MidCycle Ovulation Bleeding: Light or Heavy? (7 REASONS To Worry)

Last updated on July 26th, 2018 at 05:17 pm

Question: What causes spotting during ovulation? Can Midcycle ovulation bleeding be heavy and come with thick blood clots?

After the end of your menstrual period, your body begins to change in preparation for the subsequent release of one or more eggs from your ovaries(ovulation).

These changes occur because your hormones (estrogen and progesterone) rise and fall. Ovulation means the release of a mature and developed egg from your ovaries into the fallopian tube. If this occurs and there is a waiting sperm after sex, you can get pregnant.

Most women between 11 and 49 years will experience ovulation every menstrual cycle, and most times, there won’t be any scary symptom. Common symptoms experienced during ovulation period is stretchy vaginal discharge, breast pain, increase sexual desire and high soft cervix.

Occasionally, about 20 percent of women will also experience a sharp, stabbing, left or right abdominal pain while ovulating. Then again, you could experience spotting during ovulation, and the truth is, it’s not abnormal.

If you are expecting ovulation and notice light vaginal bleeding, you are not alone. Here’s an email I received from Samantha (one of my readers)

Hi doctor Dunn

I am encountering Light vaginal bleeding between my periods with cramps just like menstrual cramps. On day 13 of my menstrual cycle (usually, I get ovulation on day 14 or 15), I noticed bright red bleeding from my vagina. Suprisingly, 2 days after i am still bleeding.

Blood is dark brown today and mixed with my vaginal discharge. I suppose this could mean something serious and need help before seeing my doctor. Please reply.

Just like Samantha, if you experience bleeding during your ovulation period, you may be scared. But the truth is, it’s not unusual and occurs because of fall in estrogen just before ovulation.

However, it’s crucial you observe for any abnormal signs. If you experience severe cramps and heavy vaginal bleeding, it may be something else. Other reasons for spotting between your menstrual period are medications (birth control pills), uterine incapacity, vaginal infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, cancer of the cervix, fibroids, and uterine polyps.

This article explains why you experience bleeding during ovulation, other symptoms to easily recognize ovulation, and when to worry about a serious health concern.

What causes Midcycle spotting during ovulation

Hormonal factors are the main reason you will have spotting during ovulation. And while you will panic and quickly want to see a doctor, it’s important you know its nothing serious.

On the first day of your period, estrogen hormone is at its lowest level. Towards the end of your period, your body, through the action of follicle stimulating hormone, stimulates follicles (at your ovaries) to increase in size till only one follicle become mature and contains a well-developed egg.

This mature follicle secretes estrogen hormones, and because of this, there is a spike in levels of estrogen after your period ends.

Simply put, estrogen helps increase the thickness of the uterine endometrium. Your endometrium is a blood thick layer that carpets the inside of your womb. In fact, when you have your period, the endometrium is what is actually being washed out from your womb.

After this spike in estrogen, your body undergoes another change, will subsequent rise in another hormone, luteinizing hormone and a small fall in estrogen.

Because estrogen helps stabilize the uterine endometrium, if it levels falls right before ovulation, it causes a weak endometrium with mild bleeding.

Is spotting before ovulation normal?

It’s common for women who experience ovulation spotting to think it is occurring during ovulation. But the truth is, ovulation spitting and estrogen fall occur before ovulation.

This implies that, if you are spotting, it’s likely it’s occurring before ovulation.

Is spotting after ovulation possible?

There are many reasons a woman will have spotting after ovulation (as discussed later in this article). But if you are bleeding after ovulation, it’s still not abnormal.

The truth is, ovulation bleeding is bright red or dark and can exit the vagina before, during and after ovulation. In fact, after ovulation has occurred, it’s not abnormal if blood is black or dark.

How can I be sure its ovulation happening?

There are other ways to tell if you are ovulating and there are more reliable signs you should watch out for. Here are other ovulation signs and symptoms

1.  Watery vaginal discharge

It’s common for some women to feel wet down there while in their ovulation period. This occurs because of the initial spike in the level of estrogen hormone.

Estrogen causes your vaginal discharge to change into a stretchy, egg-like milky or creamy discharge just before and during ovulation.

2.  Abdominal cramps and back pain

20 percent of women experience belly cramps and back pain during ovulation. So, if you are spotting with back pain, it could be ovulation.

3.  Increased libido

During your ovulation period, you may experience an increased urge to have intercourse with your partner.

4.  High cervix (hard to feel)

If you’ve been monitoring your cervical positions, just before and during ovulation, your cervix entirely disappears ar remains high in your vagina and soft.

What does ovulation spotting look like?

If you are experiencing bleeding during ovulation for the first time it’s important you know what’s normal and what’s not. Ovulation bleeding is bright red blood from your vagina that is light. Rarely, you may have heavy bleeding, but it’s important you see a doctor if this happens.

Dark red bleeding or discharge after ovulation is not abnormal. This occurs because blood gets concentrated and loses oxygen making you blood dark in color.

How long does ovulation bleeding last?

Ovulation spotting that happens in some women will only last for a few days. In fact, most women will just have to bleed for 1 or 2 days. If you are spotting heavily for a week, see your doctor for help ASAP.

Ovulation bleeding and getting pregnant

If you are trying to conceive, spotting during your ovulation period can be a way to tell if you are in your fertile period.

It’s essential you also check for some of the signs listed above (watery discharge, increased libido, breast pain, high soft cervix)

This guide thoroughly explains your fertile mucus and fertile window.

Light bleeding during ovulation am I pregnant?

If you are worried about your fertility and getting pregnant, it’s important to distinguish pregnancy signs from ovulation signs. Here is a comparison of ovulation bleeding vs implantation bleeding.

Ovulation bleeding vs implantation bleeding

1. Bleeding during ovulation occurs after your period has ended. In fact, a normal period will last for about 5 days, and then, in a weeks time, ovulation bleeding will occur. However, pregnancy bleeding (implantation bleeding) will occur before your period.

2. Ovulation bleeding happens before and during ovulation while implantation bleeding takes place about 12 days after ovulation.

Also, other reasons of light spotting in between your periods are birth control pills, vaginal infections, and pelvic inflammatory disease.

Heavy bleeding during ovulation, is it normal?

If you are in your ovulation period and experience a heavy vaginal bleeding, it’s important you see your doctor. Possible reasons are uterine fibroids, IUDs, uterine polyps, endometrial cancer and cervical cancer.

Worried about ovulation spotting color and flow? Ask the Medplux team!!!