Spotting for multiple days then stopped?

[Caleb]

Hello. So, my partner has been experiencing brown spotting. It’s super light and it has been going on for about 2-4 days. However, her period isn’t arriving and the spotting has stopped.

I don’t think what i did could pose a risk..in the bathtub i ejaculated during masturbation then i cleaned it up with soap and water. However, she used it soon after. I’m worried possibly some remnants could’ve gotten stuck. To be honest I don’t know what else could cause it. I’m tbh very stressed and scared because of past scares few months ago and I don’t want to go through that again.

Could you possibly explain why this is happening?

[KierC]

Hi Caleb, and welcome to the boards!

I’m sorry to hear you’re stressed about this! The situation you’re describing does not pose a risk to pregnancy. Sperm cells cannot survive in water that is hotter or colder than your body, so the sperm cells really wouldn’t survive long in the bathtub. They would be diluted too, and washed down the drain, leaving virtually nothing left in the tub. Her using the tub after all that happened does not pose a risk to pregnancy. You can read more about it here, too, if you’d like to learn about what sperm cells can and cannot survive in:

Who’s Afraid of Sperm Cells?
Human Reproduction: A Seafarer’s Guide

Spotting in between periods is common and can happen before your period starts; so while we cannot say for sure why she is spotting, from the situation you described you can assume that this is not pregnancy-related.

[Caleb]

Does this help? She takes no BC and her cycles are irregular.

[KierC]

There’s still no risk of pregnancy, but her cycles being irregular does help explain the spotting she’s experiencing. Spotting can occur at multiple points between periods, including ovulation, and may happen more with irregular cycles. How are you feeling about all this now?

I want to say, too, if your girlfriend is concerned herself, too, she is welcome to post on the boards and we’d be happy to talk with her directly.