Is this my period coming a week early or something else?

[scarleteen2015]

Hi Scarleteen Board,

This is my first post. Thank you for reading.

My last "regular" period was March 22-26. In April, my period came at the right time but it was spotty for 5 days -- a nurse attributed this to stress.

Now though, I had genital-genital contact with a guy last week (he tried to penetrate me but did not go in; the contact was just a few seconds). I assume there was no ejaculation because usually that's quite obvious, but I am unsure about precum. We both felt wet.

On Wednesday (and a few days before), I thought I was ovulating since I had more white discharge and Wednesday I also had a strange watery fluid come out (it was like I was peeing but a water-like substance was coming out instead). Yesterday (I believe day 23 of my cycle and possibly 4 days after ovulation), I started bleeding like my period was beginning (relatively light but steady flow, clotting -- definitely needed a pad not a liner) and had cramps like my period was coming (though there was more of a pinching feeling near my hip bones and between my belly button and pubic bone). Last night I had more blood come out but it was pink-ish and seemed mixed with white vaginal discharge. And today I've continued spotting and clotting, though it's lighter in volume (bright red to almost black in color). I am worried because my period is not due for another week or so, and I do not know what this is.

Based on the reading on this site, I realize because of genital-genital contact there is risk of pregnancy. I am especially worried since if I tracked my days right, this occurrence would have happened near ovulation for me. I am not on birth control and he did not use a condom. Could the bleeding I'm seeing yesterday and today be implantation bleeding? Am I just stressed and this is something else ... or my period is early?

Thank you. Looking forward to your response.

[Eddie C]

Hello there, Scarleteen2015. Welcome to the boards!

If and when implantation bleeding happens, is never going to be mistaken with a period. It would be something so, so light that it could even go unnoticed. So, when a bleeding fills more than a couple of pads, you can consider it a period.

That said, unless you are tracking your cycle taking you basal temperature and checking your cervical mucus, is really hard to know when you are ovulating. Having an early period is not a sign of pregnancy. A period is a sign pregnancy did NOT happen. There's a lot of reasons why periods can be late, early, be lighter or heavier or even skipped. Bodies are not machines and they will react different once in a while. People don't do the exact same thing every day so why bodies would.

Because you did have a direct genital to genital contact without barriers, there's also the risk of STI's. So in case you are not up to date with STI's testing, this would be a good moment to start.

[scarleteen2015]

Hi Edith,

Thank you for your reply. I am concerned because this bleeding filled 1 pad on Friday and was spotty on Saturday. Today there doesn't seem to be anything yet. I have a pinching cramping in my lower abdomen (different feeling from period cramps) this morning.

Is it reasonable that a pregnancy test would be something I should take? I realize that without having PIV sex the chances of pregnancy are low, though not impossible; and without ejaculation (wouldn't I know that happened?), that my chances are slim...I just can't shake this feeling that something is off...

If not, what else could this be? Can stress cause this mini-period a week before expected AF?