Can You Get Your Period and Still Be Pregnant?

Your pregnancy test was positive a few days ago, and you’re still experiencing some bleeding? Before you panic and question if it’s your period, hold on.

Blood is not always equivalent to a period. There are many reasons why women bleed. In fact, even when women aren’t pregnant, blood could be one of the signs of ovulation, apart from a period.

Sometimes blood can be your body’s way of showing you physical signs you're ready to have a baby. The body works in mysterious ways. So the blood you’re experiencing may not be your period. Let’s get into the details.

Can you get your period and still be pregnant?

The direct answer is you cannot get your period once you’re pregnant. During pregnancy, a fertilized egg implants itself on the uterine lining and starts growing there. As the uterus prepares to grow that fetus, your body cannot produce another egg. You don’t ovulate during pregnancy, which means no more eggs.

Your body also starts producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a pregnancy hormone that stops your period.

“Periods only happen when you are not pregnant. However, if there is bleeding during pregnancy, it may be related to something else that needs to be addressed with the doctor,” confirms Jane Frederick, MD, FACOG, HRC Fertility, an affiliate of Keck School of Medicine of USC.

It’s normal to confuse the bleeding with a period because you might face similar symptoms like fatigue, lower back pain, some cramps, and light bleeding. But these symptoms imply that your body is preparing to grow a fetus inside.

Are you pregnant and still having a period?

Women commonly bleed in the first trimester. In fact, one in four women go through bleeding in the first trimester, one to two weeks after fertilization.

Other causes of bleeding can range from implantation bleeding (normal bleeding that occurs between 10-14 days of pregnancy) to a sign of abnormality.

“The causes of bleeding during the first trimester include implantation bleeding, infections, or an early sign of miscarriage," says Dr. Frederick. "Abnormal pregnancy can also occur and cause bleeding, like molar pregnancy (an abnormal mass that fertilizes instead of a fetus), or an Ectopic pregnancy (an abnormal pregnancy outside of the uterus, and usually in the fallopian tubes which may require surgical intervention to correct).”

Another reason for bleeding could be a chemical pregnancy, which is an early miscarriage. All these causes lead to light bleeding, but it’s definitely not a period.

Can you bleed like a period in early pregnancy, and what to do about it?

There are multiple causes of why you could bleed after a positive pregnancy test. Even in cases of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, this bleeding is usually short-term, unlike a period.

If you’ve tested positive for pregnancy, and see some spotting, visit your OBGYN for an immediate checkup. Whether it’s occasional vaginal bleeding, light bleeding, or spotting, blood during pregnancy should be treated as a cause of concern.

Dr. Frederick advises, “Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether bleeding is due to a medical emergency or not. If a woman is bleeding at any stage of pregnancy, she should seek out medical advice right away.”

FAQs

What are the signs of pregnancy while menstruating?

You can’t get pregnant and have a period. However, you can experience some symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, and lower back pain with some spotting of blood. You might confuse this bleeding with your period. In case of confusion, it’s advisable to consult a professional.

Can you be two weeks pregnant and have a period?

You don’t get your period when you’re pregnant. If you are experiencing some blood after 14 days, it could be due to other reasons. It’s advisable to consult your OBGYN in such cases.

In which months do periods stop in pregnancy?

Your period stops as soon as the fertilized egg implants itself on your uterine lining. Generally, not getting your period is a clear sign of a pregnancy, and you don’t get your period till you’re pregnant.