Pregnancy / Question
Published: April 16, 2003

Dear TeenHealthFX,

Many girls have informed me that you can get your period while your pregnant. Is that true??

Signed: Period While Pregnant

Dear Period While Pregnant,

It is true that during the first few weeks of pregnancy, light spotting may occur. Following that, bleeding during pregnancy may be a sign that something is wrong, and this symptom should be discussed with your healthcare provider. If you live in northern NJ, call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at (973) 971-6475 or Planned Parenthood.

Having a period should not be used as an indicator that a female is not pregnant. Rather, practice abstinence or consistently use a birth control method (like birth control pills or Depo Provera) and a barrier method for STD protection. Since abstinence is the only 100% effective method of birth control, if a woman has symptoms of pregnancy, or her period is late or not normal she should have a pregnancy test. Also check out "Sex at End of Period- Pregnant" for additional information about the relationship between menstruation and pregnancy.

Signed: TeenHealthFX

While 93% of teenage women report that their first intercourse was voluntary, one-quarter of these young women report that it was unwanted. ⁷