Is Spot Bleeding normal before a period begins?

Dear Ask The Doctor: Is it normal to slightly 'spot bleed' before a period? I've noticed recently that I've started spot bleeding for about 5 days before any main bleeding. This has been happening for my last 3 cycles I think.

Dear Joan: If you experience spot bleeding before your period or in the middle of your cycle, there’s no reason to be overly worried. A little bit of bleeding between menstrual periods or occasional spotting is fairly normal. About 10 percent of menstruating women regularly spot at the time of ovulation due to a temporary drop in estrogen at the time the ovary releases an egg. Sometimes stress can cause the brain to not initiate the cycle. This may result in spotting in the first half of the cycle. If the ovulation is incomplete or skipped, then not enough progesterone is made and spotting may occur in the second half of the cycle and could result in spotting before your period.