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.

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Last Modified: 04/07/2007

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