Spotting before AF arrives properly.

[LittleMissPear]

Hi all, need a bit of advice. I have been ttc since April with an early mc (chem preg) in September. In the last few months, including the month I got a bfp, I am getting spotting and cramping in the 4/5 days before my period arrives properly. AF is due on saturday and I have the same spotting and cramping, which I am hoping (as I do every month) that it is signs of implantation but not getting my hopes too high.

Is this a problem? Does it indicate low progesterone levels? I mentioned it to my GP and she didn't seem concerned and suggested I have a sexual health screening to check for infections. She has also arranged for me to have a day 21 blood test which I will go for next cycle. Anyone have any experience of this? Does is impact on ability to conceive?

Thanks.

Possibly is the best answer! I had spotting for 3-6 days before every AF for over a year TTC no. 2 (never when TTC no. 1 which took 6 mths). I had fertility investigations and a cycle of IVF which resulted in MC and no one I saw took any interest in the spotting.

Then after the MC I saw a consultant who was going to do a hysteroscopy. He felt the spotting was very significant and indicated luteal insufficiency (low progesterone, basically) and said if he had seen me earlier he would have had me on Clomid and then progesterone after ovulation and would have been confident of success.

I have been lucky in that I somehow fell pg 6 wks after the MC naturally, and in a cycle where I spotted from 6 days post ovulation. So while my understanding is that it may not always be a problem, there is a school of thought that says it is. Keep asking questions and try and get referred to someone who will treat it, would be my advice, and good luck!

I have this too and am about to start TTC no2. Would be interested to hear other comments.
Doc's took ages to refer me and initally they told me it was pcos. Will go back if I struggle to get pregnant. Good luck TTC.... Xxx

Missmidden - thank you for your post, that's more info than I have got from my GP and from googling like mad! I will have my blood test done next cycle and then go back to the GP and keep asking questions as you say.

Noewmom - did you struggle to get pregnant for your first?

I also have spotting before AF - usually about 2 days but this month it was 5 days.

We have been ttc for over 2 years and our fertility consultant was really off hand when I mentioned it and said it was the cycle length that was important not the spotting. I was concerned as I have reasonably short cycles (with late ovulation) often having only 8 days between ovulation and spotting.

Unfortunately we are really disillusioned with the service we have been getting from the NHS - who just want us to go for Clomid/IVF -and are looking for a more holistic assessment.

There are lots of stories of people getting pregnant with spotting so I don't think it is necessarily the barrier to pg that the internet picture paints but don't expect much concern from your health team! Missmidden your consultant sounds much more open minded than ours!

I conceived my first in the first month of trying but this spotting only started about a year ago and my ds is 2. I do find though that although most months I spot for between 5-3 days before AF I can sometimes control it with my diet. If I eat lots of spinach, red meat and pumpkin seeds for example I find that I only spot for 1 day or not at all... Am hoping that my new year diet will help TTC, I'm eating lots of spinach and watercress which is supposed to increase progesterone. X