Any type of bleeding during pregnancy can cause even the most calm mom-to-be to panic and worry that something might be wrong with her foetus, the good news is, it happens in nearly one-third of all pregnancies yet it poses no threat to the mother or foetus. Although, you need to know when to worry and see your doctor if you start bleeding.
Also, a small percentage of pregnant women have spotting after intercourse, for example, and others may have bleeding for reasons that have nothing to do with pregnancy, such as infections or tears to the vaginal wall. “The vast majority of spotting is harmless,” says Alyssa Stephenson-Famy, M.D., Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at the University of Washington, Seattle.
Although, bleeding no matter how small can be a sign of a variety of complications, including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and placenta previa, and therefore should be reported to your gyno.
Below are some of the reasons you may bleed during pregnancy;
During the first 20 Weeks
It’s estimated that 25 to 40% of women will experience some vaginal bleeding during the first trimester of their pregnancy, and most of them will have progress normally, Dr. Stephenson-Famy says. Here are a number of reasons you can bleed in the first half of your pregnancy;
- Implantation bleeding.
- Hormonal changes
- Sexual intercourse
- Infections
- Internal exam done by your obstetrician or midwife
Although, bleeding during the first half of your pregnancy can be a sign of a more serious condition such as;
- Subchorionic hemorrhage; Bleeding around the placenta. Although your pregnancy can progress normally if prompt diagnosis and treatment is done. It might also put your pregnancy at high risk and risk of preterm labour is high
- Chemical pregnancy; Occurs when an egg is fertilized but never fully implants in the uterus.
- Miscarriage; Spontaneous loss of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks. Cramping or abdominal pain may accompany bleeding that occurs during a miscarriage.
- Ectopic pregnancy; Occurs when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus, most often in a fallopian tube. An ectopic pregnancy cannot progress normally and if left undiagnosed may be life-threatening to the mother.
- Molar pregnancy; a nonviable pregnancy characterized by an abnormal growth on the placenta, and, usually, an abnormal fetus.
If you see a bleeding that makes you soak a sanitary pad, insist on being checked, meanwhile, any form of vaginal bleeding should be reported to your doctor.
During the last 20 Weeks
After the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage reduce greatly, so are most of the complications but bleeding during the second half of pregnancy should not be ignored especially if it doesn’t stop.
According to Dr. Stephenson-Famy here are some of the causes of bleeding in the second half of pregnancy;
- Sexual intercourse
- Cervical checks; especially late in the third trimester when they become more frequent
- Placenta previa; (When the placenta partially or completely covers the cervix)
- Placental abruption; (when the placenta tears away from the wall of the uterus. It can cause severe vaginal bleeding and is life-threatening to both Mom and Baby. Although the condition is rare.
- Preterm labor; When vaginal bleeding is accompanied by symptoms like cramping or contractions, diarrhea, pelvic pressure, or back pain before 37 weeks, see your doctor immediately. Baby could be in danger if not managed.
Although these symptoms could be a normal start to labor after 37 weeks. No matter when bleeding occurs, or whether it’s light or heavy, contact your doctor to be sure everything is well.
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