Spotting is normal for most women, and it's more hassle than harmful. But when you're pregnant, spotting can be indicative of a problem, and is something to watch very carefully.

How do you know when spotting is something to worry about?

"In general, any kind of bleeding should be paid attention to," says Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, OB/GYN and momlogic advisory board member. "If it's just a little bit of dark spotting and there is no pain and no cramps, it's probably not something to worry about ... but then again, not necessarily."

Despite the status of most spotting being Normal Nothingness, Dr. Gilberg-Lenz suggests that anytime you see spotting, you should check in with your doctor. "A lot of doctors aren't going to appreciate that, but it's important for you to know. If spotting repeats itself, you won't have to go to the doctor with the same symptoms. If it's something new, heavier blood, or there's pain, then you head back to your doctor."

Obviously, if you're bleeding heavily, that's not OK. But sometimes the blood is coming from the blood vessels in the tissue around the cervix, and it's nothing to call a doctor over. Dr. Gilberg-Lenz explains:

"There's a huge amount of blood flow to the growing uterus, so a lot of spotting is nothing dangerous," she says. "The problem is people will spot and it could be a threatened miscarriage or abnormal pregnancy, so you want to pay attention to your body."