Spotting During Pregnancy

Contents:

• Appearing of Bloody Spotting: Periods of Pregnancy
• Heavy Bleeding During Pregnancy
• How Dangerous is Bleeding for a Fetus?
• What Can You Do About Bleeding?

Spotting and Pregnancy

Bloody spotting during pregnancy can often occur in the first trimester. More than 60 % of pregnant women experience spotting during pregnancy. At the same time, it can occur on last weeks of pregnancy that is frequently more dangerous.

The spotting can be normal or be a sign of pathology. Everything depends upon the amount of bloody discharge. That is why when you have the first and very slight symptoms you should contact the doctor.

Appearing of Bloody Spotting: Periods of Pregnancy

The reasons of appearing of bloody spotting in different trimesters of pregnancy differ very much. They can also result in a premature miscarriage.

The First Trimester (1-13 Weeks)

Bloody discharge during the beginning of pregnancy can occur frequently and usually is not a sign of problem. 76 % of pregnant women experience spotting.

For all that, the first bloody discharge during pregnancy can occur on the first day of egg fertilization. Spotting must not be heavy and no longer than one week and a half. During the first 9 weeks of pregnancy, there can be poor spotty discharge, which can appear when a woman used to have periods. Very often women mix them up with their periods. The main distinctive indication of bleeding is the color – dark-brown.

The 4th and the 5th weeks of pregnancy can also be accompanied by bloody spotting, which is usually not a sign of any problems.

The most frequent reasons of bleeding during the first half of pregnancy:

• Cervical erosion. During a carrying of a pregnancy cervix can bleed a little, but it must not cause any pain.
• Polyps can also cause bleeding. Gynecologist usually controls the benign tumor waiting for its natural extinction.
• Miscarriage. After 4-6 weeks of pregnancy scanty and bloody discharge may appear, later it can become heavier. This bleeding does not cause any pain, and the uterus remains permanent. At the same time if a woman gets a doctor’s consultation at a proper time, it is possible to keep the pregnancy.
• Different vaginal infections of pregnant women can cause bleeding at the 4th week quite often.
• 5 weeks of pregnancy can be accompanied by menstrual discharge. About 6 % of women have periods for two months after the conception.
• Fertilized egg attaches to uterine wall that can be a reason of scanty bloody discharge. It lasts for a couple of days.
• During pregnancy, hormones can irritate cervix making it more sensitive and vulnerable. That is why pelvic exam or sexual intercourse can cause a slight bleeding.
• It is possible that one of embryos can abrupt during polycarpous pregnancy that causes bleeding. Abruption usually happens after IVF.
• Injuries, falls and stresses also can cause bleeding complications.

6 weeks are sometimes the most adverse for a fetal. Most of the time heavy bleeding appears during this period. Bloody spotting at 6-13 weeks of pregnancy is a sign of impending miscarriage. Little discharge can indicate ectopic pregnancy. That is why, at this period a woman have to contact a doctor immediately if there is any bloody discharge.

The Second Trimester (14-25 Weeks)

As the third trimester has many signs, according to which there can appear bloody discharge during pregnancy, but in the second trimester these signs must be rare or there must not be such signs. Spotting in the middle of trimester also can cause fetal death, but much more rare than during the beginning of pregnancy.

The main reason of this discharge is placenta previa – a pregnancy complication, which occurs when placenta completely covers the cervix. Usually there is no pain but sometimes women feel some discomfort after sexual intercourse or during physical training. Placenta previa is rather serious complication that is why pregnant women with such symptoms very often stay in hospital under the control of doctors.

The Third Trimester (26-42 Weeks)

The usual reasons of bleeding in the last trimester are placenta previa and placental abruption. Placental abruption usually causes pain and bleeding, and that is not a sign of placenta previa. At the same time, threatened miscarriage can occur and it is very dangerous for mother’s life. Appearing of slight discharge can cause internal bleeding. That is why if a pregnant woman has very slight vaginal discharge during the third trimester, she must be taken to the hospital immediately.

Other reasons of bleeding during the last trimester:

• Spotting at the 34th and 36th weeks of pregnancy can be caused by the cervical check. The reason can be aggravating the cervix, which is getting ready to delate.
• Spotting with thick white mucus at the 40th and 41st weeks of pregnancy means the upcoming labor.

Spotting Before Labor

A pregnant woman experiences spotting particularly but not later than a day before. Mucus, which was in the cervix during the whole pregnancy, starts to delate with the brown blood. At the same, the labor can start only in 6 hours or in several days.

Slight brown discharge during pregnancy:

• Slight bleeding is the most dangerous sign in the first trimester of pregnancy. It happens because the fetus only starts to attach in the mucous membrane of uterine.
• Slight spotting at the beginning of pregnancy can tell about ectopic pregnancy or abruption of fertilized egg.

Heavy Bleeding During Pregnancy

Heavy bleeding during pregnancy is very dangerous. It is very often accompanied by cramping pain felt low in the stomach. It can cause miscarriage, and in some difficult cases can cause mother’s death.

How Dangerous is Bleeding for a Fetus?

It is very difficult to assess miscarriage, but some women are at higher risk:

• Women older 36 years and younger 24 are at higher risk of miscarriage.
• Smoking or passive smoking have an effect on pregnancy.
• Heavy bleeding.
• Alcohol use.
• Strong kicks to the stomach.
• Vaginal infections.
• Having abruption or mischarge before.
• IV fertilization.

Women who have had bleeding during the early period of pregnancy are at higher risk of placenta previa, placental abruption, late toxicosis and preterm labor – the infant can be delivered at the 34-36th weeks.

What can You do About Bleeding?

First, you must call up the ambulance. Also, try not to panic and not to fall into hysterics. As stress may worsen the bleeding and be more harmful for the infant. It is necessary to relax, find a comfort position (lay down) and breathe deeply. Wait for a doctor and do not try to get to hospital by yourself.