Spotting during ovulation??

[Zoey]

Hi,

My partner and I have an 8 year old son and have been trying to get pregnant again for the last 3-4 years. My periods have always been heavy and 7 days long, my cycle being 28 days. About a year ago we bought a Clearblue Fertility Monitor so we could be sure of when i was ovulating, we also started using Preseed after reading really good reviews from couples who had concieved on the first month using it, still nothing was happening!! In May, my period was late, I was so excited I bought a pregnancy test, it was negative so i decided to wait a few days before doing the other one. When I was 7 days late I did the other test, that was also negative so I went to the doctor and he told me to wait another week. When I was 10 days late, I started bleeding but it wasn't like my normal period, it was brown..
My next period was also 10 days late, the doctor said as you get older your cycle can just change and it's nothing to worry about, just one of those things. I have ovulated this month on day 15 and 16, my partner and I had sex on day 15 (last night) and this morning I had some spotting but it was a pinkish colour, I've also had some really bad cramps today. I have never had this before, is it normal???? It's so frustrating not getting pregnant after all this time trying, it's making me feel like I have something wrong with me.

[Infertility Network UK]

Hi Zoey

The spotting you are experiencing before your period, is possibly due to extra progesterone you are producing. It is known as a “withdrawal bleed”. Providing you are ovulating regularly, this shouldn’t be a problem. You say you are ovulating around day 15/16 of your cycle, so I doubt that ovulation is the cause. I feel that after 3-4 years of trying for another baby, you need to be referred to a specialist for further investigations. Hopefully, your cycle can be regulated perhaps with the use of a drug called Clomid, I don’t know. Some women sometimes experience a chemical pregnancy/missed miscarriage, which can be responsible for the spotting whilst the body is “sorting out” the hormones again. Do go and see your GP again and ask for a referral, when you will get good advice about any treatment needed. Hope this helps. Do have a look at our website www.infertilitynetworkuk.com to see how we can support you at this time.

[Mr. Hugh Byrne, MRCOG]

Hi

Just to clarify - midcycle spotting is common around the time of ovulation, as is mild pain (bleeding after intercourse can also happen midcycle).

Withdrawal bleeds are BY DEFINITION a response to withdrawl of a drug such as the pill or progesterone. You are not producing any more or less hormones, but as your cycle has changed over the last few years have a think back and see what else has changed - stress? weight? if you have a tendency to PCOS (as many women do) an increase in your weight may have made this worse and lenghthened your cycle.