Spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy
Bleeding is pretty common in
early pregnancy – up to 30 percent of women get it to some degree – and some
spotting in the first trimester shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
It
definitely doesn’t mean you’re about to lose your baby but you should get it
checked out by your OB-GYN or nurse-midwife to rule out any complications such
as ectopic pregnancy.
Painless vaginal bleeding is
less of a concern but if it’s accompanied by lower abdominal pain (much like
period pain) and backache, contact your OB-GYN or nurse-midwife as soon as
possible as you may be having a miscarriage.
What can cause bleeding in early pregnancy?
Implantation bleeding may occur when the fertilized egg implants
itself in the wall of the uterus. It happens around 6-12 days after conception
and is completely normal.
Hormonal bleeding is when you have a light bleed at around four and eight
weeks of pregnancy, at the time your period would have been due. This can be
very confusing for women who are pregnant and is the reason many women don’t
realize they are pregnant for a while. Again, it is totally normal. If you’re
worried at all, take another pregnancy test to reconfirm that you’re pregnant.
Infections or polyps (a benign growth) can cause bleeding.
Sex may also
result in bleeding because your cervix is softer during pregnancy. Avoid sex
until you’ve seen your caregiver – it should be fine to continue after any
irritation has cleared up. See pregnancy sex for more details
What is the treatment
You’ll probably have an ultrasound or internal examination, or a blood test to measure levels
of the pregnancy hormone HCG in your blood. For most women there’s no obvious
cause for the bleeding and no treatment is necessary. Their pregnancy usually
carries on as normal.
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.