Bleeding in early pregnancy

Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy is an alarming sign. But, after all, bleeding during the first 12 weeks - a phenomenon quite common. It can equally both point to the problem, and be a variant of a normal physiological process.

Approximately 25% of pregnant women experience vaginal bleeding. Of these, more than half continue to develop normally and, ultimately, healthy children are born. But, unfortunately, the remaining percentage of women (15% of the total number of all pregnancies) will have to survive a miscarriage. If the pregnancy can be saved, and it will continue, sometimes the doctor will be able to determine the cause of the threat. However, in most cases, no one will know why.

The flow of blood in the early stages of pregnancy can fluctuate from barely noticeable drops and smearing traces on the underwear after going to the toilet, to profuse bleeding similar to menstruation or even stronger. In the first version, the situation is less threatening, while in the second case there is a real risk of miscarriage. The color of blood in the discharge is pink (very light), bright or with a brown tinge. Also, a woman sometimes feels small pains, pain similar to pain before or during menstruation, lumbar pain. Any, even weak bleeding requires consultation with a doctor.

It is important for every woman to understand that mild cramping pain, unpleasant sensations in the lower back and lower abdomen is a fairly common phenomenon in the early stages of pregnancy. Such pains are usually associated with a gradual increase in the growing uterus and are a variant of the norm.

Causes of early bleeding

There are many different causes that can cause vaginal bleeding. And, more often than not, the cause remains unclear. In 30% of women who have been examined by a specialist during bleeding, the cause will not be revealed - ultrasound shows the norm, the child continues to develop, and so on.

Nevertheless, several main causes of bleeding in early pregnancy have been identified:

Spontaneous miscarriage - in the early stages of bleeding can talk about an impending miscarriage. Unfortunately, in such a situation, if the body itself deemed it necessary to tear off and not continue the development of the fetus, this is no longer possible.

Ectopic pregnancy is a condition where a fertilized egg does not develop in the uterine cavity, but is implanted in the fallopian tube or even other organs. This happens in about 1% of all pregnancies. The main symptoms are pain in the lower abdomen (usually in a period of 5 to 8 weeks). Some women have spotting, but not always.

Polyps are small fragments of tissue that appear directly in the uterus. The polyp sometimes starts to bleed by itself, and sometimes - with outside interference. For example, during sexual intercourse. Polyps are not considered a deviation or a medical problem, they often decrease in size or disappear just right after delivery. Remove polyps during pregnancy only when bleeding due to them is too abundant, and the condition of a woman is heavy.

Infection or vaginal irritations - mild bleeding may result from the fact that any infection irritates the vagina. If there is a suspicion of infection, a woman will be asked to give a smear to determine the type of infection and the method of treatment.

Hormonal bleeding - while the woman continues to observe mild bleeding at a time when the menstruation should have started, if pregnancy had not occurred. For example, at the fourth, eighth, twelfth week. Such bleeding in the early period is associated with small changes in the hormonal background. And although hormonal bleeding is more common in the early stages of pregnancy, they can also occur in the second trimester.

Bleeding as consequences of sex - in a pregnant woman, the cervix softens slightly, and the blood rushes to it much more. Because of this, there may be minor bleeding after sexual contact, lasting for several minutes, as well as several hours and even days. This unpleasant phenomenon completely passes after childbirth.

Changes in the cervix at the cellular level - they can become a bright indicator that cell changes occur inside the cervix, which may be a possible cause of future cervical cancer. It is important that this cause of bleeding of any nature applies also to women who are not pregnant. Ideally, periodically every woman takes a special smear. If the last test was conducted for a long time, or at all, or, for example, the last test responded to a change in the cellular structure, the doctor would recommend performing colposcopy. Such procedures, in most cases, do not pose a threat to pregnancy.

With multiple pregnancies, rejection of the embryo or several - now doctors know for certain that the conception of twins occurs many times more often than they are born in reality. The reason for this phenomenon is the loss of embryos in the early stages of pregnancy. Rejection of the embryo may occur unnoticed, or may be accompanied by bleeding.

The bubble drift is a rare phenomenon, but it is worth the attention. Happens usually at a period of 3 to 4 weeks. In a similar state, the trophoblast creates cysts filled with fluid inside the uterine cavity. They are deleted promptly, there is a risk of losing pregnancy.

What should I do if bleeding occurs?

Noticing the occurrence of any bleeding in the early stages, immediately consult your doctor. Only a specialist, having examined by ultrasound, will determine the presence of the fetal heartbeat and its size. Remember that the heart of the fetus begins to beat not earlier than the fifth week, and sometimes even only the sixth. The specialist will also assess the condition of the cervix, how correctly the placenta develops.

A few years ago, doctors recommended pregnant strict bed rest, even with a slight bleeding in the first three months. At that time, they believed that this could prevent a spontaneous miscarriage. Modern specialists have proved that it is impossible to prevent miscarriage from bed rest! In real medical practice, recommendations for bleeding in the early stages are to try not to expose yourself to excessive physical exertion, to avoid excessive activity and sexual contacts until the bleeding is completely stopped.