miscarriage.

• I am in my first-trimester and cramping as we speak. For about 2 weeks before AF was due, I was experiencing abdominal cramps and discomfort. I think I ran to the bathroom tampon in hand for a week. My normally regular period never showed. I took a EPT and to my excitement, these cramps are just my little one making room.

• I had cramping as if my period was going to start for a week. I was due for a period on May 3. I decided to take a pregnancy test on April 30th and to my surprise it was positive. So cramping could be a sign of pregnancy.

• It seems that cramping in a lot of cases is normal but in my case it wasn't. Both times I have been pregnant I had cramping similar to my period. I took HPT that came out positive but when I went to the doctor my bloodwork was not normal and I had miscarriages both times around weeks 7-8. So while cramping can be perfectly normal, sometimes it isn't. Go to the doctor and have them do a blood test so you can have peace of mind.

• I have a four year old and with my pregnancy with him I had pretty severe cramping from about the week before I found out I was pregnant until I was about 6-8 weeks pregnant and everything was perfectly normal. So try not to stress about it too bad. I worried myself sick and everything was fine.

• Go to your doctor and get a blood test to make sure everything is perfectly fine, but cramping is probably just your body making room for your child.

• I had bad cramping with this pregnancy (my second, first was a miscarriage) until I was almost 10 weeks. My OBGYN said he never worries about cramping unless you are also having spotting and/or bleeding. He said in most cases cramping is a very normal sign of pregnancy. I am now 15 weeks pregnant and everything is fine.

• I just found out I was pregnant today. I was expecting my period 2 weeks ago. I had period-like cramps and the whole time and I had a pad on but nothing. So today my husband and I decided to get a home pregnancy test and it came out positive. So cramps but no bleeding is perfectly fine.

• Yes - it certainly does. I thought I was getting my period, cramping and lower back ache for a few days. Just done a test and it's positive!

• I told my husband for over a week that I would be starting my period that day because I was having cramping just like I would for my periods, now my pregnancy test is positive, with the cramping! Who would have thought that cramping could be a good thing?

Sometimes spotting is harmless, but sometimes it's a sign of something more serious. Here is some advice from women who've been there - and some of their firsthand experiences, too.

Don't panic! First find out what's going on with your body.

• Go test your hcg levels, even if it means going to the ER. I just had a miscarriage in January (1st pregnancy) and I just found out I'm pregnant again (4 months later) about a week and a half ago. Well, 4 days ago I had some brown discharge. I freaked out and went to the doctor. He tested my hormones, looked at me, said it wasn't blood - he just called it brown stuff. He told me I would have to wait and see what my hcg levels were. Today, being that I've been worried and I didn't feel like waiting till Wednesday (which is 4 more days from now) I went to the ER and they tested my levels of hcg. I've gone from 111 last Saturday to 3488 this Sunday, so my baby is growing strong. My girl friend told me that with 1 out of her 3 pregnancies she had the brown discharge too, and her daughter is beautiful. So my suggestion to any of you who are worried is: go test your levels even if it means going behind your doctors' back to the ER. It's your baby and its your piece of mind that is at stake.

• It's common to have brown discharge and it isn't necessarily a sign of a problem with the pregnancy. Here's my story: I started spotting (light brown discharge) last Wednesday. It isn't heavy, only saw it sometimes (three times a day if that, otherwise normal clear discharge) when I wiped, did have extremely sore breasts and was extremely moody as well as feeling hungry all the time. I was planning to go to a scan on Tuesday, because I had had a miscarriage only 2-3 months ago at 5weeks 3 days. The doctor indicated that this was the same; I'm seven weeks, done 4 pregnancy tests and come out positive with a very strong line each time. Was feeling sick - probably due to being nervous (it had been 5 days, though before this started I did have a yellow/darkish discharge for about 2 days before - the nurse said it was due to hormonal changes. I didn't know if this was spotting). Well, it turned out to be ok. I had an internal scan done and they found a heartbeat and everything was fine with the baby - well, as much as they could tell as this stage. It is incredibly common to have a brown discharge, it is just due to hormones - my discharge comes out all funny (different shades of yellow). But the bottom line is, as long as there is no pain or severe cramping, it's considered to be ok.

• Spotting brown blood is an indication of old, dry blood that is for some reason in the cervix. The most common reason is if you have sexual intercourse and irritation of the cervix causes a little tear. Not enough that it comes flowing out, but like when you urinate or you wipe, you might see it on the tissue. Unless you are passing bright red blood and clots, brown spotting is pretty harmless.
• Brown spotting is perfectly normal in early pregnancy. One reason for this type of spotting is called implantation bleeding. This occurs approx. 2 weeks after conception and 4 weeks since your last menstrual period. Another reason this could be happening is your body could be releasing old blood. Neither of these reasons are cause for concern.

Some women's experiences of spotting and miscarriage:

• Coming to terms with a miscarriage... I was 5 weeks pregnant when I noticed a tiny bit of brown spotting. I had been exercising when I noticed it and figured that caused it. Over the next week and 1/2 I noticed that I didn't have a lot of pregnancy symptoms. I did have tender breasts but that was it, no morning sickness or aversions to food. One week and a half later I noticed more brown spotting and went to the hospital. The ultrasound showed that my fetus was only 5 weeks in size and that my hcg levels were low for 7 weeks. I was sure about the dates and knew that I was experiencing a miscarriage. The brown spotting turned into red and brown blood over the next few hours. That night, I woke up with absolutely terrible cramps which were actually contractions. I have been bleeding for three days and am trying to come to terms with the idea that I am no longer pregnant.

• Even if it's bad news, it's good to know about it ASAP.Spotting brown blood seamed to be normal. I am around what I thought was 11wks pregnant with my first child. I noticed some spotting last night it kept changing from red to brown. However, I am feeling no pain, no cramps, nothing out of the norm! I went to the emergency room and they can't find my baby's heartbeat. They are preparing me for a miscarriage. I have to go back on Wednesday to check and see what my hormone count is. Right now I'm at 14 thousand. If by Wednesday two days from now it has not increased to 28 thousand, then I am losing the baby. So brown spotting can be a bad sign - go get checked ASAP.

Here is more advice and input from others:

• I had brown spotting when I was pregnant this year, it was a sign of early miscarriage. Last year, I didn't have a brown spotting when I was two months pregnant but I had another miscarriage. Some women can have implantation bleeding during pregnancy, which is normal. But brown spotting, I doubt it. I don't know.

• I am spotting brownish/pinkish fluid and had my scan yesterday. I am six weeks and they saw the heartbeat, but they still see some implantation blood in my uterus, which they said is what is probably coming out. Even though this is common, it was explained to me that there is always that threat that whenever blood is coming down the fetus may be affected/may abort...but there is really NOTHING that can be done about this. When the blood turns reddish/clotty that is cause to worry.

• I spotted brown early in my pregnancy, 2 weeks after ovulation. I had abdominal pain located on my right side, I had tender breasts. I had an ectopic pregnancy (in my fallopian tube), it might be normal, but can also be a sign something is wrong, speak to your doc, and don't take any bull***t either, get a scan arranged, the sooner the better!

• I started to have brown blood and long brown clots at 7 weeks. This is definitely a sign of a miscarriage, as I found out. If there is just a little bit of blood red or brown then you have nothing to fear.

• I had a miscarriage before this pregnancy so when I noticed brown spotting when I wiped at around 7 weeks I was nervous. I had had sex the day before and was wondering if that could have started it. I went to the hospital and they did an ultrasound and they saw the baby's heartbeat and said that everything appeared to be fine. I continued to notice spotting whenever I used the bathroom for about 5 days and then it just stopped. It was always brown in color and just mixed with a little discharge. The doctors did say that there was no way the could say for sure that this was not a threatened miscarriage. But seeing the baby's heart beat was a good sign and as long as it was just spotting and brown it was most likely implantation bleeding. I had went to the hospital though because I am O negative and wanted to get the Rhgam shot since I didn't know whose blood this was - mine or the baby's. If you are O neg or aren't sure what your blood type is it is VERY important to tell a medical professional if you have bleeding or experience a situation in which some of the baby's blood could have mixed with yours. After delivery they should give you a shot of Rhgam if the baby's blood type is anything other than O neg. So, I am now 16 weeks pregnant and I've seen the baby, heard it's heartbeat, felt it move and I am confident that everything is going to be okay. I do understand the fear of miscarriage and that should be treated as a valid worry. Just get medical attention and trust your instincts. I've been told some crazy things with this baby as well as when I was pregnant with my daughter and luckily you have the right to a second opinion. Doctors are human too and they can make errors. I also believe that your mind has power over your body to some extent and that the baby is intuned to that. I was always such a negative fearful person but with this baby I have tried to believe in the positive. You can and will have a healthy and successful pregnancy. If you notice warning signs or have concerns address them and seek help until you feel you've received appropriate help.

• I am 10 weeks pregnant and have been spotting brown blood on and off for about a month now. I have a weekly internal ultrasound and everything looks good. The baby's heart is beating and she is moving around. The doctor told me not to worry unless there is bright red blood with lots of cramping... this might indicate a miscarriage. The doctor also said that my placenta looks healthy and can't explain were the blood is coming from. He indicated that I should have a healthy pregnancy with brown spotting.

• I am 11 weeks' pregnant and have spotted brown for the past six weeks. In addition, I had heavy bleeding and a huge clot (we thought I had lost the baby). However, when the ultrasound was performed the baby's heart was beating - that was two weeks ago. During this time I had no cramping/pain whatsoever. Subsequent ultrasounds have shown some bleeding in the uterus and I suspect that this is why the spotting is still occurring. I am still working and doing the usual things but in moderation. I really think that this is an individual thing and that end results vary. I do agree that with spotting or heavy bleeding and pain, we should call our doctor immediately. One should however not get overly stressed out or panicky at the sight of blood because we put our bodies under added stress which is not good for mommy or baby.

• Before I found out I was pregnant I had some brown spotting. This is my first pregnancy and wasn't quite sure what to think. I did some research after I found out that I was pregnant and found that this is common during early pregnancy.

• Before I became pregnant, my monthly cycles for years had intermittent reddish-brown spotting many days before my period. Four months before I became pregnant, I began to drink organic raspberry tea (from Whole Foods) twice a day on advise from herbalist that said that raspberry tea strengthens the uterus tissue/muscles. Two months before conception, I notice that my spotting had significantly dropped. Now, I am in my 15th week of pregnancy, and I am drinking the tea twice a day or more. Since conception, I have only had the spotting three times, not counting the bright red "implantation" bleeding that occurred too. I hope this is encouraging.

• I had a lot of brown and red spotting with my first pregnancy. At first, I was diagnosed as a miscarriage (based on falling HCG levels) but it turned out to be an ectopic pregnancy and I lost my right fallopian tube at six weeks. Three months later, I was delighted to find out that I was pregnant again and at six weeks began very, very light brown spotting. In a panic, I called the doctor and had an ultrasound, which showed that the sac is in the uterus this time and everything looks fine. Both the doctor and u/s tech told me that early brown spotting is completely normal. So, make sure to call your doctor and check up on any spotting, but it doesn't necessarily mean that there's a problem!

• When I was pregnant 6 months ago I experienced a lot of spotting (fairly heavy), after 10 weeks of being very ill and finally collapsing, I was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy and had emergency surgery. Before finally collapsing, I had been sent home from the emergency room (suspected miscarriage) and from our local clinic 3 times (they thought I was worrying too much!). I am 6 weeks pregnant again and have been cramping with some light brown spotting. Suspecting another ectopic I was rushed to the emergency room (they take it more seriously after the last time!). Fortunately, they found the pregnancy to be intra-uterine and with a heartbeat. I am still spotting and cramping but there is not much we can do but wait and see. The doctors cannot find any reason for the spotting so it remains a mystery.

• I am 8 weeks pregnant at the moment and last week i was admitted to hospital with brown spotting (more like a brown heavy discharge). I was given an internal scan and much to my relief they found the baby's heartbeat and told me everything was fine and that i had nothing to worry about. They cant give any explanation. I am still spotting a week later but again-nothing to worry about. I would advise if you get this to contact your GP asap - prob is nothing to worry about but you can make yourself ill worrying. Its only natural!

• My friend had brown spotting while pregnant, and she was told it was normal. She continued a normal healthy pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Today I started to have brown spotting when I wiped and I totally freaked out and called the hospital. They told me not to worry, and brown spotting usually has no effect on the pregnancy.

• Unfortunately I was right in suspecting a miscarriage when I began some brown spotting 4 days ago. It has progressed into further and heavier bleeding and there's no question, I'm miscarrying as I write this message.

• I have had brownish discharge off and on for about the last 4 weeks, but nothing heavy just real light enough to notice. But this is my 4th pregnancy no miscarriages, so I ask and they say it is normal, when I went for my examine she said my cervix was very sensitive and was bleeding this would cause the brown color with discharge as it was healing, not sure what happen with my cervix. But I have had no cramping or pain at all.

• I am 7 weeks pregnant and went to the doctor yesterday for "brown spotting". As soon as I told the doctor my symptoms (cramping and brown spotting)he had me come in right away. He did an internal and confirmed that there was spotting (although I could have just confirmed that to him) and he sent me for an ultrasound (both external and internal) this morning. According to the person that performed the ultrasound everything is fine (so far). When I was at the doctor's office he gave me a little explanation about any bleeding during pregnancy and it was this: Out of 100 pregnancies 80% are without any issues and about 20% are "active" (meaning bleeding brown, red, pink, cramping) out of that 20%, 80% of those women go on to have a healthy baby but the other 20% lead to a miscarriage. If you are having any spotting no matter what color go to your doctor. It may not be anything but you should have it looked at.

• I am eight weeks and have had very slight brown spotting for the past week. Had intercourse the day before this all started. Talked to my gyno twice about it and was reassured both times that semen can cause irritation to your cervix early on in pregnancy. Your cervix has numerous blood vessels in it and if one happens to burst can cause light bleeding for no more than 48hours and then will turn to brown spotting which is just "old blood." This old blood can take a while to come out of you. Can be different for every person. As long as there are no clots or cramping not to worry.

• Last week, at 6 wks 2 days, I began spotting brown. It's light, only noticed when I wipe, but very worrisome. I went to the doc's that day had a pelvic exam (looked okay), blood work (also ok) and an ultrasound which didn't look okay. My embryo looked too small for 6 weeks, so I am having a second ultrasound tomorrow, to check for any growth. Perhaps my conception date is off, my last period was 33 days... However, I am still spotting, have no morning sickness and breasts seem smaller. My gut feeling is not good. It's been torture. I totally feel for all of you and hope that no one else has to go through what I have this week. Still, please hope for the best for us. My mood swings have been something else, hopefully hormone related and I'll get back to normal. This is my first pregnancy so I am not sure what to expect.

• I have been spotting/staining brown for 6 days. Just went to the OBGYN and had an ultrasound. I saw a heartbeat. The doctor told me to just ignore it that it's normal, not to worry. If it turns to blood or clots then it's time to go to the hospital or call your doctor. I miscarried in Nov 2005 and got pregnant immediately. I was scared to death I was miscarrying again but it's fine. My Mom, my friend and my aunt all spotted during their first trimester and all had healthy babies.

• I was also worried about the brown spotting when I had it yesterday. I am in 6W 4D. Today when I went to the Doc they sent me for an emergency scan and in the scan they saw the heartbeat. And everything seemed normal in the scan. There wasn't any collection of blood inside. But the Doc asked me to rest for a week since they consider spotting as a threatening case.

• I started spotting brown (at times pink) for 11 days now.tho it has never been enough2fill a pantyliner (mostly upon wiping) im extremely worried 4 the fact that ive already suffered 3 miscarriages (none which passed 4 wks) one that just recently happened in Nov. 05. i got pregnant very quickly in January. The difference between my recent miscarriage and my pregnancy now is that i had no nausea,just tender breast n cramping,on top of that,just a gut feeling that it wasn't gonna turn out right.i started bleeding red a lil, then more n more as each day passed.as of now,i have nausea,very swollen breast,fatigue, n i truly feel good about this pregnancy despite the worries over the spotting.2day i had n ultrasound n im 6 wks! This makes me very happy cuz i never passed4 wks in my other pregnancies,so i think this is a good sign.n just for the record,ive never had brown spotting when i had the miscarriages. im tryin2keep my head up and fingers crossed. good luck2every1 who is experiencing wut im goin thru.

• I was pregnant last year and beginning around 7 weeks, I started bleeding bright red blood and had some cramps. I thought for sure I miscarried. I called my doctor and she guessed that I might be right but said I would need to have an ultrasound done. They found a heartbeat and everything appeared normal. I went to a high-risk doctor and he guessed that it might have been my fibroid tumor that caused the bleeding. I bled very heavily for about a week. Then it stopped. About a week and a half later, I bled again, exactly like before. This off and on bleeding continued throughout my entire 1st trimester and every single time, they would do an ultrasound and found everything was okay with the baby. I ended up delivering the baby perfectly and she is completely healthy. So, not all bright red, heavy bleeding leads to a miscarriage! However, I'm pregnant again this year, and am only 6 weeks into it. I started brown bleeding with cramping a couple days ago. It was definitely more than spotting, enough that wearing a pad was necessary, but not very heavy. I had blood drawn to measure my HCG level a couple days ago, and had it drawn again today so they can see if the count doubled in 48 hours. If so, then they will assume everything is still okay. If not, then I'm probably going to miscarry if I haven't already. I call the lab tomorrow morning to find the result. I'm surprised they didn't do an ultrasound but they thought it was too early in the pregnancy to try and detect a heartbeat. I'm seeing a different doctor's office with this pregnancy because of insurance reasons. Anyway, I'm hoping it's just a result of my fibroid tumor again and that everything will be okay. I had a pap and trans vaginal ultrasound a week ago at 6 weeks and one day. Two days later I began spotting (dark brown) and experiencing mild cramping. This went on for about 5 days until I had thoroughly convinced myself that I was having a miscarriage and began mourning the loss of my baby. I made an appointment with my ob to confirm what I was already sure of. Upon examination I was told that my cervix was still tightly closed and that there was no active bleeding. Even better was my baby's heartbeat on an ultrasound! I was told that this kind of spotting is completely normal after a vaginal exam.

• Maybe you are not pregnant since you already had your period for 3 days. Your shorter cycle and the symptoms you are feeling now could have been triggered by stress or maybe some sort of hormonal imbalance. But of course it's still important for you to see your doctor just to make sure. There are a few occurrences wherein the menses would occur and find out later on that she is pregnant.

• You could still be pregnant. It runs in my family to have implantation bleeds. That's where you bleed because you are pregnant and it's a long explanation. It's always safe to check. That's why they always ask for your last NORMAL menstrual period.

• Not necessarily. If you are on a low dosage birth control pill such as ortho tricyclen lo, it is very likely that your period will be shortened or might not happen at all. Take a pregnancy test just in case, but you probably have nothing to worry about if you are practicing safe sex.

• As someone else said, the question is "your last "normal" period." I have been pregnant three times (and have 3 wonderful children). I had no bleeding with the first two but bled for 9 days with the third; it was 'different' than a normal period. Turns out it was implantation bleeding.

• Yes, you can be pregnant even if you have a short or light period. I had a period that lasted 7 days but was extremely light, I was pregnant....8 months later I gave birth.

• Ectopic pregnancies occur when the embryo attaches someplace other than inside the uterus. This often happens inside one or the other Fallopian tube (NOT both), and is thus called a "tubal pregnancy", although any place outside the uterus is ecotopic.
• Ectopic pregnancies are usually unknown until suddenly, the woman feels deathly sick with severe lower belly pain.
• Ectopic pregnancies are life threatening emergencies; a woman can die from internal bleeding without immediate surgery.
• Ectopic pregnancy is 100% fatal for a fetus--it will notsurvive. They cannot remove the egg to re-implant it into the uterus. So you will lose the pregnancy and the Tube will also be removed. You can still get pregnant with one tube.
• If the Tube burst, the surgeon will clean out any debris and blood in the abdomen. You may have an abdominal (surgical) drain in your abdomen for a few days. You will likely be put on IV antibiotics for a few days.

The following beginning symptoms and later symptoms are indicative:

• A missed period (see signs of pregnancy)
• Indications of an early pregnancy
• Positive pregnancy test, if pregnancy is known already
• progression of a relatively "normal" first month up to 6/7 weeks of the first trimester (If you are beyond the 7th week, don't worry because you don't have this. However, any pregnant woman who experiences pain or bleeding must go to the E.R.)

Later symptoms (typically before the 7th week):

• Sudden abdominal or more likely pelvic pain, typically extremely severe pain, "take your breath away" kind of pain. NOTE: If you react badly to being constipated, pain, nausea, and feeling faint from constipation can occur. But Ectopic pain is much, much worse than intestinal pain.
• Persistent pain, and persistently increasing pain -- not like ovarian/uterine "cramping" during a period, but instead much worse
• Pain is typically on the side of the affected Fallopian Tube, but the pain will become diffuse, meaning on both sides, and in your low back.
• Possibly, but not always, non-menstrual vaginal bleeding, often becoming heavy bleeding very quickly
• Nausea, as a result of severe pain
• Feeling faint as result of nausea (which can be sudden, see below)
• Vomiting, as a result of severe pain
• Sudden diarrhea
• Sudden sweating with chills, but no fever
• A feeling of impending doom that progressively worsens, especially when the tube bursts
• Pain in your shoulder, especially the left shoulder, if the Tube ruptured. Shoulder-blade tip pain: Shoulder blade pain is the typical pain of ectopic pregnancies. This may be due to internal bleeding irritating the diaphragm when you breathe in and out. It is exactly where it says - not in the neck or back but at the tip of your shoulder blade, in the upper back. (Note: Similar pain can occur in gallbladder disease.)
• Dizziness or collapse/fainting due to loss of blood -- hypotension and hypovolemia.
• Low blood pressure or hypotension, also as a result of hypovolemia
• Extreme paleness due to impending blood volume drop or a sudden drop in volume due to hemorrhaging
• Progression of lower abdominal pain "unlike any other pain"; you will find no comfortable position

Signs only a doctor will recognize and will interpret as an Ectopic Pregnancy

• Lack of usual signs of a uterine pregnancy when examined
• Evidence of vaginal bleeding-- will need to rule out miscarriage versus Ectopic, which has much different symptoms
• Abdominal muscle guarding - a sign of a "surgical belly", e.g. a surgical emergency
• Abdominal rebound "pain" - a sign of a surgical emergency
• Increased bowel sounds if diarrhea
• Decreased and obscured bowel sounds after the tube ruptures, especially as blood fills the abdomen (massive internal bleeding); because the abdominal cavity is filling with blood, bowel sounds become "distant".
• Signs of hypovolemic shock
• Interpretation of CBC & Diff (bloodwork)
• Decreased respirations-- common in muscle guarding
• Upon testing, the HCG and progesterone levels will be lowered -- HCG and progesterone are hormones -- in ectopic pregnancies, their levels are lower than in a normal pregnancy
• Ultrasound to rule out or rule in either appendicitis OR Ectopic Pregnancy

Initially:

• History; current symptoms.
• Vital signs.
• Cardiac monitoring.
• O2 if needed.
• Abdominal exam.
• Possible pelvic exam.
• The nurse will start an IV, often open wide to replace fluid loss and pump up blood volume.
• The nurse will draw bloodwork, and "type and cross match" for blood transfusion.
• Blood transfusion might be started before you go to the operating room.
• Ultrasound to R/O appendicitis versus Ectopic pregnancy.
• If possible, medication to control vomiting.

If you have any symptoms, immediately:

• do NOT eat or drink ANY thing
• do NOT take meds for symptoms
• call an ambulance--- do NOT drive yourself; do NOT go with family/friends
• lie down
• raise feet -- a pillow underneath
• do not get up without help (risk of passing out and injury due to falling)

NOTE: If a uterine ultrasound shows a uterine pregnancy, you cannot experience this. If you have vaginal bleeding after confirmation of a uterine pregnancy, you could be having a miscarriage. Miscarriage pain is much, much less intense and often more like period cramps than what is described above.

Reasons for Menstrual Period Symptoms

Studies indicate that almost 80% women suffer the effects of menstrual discomforts. The world over women experience some typical symptoms of menstrual period flow. But we first need to know the mechanics behind the activity to understand why these symptoms appear and what makes them such a problem.

Every month a woman's ovaries release one egg into her uterus. This egg stays there , waiting to be fertilized, and after a few days, is discharged from the uterus along with its tissue lining . This was the lining that had been prepared by nature to create a soft, warm cocoon for the fetus that would have been conceived had the egg got fertilised. This is nature's own baby basket and its warm lining.

But when the egg doesn't get fertilized, and is expelled from the body with a bloody vaginal discharge, this is called the menstrual flow. This process is called menstruation. As this blood, tissue and the egg flow out from the vagina, they cause some physical discomfort but most of the pain associated with the menstrual flow is largely hormones related.

Menstrual Period Symptoms

The most common symptom of menstruation is the pain in the abdomen. In many cases this is located at the lower abdomen or lower back area. The pain usually starts from a couple of days before the actual flow starts and is generally referred to as PMS - Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. There are other symptoms that are equally discomforting but until very recently it was dismissed as female drivel , fuss over a pain that is nowhere else except for in the imagination. But science has now established that discomforts and pain during the menstrual flow are not psychological, they have very physical roots. Most of these pains are caused by dramatically fluctuating hormone levels in the body. Whoever said that the ability to give birth would come easy?

The pain or menstrual cramps usually come because during the first five days of the menstrual period, the uterus is contracting in spasms, in order to shed the lining. The pain is a much milder form of what she will experience during childbirth, also a contractions- led activity. The muscle contractions here are cause by a chemical called prostaglandins. This hormone causes the muscles of the uterus to contract for a longer period of time, sometimes depriving it of oxygen. This is what causes menstrual cramps.

Then after 14 days, the hormonal level changes to prepare for the release of the next egg. The hormone levels of both estrogen and progesterone keep rising till about 4 days before the next period, and then, if fertilization has not taken place, they fall. This sudden change causes more irritation and emotional imbalance in a woman. People refer this discomfort to, when they talk about 'that time of the month'.

Around the time ovulation happens there is a pain in the back, abdomen or even dizziness. Just about a week before the actual menstrual period flow starts, the woman may experience bloating. This is water retention on legs and around the middle, sometimes even the face. The other symptoms are breast tenderness, decreased activity levels and lack of sleep. Some women also experience changes in appetite while some others break out in acne. There sometimes seems to be a slight loss of coordination, so many women experience trouble in driving in this PMS state. A woman approaching this time usually experiences attacks of anxiety and social withdrawal. The most common of all symptoms, is irritability or moodiness, depression and angry outbursts. Nausea, headache, gas in the abdomen, indigestion and sometimes even diarrhea are common symptoms and pains of menstrual period. If these pains get more severe than normal, they are taken to be a disorder called dysmenorrhea.

The bad news is that menstrual pain and discomfort does not spare any woman who is in the fertile age bracket, usually between 12 and 51. Class, culture, body type, even race make no difference.

Cervical mucus could be early pregnancy discharge. But it could also be:

• Normal vaginal discharge.

• Yeast infection discharge.

• Ovulation discharge.

Here is more input from WikiAnswers Contributors:

• I remember seeing that thick stuff that looked like snot on my tissue and thinking, "What is this?" I certainly experienced that stuff during my two pregnancies.

• I had a doomed pregnancy a few months ago with a miscarriage at only about 6 weeks, and I did have the same excess of "snotty" discharge. I am now confirmed pregnant at about 5 weeks and am experiencing the same thing! So I think it can be a symptom, but not a guarantee that you are pregnant.

• I had an increase in cervical mucus and remember thinking how odd that was because I am not normally like that. I was, in fact, pregnant.

• I am no expert, but this would be my third pregnancy and I am showing those same signs. I would say like ovulating but milky. Yes usually I am dry a few days out of the month but not this month.

• I noticed a lot of cervical mucus when I became pregnant, which was unusual before my period. (I miscarried at 8 weeks.)

• My husband and I have been trying only for a month or so now. I was also curious about this question. Sometimes ejaculate can look a lot like cervical mucus, and it is difficult not to confuse the two.
• How about if you are still discharging after your missed period, its been 2 weeks and a day since i had unprotected sex, and My periods are very regular and yet I don't have it. I took a pregnancy test and it was negative, I suppose I am too early on taking it. I have headaches/bloating/fatigue/frequent urination/missed period/nausea but not vomiting/cramping/and discharge. Do you suppose I could be pregnant?

This information is from health care professionals and groups such as Mayo Clinic, and should be used as a point of reference or as a generality, because each pregnancy is unique:

Morning sickness is a symptom some women feel during early pregnancy. It starts after conception which may or may not occur after unprotected intercourse. So, first confirm that you are pregnant by using a home pregnancy test, and if positive, make an appointment for a health care professional to confirm those results and to start prenatal care.

Once you have a confirmed pregnancy, the morning sickness usually starts around the first 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy and it tends to get worse over the next month or so after it begins. However, for some women, the queasiness begins as early as two weeks after conception.

Morning sickness for the majority of women stops around the 12 th week, but for many women it continues until the 14th to 16th week. About half of the women feel complete relief by 14 weeks. For the rest, it may take one more month or so for it to stop. It can return later, and for some unlucky women it can come and go throughout the entire pregnancy. There isn't a set time for it to stop because each woman is different, and each pregnancy is different.

If nausea and vomiting persists well into the second trimester (after the 13th week) you should contact your doctor just to be on the safe side. It isn't harmful to you or your baby unless you have excessive vomiting and can't keep anything down. If you are unable to eat or drink fluids and keep it down for 24 hours straight, you may have something called hyperemesis gravidarum. This condition can be harmful to both you and your baby, so you should contact your doctor right away to see if you need any special treatment.

As stated above, each pregnancy is unique, so here is some information from various contributors about their experiences:

• It starts at about the 4th-6th week of pregnancy and lasts until the 14th or 16th week.
• Morning sickness can occur at any stage of pregnancy but is more common in early pregnancy. It can start as soon as you become pregnant, or before you even know you may be pregnant, this is usually due to all the hormones whizzing around inside you and your body trying to keep up with all the changes and surges of hormones.
• Some women never have morning sickness, some have it in the morning, some in the evening and others all day. With my first I had nausea in the evenings and would fall asleep about 7pm, this lasted until about 13 weeks.
• With my second I had no nausea or tiredness, and it turned out to be twins.
• It varies from woman to woman... When I was pregnant with my girls, I have 2, I had morning sickness from 4 weeks up to month 5, straight. With my boys, no morning sickness at all.
• I started feeling sick one week after my missed period, which is how I found out that I was pregnant.
• You can have morning sickness early. When I was pregnant with my son, I found out I was pregnant 2 weeks after unprotected sex due to morning sickness!! I had been getting it for almost a week before it got so bad, I knew it wasn't a bug!
• Well, one week after conceiving, the embryo is no larger than a bundle of cells in your uterus. Morning sickness due to pregnancy does not occur until the embryo is implanted and producing sufficient hormones to affect you, usually from about 3 weeks after conception.
• Everyone is different, you may get it within a week of being pregnant, or at any time. Some people only have it for the first trimester and for others it may be with them all through the nine months (but usually not every day). Morning sickness can happen any time during the day, not just in the morning. I had it only if I ate certain foods, but in the first couple of weeks, I felt like I wanted to throw up but I never would. Right now I am 10 weeks into pregnancy and feel great. I just sleep ALOT but that is normal.
• Weeks six through twelve for me.
• I got it at 5 weeks, most women get it at 6 weeks, but some can get it as soon as 3 weeks (it is just more common not to get it until 5-6 weeks).
• I've been pregnant twice and I began symptoms around a month into it both times.
• Some women have it in the first week or so and some women never have it.
• Some people don't get it, some people do. Usually it hits at about 3-4 wks
• It can vary with every pregnancy. I have had three kids and all have been different. My first pregnancy I had a feeling of light headedness within 2 weeks of my missed period. In my last trimester it probably settled down at about the 8 month mark. My second pregnancy was totally different. I may have had a few days that I felt lightheaded or my blood sugar was low, but it was a breeze. The last, all I wanted to do was eat and I was queasy just for 3 months or so. So you never know what it is going to be like. I know someone said "the more sick you are the healthier the baby."
• You can feel morning sickness as early as a week after conception or sooner.
• I think it's different for each woman, and each woman's pregnancy. I think the general rule is the first trimester.
• Morning sickness usually starts (if at all) between the 4th and 8th week after conception. On average, morning sickness lasts until sometime between the 14th and the 22nd week.
• As soon as conception occurs, hormones are released to prepare your body for the upcoming months of pregnancy and the eventual birth of your baby. These hormones signal to your body to increase blood volume and to prepare the uterus for upcoming growth. Even your joints and muscles have to relax to enable them to move out of the way of your growing baby. These hormones are also causing your morning sickness. Until your body adjusts to the new hormone levels, you may be feeling nauseous. Every pregnant woman reacts differently to these hormonal changes, making it hard to pinpoint exactly how soon after conception morning sickness starts.
• The majority of pregnant women start to experience morning sickness somewhere between the 4th and 8th week of pregnancy. It can, however start as early as the day after conception. For some women, it doesn't start until about the 19th week of pregnancy, and some never experience it.
• Morning sickness can also occur at any time of day -- not just the morning!
• Usually it ends at the end of the first three months (first trimester) - It was like clockwork for me. I felt great at the beginning of the 2nd Trimester!
• It often starts in American movies the day after fertilization or conception (along with fainting). However, in reality, it begins after about six to eight weeks.
• Morning sickness caused by pregnancy begins between the 4th and 7th week after last menstrual period, and it resolves by 20th week of gestation.
• Morning sickness affects 50-70% of pregnant women. Which means, there is a chance that you will not get morning sickness at all. However, morning sickness is also a good sign for a successful pregnancy, because women who experience morning sickness (especially vomiting) are less likely to have miscarriages, stillbirths, low birth weight babies and preterm deliveries. In addition, one should avoid anti-emetics to treat morning sickness because the mechanism of how pregnancy causes morning sickness is not known. Your symptoms of pregnancy will usually appear anywhere from the first week of your expected period to 1-2 weeks after your first week of expected period. Your first signs of pregnancy most commonly include missed period, tender/swollen breasts, change in color of the breasts, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, increased sense of smell, and weight gain.
• For some women it can happen as soon as the egg implants itself (the time of conception), which can take up to 5 days after fertilization. Usually during second pregnancies the woman will feel the sickness early and shows signs of pregnancy earlier than her first.
• Morning sickness can affect a woman at any time in her pregnancy and at any time of the day too. It is more common in the mornings and nearer the beginning of the pregnancy (hence the term!). I have heard of some women who had it very bad and almost right to the very end of their pregnancy. It's not common, but morning sickness affects different women in different ways and at different times - there truly is no "normal" with morning sickness!
• It will show up only after two to three weeks into your pregnancy.
• Usually it starts the first few weeks. It depends on your body because you may be one of a few women who do not experience morning sickness during pregnancy.
• You may not have any nausea at all... if so, count yourself lucky. Some women get morning sickness all day, some only get a few bouts of nausea, some not at all. At six weeks you may be just about to start the nausea. If you do get nausea, eating something bland normally helps. Saltine crackers are a good thing to always have on hand for morning sickness. Morning sickness hit me at seven weeks until about three months.

In most cases, it is not possible to start having symptoms so early, since it takes the female body about two weeks to produce the HCG (pregnancy) hormone that make you feel pregnancy symptoms. However, every woman is different. Following are several opinions and experiences on this issue from s.com contributors.

Please visit the discussion page if you would like to add to the discussion on this topic.

Experiences from s.com contributors

• Many women begin noticing slight symptoms within a day or two of implantation, which usually occurs 7-10 days after conception (not necessarily the same as 7-10 days after sex!). The pregnancy hormone, HCG, is not present in the bloodstream until after implantation, and sometimes can be detected by an early home pregnancy test as soon as 10 days past ovulation if pregnancy has occurred. After implantation, some women begin to feel the typical signs of early pregnancy -- sore breasts, slight nausea, etc. A friend of mine swears she always knew she was pregnant before she missed her period because her sinuses started acting up for no reason with all three of her pregnancies several days before her period was due. It's really very different for every woman. Still, developing symptoms at one week past conception seems very unlikely.
• Implantation occurs around 7 to 14 days after conception at which point a woman's body starts to produce the pregnancy hormone HCG. Everyone has different levels of this hormone and it is only present in small quantities to start with. High sensitivity pregnancy tests can detect this hormone up to 6 days before your period is due so theoretically YES you can feel pregnancy symptoms a week after conception and a week before your period is due! Because every woman has different hormone levels and every woman's body reacts differently to those hormones it is impossible to judge an individual case.
• The best thing to do is to do a test on the day your period is due. If you can't wait for then buy a high sensitivity pregnancy test and use it first thing in the morning. Your first wee in the morning is more highly concentrated because you have had less fluids overnight and your bladder has been storing all the excreted hormones throughout the night. This makes it easier for a test to detect the hormones if you are not yet producing them in high quantities. If the result is negative and you do not have a period at the normal time then test again as it may just be that the hormone levels were too low to detect at the first test.
• It's definitely possible to feel pregnancy symptoms one week after conception. Very few women know right when they conceive as their basal body temperature will be elevated. Coming from experience, I had unusual signs. I figured I was getting my period because my breasts were so sore, but they were sore all around, my nipples were killing me. I had pain in my lower right side which was for about 1 week straight. One night I was showering and the pain was so severe that I had to go to emerge thinking it was appendicitis. There were 2 possible things ectopic pregnancy or appendicitis. The doctor asked me if I could be pregnant and I said I don't think so. My period was due in about 3 days. We did try a few times but I didn't think it at the time. I gave a urine sample and the results came back negative. It was not appendicitis either. 3 1/2 weeks later the pain was still there so I booked an app with the doctors. They gave me an ultrasound to see if there was an ovarian cysts. The ultrasound tech asked if I was pregnant and I said nope. 1 week later the results came back and no ovarian cyst. At 5 weeks, I had heartburn, acid reflex, waking up early as I was very hungry. We took 2 tests and both were positive. I got a app booked 2 days later. Doctors found out I was 5 weeks along. I told them that I would be 5 weeks I knew 1 week after I conceived.
• It's not possible to feel symptoms just one week after sex. It takes the female body about 2 weeks to produce the hormones that make you feel those symptoms. My first pregnancy it took me 2 MONTHS to even get any symptoms which were breast tenderness, missed period of course, and a little weight gain.
• It is not likely. Symptoms are not generally noticeable until around the 5th week of conception, although some women do say they feel symptoms within two weeks. The most reliable symptom is a missed period
• I have had two pregnancies where symptoms developed exactly a week after ovulation. The earliest symptom was slight nausea and then the next day I also had breast tenderness and tugging sensations deep in my uterus area. The first time I was ever pregnant, though, I didn't have any symptoms until the day after I missed my period. I'm guessing that I felt symptoms earlier with the next pregnancies because I was more attuned to the sensations of pregnancy (having done it before). I know people claim you can't feel things that early - but I know I did. Some people are probably just more sensitive to low levels of hormones than others.

Yes, bloating can be a symptom of pregnancy.

Here is advice and input from others:

• I have a situation similar to yours. I have started what I think is my period. I spotted yesterday and then during the evening yesterday it progressed to more of a period. It still is not the normal color my periods are. Anyway, I have been feeling very bloated. You could still be pregnant. Every woman's body is different. That's why it's so frustrating to look online and read one article that says you cannot have your period while pregnant, than another that says you can "spot" while pregnant, and THEN another that says you CAN have your period and still be pregnant. Pregnancy varies with every woman. I hope if you wish to be pregnant, you are. :)

• Yes. I am 16 dpo and I have been bloated since 9 dpo.

• During my first couple weeks of pregnancy i was feeling really bloated and really full after i would eat a meal. that is not like me at all! but now that i am in my 2nd month, i love eating food but i have to watch out for my baby. every once in a blue moon i feel after eating food, but it is usually something that doesnt agree with my stomach.

• Bloating was my first sign and it came really early on. I noticed when I layed on my stomach... I felt a pooch. Also my jeans obviously fit tighter too.

• Yes! It is definitely a symptom! During my last pregnancy that was the sign that convinced me I was pregnant (before my period was due, before I took a pregnancy test). It started before my period was due and lasted several months! Because of all the bloating I looked 5 months pregnant from the beginning! :)
• * I'm on what i think, is my period. It isn't a normal period, I'm not bleeding much, and it isn't the normal color. I also have very bad bloating! sorry TMI lol. I also have horrible diarrea and have been getting lightheaded out of nowhere. i read on the internet that that's a sign too? but not sure what to think, help me out?

• Well, I just positive today and have had a yeast infection for the last three. I have had five pregnancies (2 ended in miscarriage) and every time I got a yeast infection just days before testing positive. Other than pregnancy I have had two infections, both at the end of taking antibiotics. However, for pregnancy, it is just a coincidence.

• On my first pregnancy, I had a yeast infection, I thought it was the reason I wasn't having my period. Well, my husband ask me if I could be pregnant. I kept telling him no just give it another day or two. Well, two weeks after my period was suppose to start we found out that we WERE PREGNANT. So, I would just say, if you think you might be, before you go to the store for some over the counter treatment, pick up a pregnancy test. You can never be too sure.
• When I was pregnant I read just about everything dealing with pregnancy and never read or heard anything like that. Have you taken any antibiotics? They almost always cause yeast infections.

Aside from being bad for your hygienic standards (and probably your partner's particularly during oral sex), this kind of discharge shouldn't be of any concern. Keep yourself clean, fresh, and dry as this will help you feel better about it.

Do not douche, as douching upsets the normal balance of microorganisms and the pH levels in the vagina which can lead to bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV is a serious vaginal infection. Douching can also lead to preterm birth. It could force air into the vagina, which can be dangerous during pregnancy.

If your vaginal discharge differs from leukorrhea, you should record it with your doctor. Be sure to note any strange odors, colors, thickness, heaviness, and any other concurrent symptoms you may be experiencing.

You also have a mucous plug. The mucous plug is the "cork" of mucus that seals the opening of the uterus and can become dislodged, though generally it dislodges near the end of the pregnancy up to two weeks before actual delivery. The mucous plug is a gelatinous chuck of mucus that is passed through the vagina. You will also want to inform your doctor if and when you have passed your mucous plug.

Generally, yes. I am on my third pregnancy, and was always told by my doctor that this was fine. However, if for some reason you belive this to be your "plug" then you should call your doctor. Better safe than sorry, I always say, so I would give him a call. I'm sure chances are, you're fine, especially if you're not bleeding, or cramping. Good luck! I have some too (ew isn't it yucky?) and I read online that it is normal, it is actually the formation of the plug that is causing this!

Diarrhea and period like cramping are signs of pregnancy

• I have been feeling terrible for the last week. I have had bouts of diarrhea, greenish-black bowel movements (sorry), constant cramping, headaches, and slight nausea but haven't vomited. Also I haven't had a period in over 2 months. My periods are always irregular, usually skipping a week- month at a time, but never 2 months. I am heavy, so that could be the reason for no period. I have been exercising more regularly, but haven't in a couple weeks.

• Yes. I experienced both diarrhea and cramping. So, I decided to buy Imodium, and as a second thought, a pregnancy test. After taking 4 pregnancy tests, I was convinced that I was pregnant and did not have a stomach virus.

• I have the same thing! I am now 3 days away from receiving my AF, which hopefully won't come at all! My diarrhea is like greenish-black..sorry TMI!! I heard it could be something in the prenatal pills. You are right! It is most likely the iron in the pnv's

• I am not sure how to post on this board but so I am adding to this persons post... I just had to say that this is EXACTLY ME>>> I have had greenish black horrible diarrhea at 8dpo it followed a dip in my chart then my temps went up and major period cramps followed by horrible diarrhea for three days followed. I am like a day away from my flo day, so I am hoping this is indeed an early sign, I read that even though it is rare it does occur due to the increased progesterone on implantation.... so here is hoping this helps someone else out there looking for this answer.

• Well if this is prior to getting a positive test, Diarrhea can be a sign of increased progesterone... I had diarrhea with this last one and it was really awful. It started about a week before my period was due... the cramping could be part of the diarrhea... GL with what ever you want as an outcome :)

• I have the same thing. I missed my period and I have strange and unusual diarrhea. Also frequent urination and nausea. I would love to have the SECOND answerer to let us know whether she was(is) pregnant .

• I found out I was pregnant three days ago and immediately started taking prenatal vitamins. I've now started to get loose stools and cramping/gas-like pains, so I am wondering if this is progesterone related or a reaction to the vitamins.

• I also had the greenish black diarrhea that really drained me. What is strange though is the fact that I am having this diarrhea 4dpo which is still far from implantation. If I turn out pregnant, it means the symptoms sometimes actually happen much earlier than text book predictions. I also have cramps similar to menstrual cramps. I am not worried about that because I had exactly the same cramps last month but it turned out to be nothing as AF came spot on. Last month there was no diarrhea though. I took Imodium to stop the diarrhea which stopped me from going to work for 2 days due to weakness of the limbs.

• Last week I also had blackish/greenish diarrhea the day before i was suppose to get my period. I have had cramps on and off now and so far am 6 days late. I took a test and it came out negative. I had endometriosis for a while adn finally had it removed last July (lapascope). I recently felt as if my endometriosis was coming back and have been off the pill for 7 months...hoping to get pregnant. I am wondering what to do? I have some cravings and more hunger than usual, but these symptoms I normally get right before I get my period....Any comments or suggestions would help.

• This is my first time posting on here, and I'm really here for an answer. It seems that I too have this problem. My fiance and I have been trying to get pregnant, and on the 18th 3 tests confirmed that I was. I am 31 yrs old and this is the first time I have ever been pregnant, ever. So I totally don't know what to expect. Anyway a week ago my stool was normal, but it was green like baby poop. Then 4 days ago I started blowing chunks big time! I thought, oh great I ate something bad, it will pass. I've been eating extra healthy though...cottage cheese, bread, eggs, fresh spinach, Sprite. I've taken 4 Imodiums (1 each day) and the diarrhea is still here. I keep getting this diarrhea cramps but when push comes to shove nothing gives at this point because I've blown it all out. I'm kinda worried that I have E-coli or something. Is this really normal for women like myself in the 6th week of pregnancy? Please respond...I don't want to give myself an ulcer over worrying!!

• I have been on the pill for 8 years and have NEVER been late. I was late last time, but it did eventually come, but light and SHORT. I have heard of folks still having really light periods and not realizing they are pregnant until MUCH later. Well, that was about two weeks ago. This last Tuesday (10/01) I woke up with an all-over achey headache, nausea, cramping and diarrhea (I am still about 2 weeks away from my usual period). I went home from work and napped for 7 HOURS - the headache was gone, the nausea was better and the diarrhea was less though I started cramping again toward bedtime that night. I woke up the next morning nauseous again, no headache, but still crampy and with diarrhea. I took a pregnancy test, but it came back negative - although I have heard that it may not read until closer to my usual cycle days. It is now Friday and though the nausea and headache have gone away mostly (the nausea comes in brief waves throughout the day) I am on day 4 of diarrhea and intermittent cramping. I would really like to be pregnant as my husband and I have discussed starting, but I am still on the pill and am thinking this is highly unlikely. I am also not exhibiting of the other "usual's" like breast tenderness, though I am fatigued AND suffering from HORRIBLE INSOMNIA. That being said, I'm not sure what the heck is wrong with me, but if it is early pregnancy symptoms, it is nice to know that I am not a total freak. Any opinions on this? Or does it sound like I have a virus or parasite of some kind?

• There's only one way to find out, get a pregnancy test. But if you are trying to get pregnant than why are you still on the pill? You should get off the pill right away and give your body a rest from it and just let nature take its course and try to relax. If you have diarrhea then the fatigue and headaches are from the dehydration. Perhaps you are eating something that is giving you the runs. Try eating binding foods like cheese, olives, crackers and other dry breads. And re-hydrate yourself!!

• I've just had my period less then a week ago. I have 2-3 day periods, it's been like that since I was a young teen. Just under a week I feel cramps in the abdominal area - almost like my period could start (even though I just had it). I have almost diarrhea/constipation feelings today. I figured it was something I ate, but I've been researching my question for a couple hours now. I found this interesting. My husband and I did a pregnancy test a few days before my period - it was negative. We had an accident 2 weeks prior, so we waited to see if my period would start. It did on the 27th day of my cycle. But now I'm having these symptoms too. I wonder if I am in fact pregnant. I will have to do another pregnancy test when he's not around so our hopes don't go up again. EVERY WOMAN IS DIFFERENT that is for sure. The last day or two my suspicions are getting the better of me again...I can't help but wonder.

• For me these are just regular symptoms associated with my period. I have always had this from the start of my period almost 15 years ago.

• I have all these same symptoms (diarrhea, period-like cramping, nausea, dehydration), but on top of this, I've been on the pill for about 6 months AND I'm on what seems to be my period. While on the pill, my periods have mainly been heavy spotting and occasionally with no fresh blood. The weird thing is that my period started a few days BEFORE I started the placebo week of pills. At first, I just thought I had picked up a virus and it screwed my whole body up, but I also know that spotting can happen soon after conception. I sincerely DON'T want to get pregnant, so I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else? If it has, what were the results?

• Period like cramps could be a sign of pregnancy, but could just be a sign your period is coming. I've NEVER seen anywhere that diarrhea is an early symptom of pregnancy - if anything it is constipation that is more likely due to the increased progesterone and hcg being secreted. These two pregnancy hormones can cause constipation as they serve to slow down bowel functions to provide maximum absorption time of vitamins and nutrients and this symptom will typically worsen as the pregnancy progresses.

• I'm having the same problem, I'm five days late on period. Never in my over 10 years of having a period I been late and I've been having unprotected sex with my boyfriend so I know its possible. I decided to take prenatal vitamins just in case and I've also been having green-black diarrhea. I don't have kids so I was wondering if that's normal or the pills.

The best way to tell if you are pregnant is to see your doctor and have him examine you. A quick way to check is to use an over the counter home pregnancy test that you can buy at any pharmacy, but those should not be trusted 100%.

The majority of pregnancy tests check for the presence of hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) in the urine of patients. hCG is produced following implantation of the growing 'egg' into the wall of the uterus, so these tests are not accurate in the VERY early stages of pregnancy. The results should be confirmed by a doctor.

Chances are that your doctor will perform a blood or urine test, again looking for the presence of hCG. The doctor could also send you for a obstetric ultrasonography, a test that uses ultrasound to create an image of the baby in the womb. This will allow you to see the baby as early as four and half weeks gestation. At this point, hCG production will already be present, so chances are you would need this test as the normal tests would work just fine.

Hormonal changes of pregnancy cause a number of 'symptoms' to become present in the mother. It is important to remember that some of these symptoms may be caused by other factors, and are not an immediate indication of pregnancy. Symptoms include:

1. Breast Tenderness: Many women report increased sensitivity, fullness, or heaviness within a few days. By two weeks after conception, your areolas (the pinkish or brown skin surrounding the nipples) may start to enlarge.
2. Spotting: Scantier than a period and sometimes mixed with a yellowish discharge, a small amount of bleeding may occur when the developing egg implants itself in your uterine wall. Bleeding should not be to the level of a period.
3. Fatigue: Some report tiredness, irrespective of the level of sleep acquired the night before. Again, fatigue is more often a result of other factors, so doesn't necessarily indicate pregnancy.
4. Nausea: The sensation of unease and discomfort in the stomach with an urge to vomit. Commonly referred to as "morning sickness", although this can appear at any time.
5. Bloating: Many women mistake this early sign of pregnancy for PMS; the tip-off may come when your period doesn't arrive.
6. Increased urination: pregnant women may need to go to the bathroom more than usual, a symptom that will return strongly during the last trimester.
7. Stretching of pelvic ligaments: During the course of a normal pregnancy, the uterus will grow to about 1,000 times its prepregnant size. Some women feel their pelvic ligaments stretching to make room for this growth to occur.
8. Food cravings: Although it isn't totally clear why this occurs, women do have cravings for particular types of foods during their pregnancy. For example, pregnant mothers have liked sour tastes more in the second and third trimesters than in the first trimester or before pregnancy.

   This is generic advice. It is not a substitute for an examination by a doctor. Visit them as soon as you know (or even think!) you are pregnant. Some of these symptoms can indicate not only pregnancy, but also serious health issues that may need immediate medical attention.

There are a number of ways to figure it out: Tender/ swollen breasts Headaches Upset stomach and diarrhea Vomiting and nausea (morning sickness) Food cravings (abnormal) Revolted by certain smells you normally wouldn't feel disgusted about Frequent urge to urinate Dizziness or fainting spells Increased vaginal discharge Missing a period Take a test

• In my experience (I have two kids), your ovulation discharge usually looks like egg whites, and when you are pregnant, you may have no discharge at all, or a slight creamy textured discharge that you may not even notice, but it does not look like ovulation discharge.

• I have a great deal more creamy mucus since I got pregnant.

• From what I have learned and read, when you are ovulating it is a little less thick, more "runny" so to speak, it is stretchy, if you put it between your thumb and finger and close and let go, it can "stretch" and this is because during the 3 days of ovulation when u can get pregnant, it is easier for the sperm to travel and live in that environment. It thickens after.

• I'm 3 months pregnant right now and I have so much discharge it's amazing. It smells different and is just constant. I have 2 kids and dont remember having this much. I did have more but not this much.

• Just my personal opinion, but I think that ovulation discharge is minimized if you become pregnant. I searched all over for the answer to this question and was so happy when I found this site, because I think it could be one of the very first signs of pregnancy (at least I'm hoping so at the moment). It is never listed as one though. So, my theory may very well be wrong. It makes sense to me that the discharge is minimized once the "goal" is achieved. And the egg stays in you and doesn't have to come out.
• Am not yet sure if I am pregnant but being kind of pedantic about this topic I have been checking my mucus throughout this cycle as there has been a possibility of being pregnant after intercourse over my first 10 days of cycle. At the time when I normally ovulate (day 14) either I am imagining things or the mucus was different than normal. It was more like lotion and less sticky than what normal ovulation mucus looks like. Since then I have noticed dramatic reduction in my normal discharge, in fact it's almost nothing. Also I have either eaten something bad or I am pregnant and am experiencing the diarrohea symptom. Period is now 2 days late. Will report back shortly!