Is spotting considered as period?

[CloeChen]

How to determine one's 1st Day of period? Should I take into account the 1st Day of spotting as my 1st Day of Period? I have spotting for 2 days, then on the 3rd day, the normal flow comes.
Which day is the first day?

[Melissa Prevost]

I wouldn't think spotting is a period cus you can spot while being pregnant so I don't think spotting counts.

[chevyjewel]

I'd say the first day of spotting.

[Missy04]

I posted a similar question in open forum *Happy Friday* on
11-14-03, you can go back and read that one, there was a couple of responses.  The responses were you only count the day of actual bleeding as the first day and not the day(s)of spotting. Heather 2003 said that is what she was told by the doctors.  If you find out anything different please let me know.

[chevyjewel]

I'm not sure of your exact situation but this was posted on this board April of '99. Also if you type in "spotting considered a period" into your search engine, most sites and sources will tell you spotting is the start of your period.

Copied and pasted right off this site:
"I have a question about when periods actually begin. Usually, my cycles are very regular and when my period begins, I don't experience any spotting right at first, but a steady flow immediately. This included the last two years, during which I was on the pill. I came off the pill last month, and if my cycle followed a perfect timetable (which it usually doesn't, but I use 28 days as a basis) I would have started on a Tuesday. Well, on that Tuesday I noticed some brief, light spotting, followed by nothing until Wednesday night, when I had a touch of more spotting, then it stopped. Then on Thursday I spotted in the morning, then not again until late in the evening. Then on Friday morning, my flow started. (I must say, I think 28 to 31 days isn't bad for a cycle immediately off of the pill!)
Now my question, is my period considered to have started when I noticed that touch of spotting on Tuesday day 28, or did it actually start on that Friday day 31, when I was definitely flowing? Does spotting count as the start of a period? I've never found anything specifying exactly when you can consider your period to begin if you experience random spotting. Like I said, I usually don't spot so I've never had to wonder about this before.

Thank you for your help.

__________________________________________________
By "convention", the first day of any bleeding (including spotting) is considered to be the first day of the cycle. It is likely that you will have some variability in your periods since you have just started cycling again after being on oral contraception."

[MarianneR]

I've been told that spotting isn't considered day 1.  Day 1 of your menstrual cycle is when flow starts.

[MarianneR]

I've been told that spotting isn't considered day 1.  Day 1 of your menstrual cycle is when flow starts.

[Kitty4You08]

My period isn't supposed to come until the end of the month at first it was the begining of the month and now it has been at the end of the month.  Just last week, I was brown spotting for 3 days and I have been having headaches and a little nasia.  Could that mean that I might be pregnant or could it mean something else?  Now its the 17th and still no period.  What could be causing this?