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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Spotting for 4 weeks, no period. Not pregnant. What could cause it?

    Related Topics
    Infertility Menopause Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
    I have been spotting for 4 weeks, firstly brown now turning red and clots. There is no way at all I could be pregnant. I haven't had a period in 18 months due to Implanon. But what could be causing this? Can't see my GP for another month or so. Does it sound serious? Had all the pains of a period and the symptoms of a period without an actual period.
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  • Women's Health Queensland Wide

    Women's Health Queensland Wide provides free health information for Queensland women. View Profile

    Implanon changes bleeding/period patterns. These changes are a result of the hormonal effect to the lining of the uterus.It is not possible to predict which changes will occur, but they can include:

    • very occasional bleeding or no bleeding at all (this occurs in about 1 in 5 women)
    • irregular light bleeding
    • prolonged and/or frequent bleeding which is usually light, but can cause inconvenience (this occurs in about 1 in 5 women)
    • heavier prolonged bleeding very rarely occurs
    Disturbances in bleeding pattern can occurr at any time when using Implanon.
    Brenda
    Women’s Health Educator
    Health Information Line, Women’s Health Queensland Wide

    Women living in Queensland can also call our Health Information Line - a free information and referral service for Queensland women - on 3839 9988 or 1800 017 676 (toll free outside Brisbane).

    Please note that all health information provided by Women’s Health Queensland Wide is subject to this disclaimer

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  • Dr Karen Osborne

    GP (General Practitioner)

    Sydney GP specialising in Reproductive & Sexual Health for both women and men. At Clinic 66, we deal with a wide range of reproductive and … View Profile

    It is worth a trip to your doctor or sexual health / family planning clinic to rule out other causes such as Chlamydia infection or an abnormality of the cervix. 

    However, this is most likely a normal bleeding pattern with your Implanon. Only about 20% of women with an Implanon will have no periods at all, 60% will have some degree of bleeding/spotting and the remaing 20% will have a bleeding pattern which bothers them. We sometimes see women who initially had no periods starting to get bleeding as the Etonogestral hormone levels provided by the Implanon start to fall with time. This doesn't mean that the Implanon is no longer working as a contraceptive (it is licensed and effective for 3 Years) but that the uterus lining (endometrium) is no longer fully suppressed.

    Here is the Family Planning NSW leaflet on Implanon http://www.fpnsw.org.au/CONTRACEPTIVE%20IMPLANT.pdf

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