Spotting before period?

[Brian]

Hello. My gf is expecting her period soon, and yesterday she believed she started her cycle, but it was just spotting. Does spotting usually occur before pregnancy?

We haven’t done anything for a month, and when we did it lacked any penetrative sex, with clean hands. My gf is worried she might be pregnant so she told me to ask.

[Brian]

Idk if this matters, but we took Plan B last time we did anything about a month ago.

[CaitlinEve]

Hello Brian!

Spotting before periods is common and often indicates that menstruation is starting. From how you described your sexual activity, I don't believe pregnancy is a concern at this time.

[Brian]

She spotted yesterday, and hasn’t today. She also didn’t experience cramps like yesterday. What does that mean?

[Sam W]

Hi Brian,

We can't say for certain what these symptoms mean, because they can have a variety of causes. Since she's around when she expects her period, then she may be experiencing these as symptoms of that. Too, one of the side effects of Plan B is that it can lead to cycle irregularity, so she may also notice that her period arrives at a different time than she anticipated.

Really, if she's still anxious about this, it's time to take a pregnancy test, because that's the only way to get a definite answer to whether she's pregnant (as Cat said, it doesn't sound like there was a risk in the first place, but sometimes having that result staring you in the face can get rid of the remaining anxiety).

[Brian]

She’s out of town, so she’s unable to. It’s been two days now and she still hasn’t gotten it and im panicking

[KierC]

Hey there Brian,

I hear your anxiety, but I want to reassure you that because it’s only been two days so far, her period technically isn’t late yet. A “normal” menstrual cycle can often vary by a few days, so this is still within a normal range. Too, as Cat said, it doesn’t seem like the activity you did poses a risk to pregnancy.

Would it be possible to get a pregnancy test after she gets back into town? In the meantime, though, I hear you that you’re panicking. Has someone here sent you this resource yet? It can help walk you through a bit of these anxieties, with strategies and resources for anxiety management. The Pregnancy Panic Companion

How does all of that sound?