Bleeding in pregnancy

Lots of women experience bleeding in early pregnancy but although it’s fairly common, it can be very worrying.

If you do experience any bleeding at any stage of pregnancy, contact your OB-GYN or nurse-midwife immediately. Try to rest as much as possible until you’ve been checked by your caregiver.

It’s important not to panic – bleeding doesn’t always mean a miscarriage is imminent. If it happens at around eight and 12 weeks, around the time your period would have occurred, it’s usually because the level of pregnancy hormones isn’t quite high enough to prevent a breakthrough bleed. Many women also experience bleeding when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus – in fact this can convince many women that they aren’t even pregnant. Spotting may also be related to infections or sex, as your cervix is softer and more prone to irritation during pregnancy.

Any bleeding should be checked to rule out anything more serious, such as an ectopic pregnancy. Painless vaginal bleeding is less of a concern than if it’s accompanied by lower abdominal pain, much like period pain, and backache – if you experience these symptoms, see your caregiver as soon as possible.

Treatment

You’ll likely have an ultrasound – this will probably be a vaginal scan, using a transducer that’s inserted into your vagina, as abdominal scans often don’t give a very clear picture of your baby early on. You may also have an internal examination or a blood test to measure your levels of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).

Miscarriage

Although most bleeding in early pregnancy turns out to be minor, and the pregnancy continues normally, sometimes bleeding can mean you’re having a miscarriage. When this happens in the first trimester it usually indicates that the fetus had chromosomal abnormalities which prevented it from developing normally. Symptoms include vaginal bleeding accompanied by lower backache and severe stomach cramps similar to period pains.

If your uterus starts to expel the pregnancy there’s little that can be done to save it. You’ll have an ultrasound to establish whether you’ve expelled the fetus and placenta entirely or if there is anything left inside your uterus. If there is, you’ll be offered a D&C (dilatation and curettage), which is a minor operation carried out under anesthetic to clear any remaining tissue.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

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