Spotting: What Causes Bleeding Between Periods?

Metrorrhagia or spotting is abnormal bleeding that usually occurs between periods.

There are many possible causes of metrorrhagia, including:

  • Hormone imbalance like anovulation
  • Abnormal uterine growths like polyps or fibroids
  • Sexual intercourse with an injury to the cervix or vagina
  • Pregnancy complications
  • Infection
  • Uterine or vaginal cancer
  • Endometriosis
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Miscarriage
  • Implantation bleeding

What is a menstrual period?

The menstrual cycle is the time between the first day of the menstrual period or bleeding until the first day of the next bleeding. A menstrual cycle is a regular process that is regulated by hormones and ovulation. The average menstrual cycle lasts around 28 days, but it varies among individuals and may be either longer or shorter, between 21 and 35 days. Each month the uterine lining thickens as it builds up extra blood and tissue in preparation for a potential fertilized egg. An egg that is fertilized by a sperm cell may implant itself in the uterine lining and develop into an embryo, a fetus, and then into a baby. An unfertilized egg or a fertilized egg that does not implant in the uterus is usually absorbed or ejected with the menstrual bleeding. During menstruation, prostaglandins, a hormone-like substance, cause the uterus to contract. The uterine lining sheds and the blood leaves the body through the vagina. 

What are the symptoms of menorrhagia?




An ultrasound may be used to take pictures of your reproductive organs to check for abnormal growths. For an ultrasound, your doctor will place a conduction device on your lower abdomen or gently place a conduction wand in your vagina. The conduction device transmits sound waves to a computer that creates images on a video monitor.


What causes metrorrhagia?

  1. Spotting or bleeding may be caused by hormone imbalances related to birth control pills, or problems with the hormone-producing glands or areas in the brain.
  2. Anovulation, or not ovulating can cause spotting
  5. Infections, such as genital warts or yeast infections may cause bleeding.
  6. Injury to the cervix and/or vagina usually during sexual intercourse can also lead to spotting or bleeding between periods.
  8. An intrauterine device (IUD) used for birth control can cause metrorrhagia.
  10. Blood-thinning medications may cause bleeding.

How can you treat menorrhagia?

The treatment for irregular bleeding or menorrhagia depends on the cause of your metrorrhagia:

  4. An IUD may need to be removed. 
  6. A dilation and curettage (D&C) may be used to remove the remaining tissue after a miscarriage.

It is important to contact your doctor if you experience metrorrhagia. There are a variety of diagnostic approaches and treatments for metrorrhagia, depending on the cause of the condition.

Read More: 
Is Your Menstrual Cycle Normal?
Signs of Ovulation