Pregnancy symptoms can range from the expected to the surprising. There’s the signature nausea of ​​morning sickness, carpal tunnel joint pain, and vivid dreams that catch you off guard.

One thing is certain: every pregnancy and the symptoms that accompany it are unique. For some women, light spotting and bleeding can be a symptom of early pregnancy.

If you’re not sure if you’re pregnant, but you’ve noticed blood in your underwear or when wiping, you might wonder if this is your first clue that a positive pregnancy test is in the near future.

For many people, light spotting is completely normal in very early pregnancy.

– Kristin Cohen, Certified Nurse Midwife and Nurse Practitioner for Women

“It’s hard to say at this point what could be causing the spots,” he says BabyCenter Community a member of Toofers5. “With true implantation bleeding, you’ll see a positive home pregnancy test within two to four days after you first notice.” However, every pregnancy is different, so it may take longer than that to see a positive test.

The most reliable way to confirm pregnancy is with a home test or a visit to your doctor, but we know you may be waiting and watching for the earliest sign before it’s time to test.

Here’s what you need to know about early pregnancy and what it could mean.

What does early pregnancy look like?

Implantation bleeding is a light spotting that can occur in the earliest days of pregnancy when the newly fertilized egg is implanted in the wall of the uterus. Between 15 and 25% of women will experience spotting during pregnancy, some of which is implantation bleeding.

Usually, implantation bleeding is very light, lasting one or two days. It can be pink or light brown.

“I had light pink spots after about 5 weeks,” he says BabyCenter Community Member of BazookaJane. “It only took a little bit – everything has been fine since then.”

While some women may bleed enough to need a pad or panty liner, most will only notice the spotting when it’s wiped. Implantation bleeding should not be enough to soak the pad. It can last a day or two, or even a week.

If you’re bleeding heavily, it’s more likely your period than implantation bleeding.

How soon does pregnancy spotting start?

You will usually notice implantation bleeding a week or two after conception. If you’ve been tracking your cycle, this will be around the same time you miss your expected period.

“Sometimes spotting occurs before taking a pregnancy test and is mistaken for the start of a period, while other people experience light spotting after they get a positive test result,” says Kristin Cohen, DNP, WHNP-BC, a certified nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner for women’s health and a member of BabyCenter’s medical advisory board. “Regardless of the time, when you have a positive pregnancy test, call your doctor or midwife to schedule your first prenatal appointment and you can let them know about the spotting.”

I have light spotting after sex. Could I be pregnant?

Implantation bleeding is not the only cause of spotting during pregnancy.

Sometimes your cervix becomes more sensitive when you are pregnant. This is called a fragile cervix and causes cervical bleeding after sex in early pregnancy. If you experience light spotting after sex, this could also be a sign that you are expecting.

However, there are other conditions that cause bleeding after sex, so it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor if you’re not sure what’s causing the bleeding.

“For many people, light spotting is completely normal in very early pregnancy and is not a cause for concern,” says Cohen. “While it can be alarming to see any amount of bleeding, rest assured that many people experience light spotting and go on to have healthy pregnancies.”