What's the difference between the period and non-menstrual spotting events?

When editing events at MyMonthlyCycles, you'll see two events on the My Events page (this page displays when you click the Edit link in any date of menstrual calendar):

Period Event - This event should be used to track your period; that is, menstruation (a.k.a. menses). When you track your menstrual periods, menstrual flow is one of the entry fields:

  • Heavy Flow
  • Medium Flow
  • Light Flow
  • Spotting - the flow level spotting can be used for the period event if you had extremely light flow that day, for example on the very last day of your period.

Important: If you have bleeding on a day outside your period, you should not use the period event. The menstrual period event is a control event in MyMonthlyCycles, and is used in calculating your average menstrual cycle length. Therefore, if you use the period event to record non-menstrual bleeding, it will adversely affect your average menstrual cycle length. Use the non-menstrual spotting event, described below, to record such events.

Non-Menstrual Spotting Event - This event should be used for non-menstrual spotting, which is bleeding that occurs between periods, but is not part of menstruation, or for break-through bleeding such as may occur with some oral contraceptives. Any day recorded as non-menstrual spotting does not factor into your average cycle length calculation.

Note: Recording period events and non-menstrual spotting events as distinct events not only keeps your average cycle length correct, but can also be extremely helpful to show your OB/Gyn or other medical doctors so that they can see when such non-menstrual bleeding occurred in relation to when you actually had your period.

Always talk to your medical doctor if you are experiencing irregular cycles/menstruation or non-menstrual bleeding so that your doctor can evaluate that it is not indicative of gynecological or other health problems.

Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for advice provided by a medical doctor or qualified healthcare provider. You should not use this information for self-diagnosis or for treating a health problem or disease. If you have any questions whatsoever about your medical health or believe you have a medical problem or disease, you should contact your medical doctor or healthcare provider. You should never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical advice or treatment because of something you have read in this glossary. No guarantee is made about the accuracy, completeness, or relevance of the information contained herein.