Should light spotting sound alarm bells for a woman in the first few weeks of pregnancy? Our midwife looks at the evidence.

Raisingkids member's problem
I've just had it confirmed with my GP that I am five weeks pregnant. I've had very slight twinges in lower tummy and back - and today noticed some blood - light brown in colour. I've booked a doctor's appointment for later today but am desperate to know if this is normal (brown blood and some twinges)?

Midwife Genevieve Kingston's Advice
First of all - congratulations! It is quite common to have twinges and even cramps at the beginning of a pregnancy. The uterus is a muscle, and when you are pregnant, it is having to stretch. Some women are more sensitive to this and do feel anything from mild discomfort up to actual pain. It shouldn't last for more than a day at most, but if it seems more severe than twinges to you, please contact your GP.

Brown blood loss, although alarming, is also pretty common. Brown blood is old blood, so this blood has come from an event that happened days ago.

Sometimes it happens when the egg implants, sometimes when the placenta implants. If it is a small amount and hasn't continued I would recommend just relaxing and waiting for your scan. If it is any more than that, please contact your GP.