Can you still have your period and be pregnant?
- Rosalina*

Once a girl is pregnant, she no longer gets her period. However, even when a girl is pregnant, she can have other bleeding that can look similar to a period. For example, there can be a small amount of bleeding when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus, which is known as implantation bleeding. This usually happens around the same time a girl would normally get her period. Other things, like a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy (when the fertilized egg implants someplace other than in the uterus), also can cause bleeding. An ectopic pregnancy requires immediate medical attention.

If you think you might be pregnant and have pain or bleeding, call the doctor right away. If you are not sure if you are pregnant, you may want to see a doctor or use a home pregnancy test, following the package directions exactly. Home pregnancy testing can be highly accurate if done correctly or done some weeks after you've become pregnant.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: November 2010

* Names have been changed to protect user privacy.