Blood in the early stages of pregnancy. Bleeding during pregnancy - what to do

Some women experience bleeding from the genital tract when carrying a child. It is no wonder that such manifestations raise serious fears of losing the baby. In such situations, it is better not to take risks by self-medicating, but to call an ambulance to prevent severe bleeding and fetal loss. After the examination, medical professionals will tell you what the cause of the spotting was. It happens that minor bleeding is absolutely safe for both the pregnant child and its mother, a physiological process at the beginning of pregnancy. Let's find out why bleeding occurs during early pregnancy.

Important facts about bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy

There is an opinion, especially among women, that bleeding during early pregnancy is a sign of miscarriage. This opinion is erroneous. Scanty bleeding, which began during early pregnancy, is observed in women in approximately 26% of cases of pregnancy. And they do not always pose a threat to the life of the pregnant woman and her child; they can bleed for many reasons. But it should still be noted that in half of the recorded requests from women who experienced slight bleeding, that is, in approximately 10–13% of cases, blood during pregnancy in the early stages acted as a harbinger of its interruption.

The symptoms of bleeding during pregnancy are different for each woman. Some representatives of the fairer sex smear blood slightly in the form of spots or discharge. Other women experience heavy blood loss, and some develop blood clots early in pregnancy. In any case, even if the bleeding does not pose a danger to either the fetus or its mother, this optimistic fact should be reported by a competent doctor, who does not rely on his own experience or assumptions, but on the quite eloquent information of blood tests and other diagnostic methods.

Causes of bleeding during pregnancy

What are the causes of bleeding in early pregnancy:

• Menstruation continues during the gestation stage in case of deficiency of the hormone hCG, which stops menstruation in pregnant women during the formation of the fetus. Human chorionic gonadotropin begins to be produced, like many other specific pregnancy hormones, at the moment of attachment of a fertilized egg in the uterine cavity. If its production is insufficient, a woman bleeds during pregnancy, sometimes with clots. This phenomenon is popularly called “washing the fetus” or “going through the fetus.” Usually after the first trimester everything gets better, but there are known cases of a nine-month embryo being washed with a completely favorable outcome, that is, the birth of a full-fledged child.
• may be at the moment of attachment of the fertilized egg to the uterine wall. It is expressed in spots of blood or blood streaks, and stops after a day or maximum two. Implantation bleeding is characterized by scarlet or pink discharge of blood.
• Pathology of the placenta or its presentation can cause bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy. This is due to abnormally low implantation of the placenta. Another problem is the detachment of the placenta from the uterine walls; this pathology makes itself felt in the form of severe pain and small blood clots appear.
• Ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterine cavity, but in the fallopian tubes. Bleeding during pregnancy outside the uterus occurs when the tube ruptures due to the growth of the embryo in it. When bleeding occurs due to an ectopic pregnancy, immediately call a medical team. Because you won’t be able to stop it on your own, and you can pay for negligence with your own life or the ability to get pregnant again. It is possible to prevent this development of events by contacting a gynecologist if you feel pain in the lower abdomen. Often, pregnancy outside the uterine cavity is accompanied by pronounced pain, which is unlikely to go unnoticed.
• Discharge of blood after sexual intercourse. Bleeding during pregnancy may be associated with active sexual activity. Bloody discharge in this case is a consequence of increased blood supply to the genital organs and softening of the uterine cervix. Despite the safety of such a reaction to carnal pleasures with her husband in a pregnant woman, everything is good in moderation and parents need to realize the importance of the normal and calm development of the future person.

Causes of blood clots passing during pregnancy

Separately, we need to consider cases when a pregnant woman discovers that a blood clot has passed during pregnancy. In the early stages of pregnancy, this phenomenon is incredibly dangerous and can lead to the death of the fetus. If a woman notices that blood clots suddenly appear during pregnancy, then most likely a spontaneous miscarriage has occurred. The clot in this case is a component of the fetal tissue from which the embryo and its membranes were formed. Similar blood clots appear during pregnancy in the early stages in the first three months.

This most often happens when going to the toilet, showering, lifting weights, or any strong muscle tension in the abdomen or perineum.

It is no longer possible to maintain pregnancy after the embryonic tissues have passed. Because the reason for their passage is often malformations of the fetus. And a miscarriage, in this case, is better than the birth of an unviable child. We can say that the body independently “carried out a diagnosis of the embryo” and, when serious anomalies in development were detected, “made a decision” to eliminate such flesh. The couple needs to accept this turn of events and come to terms with it, because it could have been worse. In nature, including human nature, everything is arranged very harmoniously, especially if it is not disturbed.

In the event of pregnancy loss, when a woman’s blood clots have passed, it is imperative to contact medical professionals so that they can examine the uterine cavity in order to avoid any remaining fetal tissue. Because if they do not come out completely, they can begin to decompose inside the womb, which leads to severe infection of the woman’s body. After cleaning the uterine cavity, the remaining embryonic fragments can be sent for research to determine the cause of termination of pregnancy. Perhaps the woman will be prescribed treatment aimed at restoring reproductive function.

The threat of miscarriage or its onset is often considered by doctors to be the main cause of bleeding in early pregnancy. But more often than not, it’s only because doctors deliberately play it safe in order to eliminate with 100% certainty the danger of miscarriage. The percentage of miscarriages before 12 weeks in Russia is quite high - it is approximately 32% of the total number of pregnancies that end in the successful birth of a child.

If the critical threshold of the gestation period is behind and the pregnancy is proceeding normally, then it can be assumed with a high degree of probability that the baby will be carried to term normally and will be delivered at term. To try to prevent fetal loss, you need to know the signs of spontaneous miscarriage - these are intense, paroxysmal or spasmodic pain in the abdomen, lower back and back, as well as bleeding with or without clots.

Sometimes there are no symptoms at all, then the woman should be alerted by the disappearance of characteristic signs of pregnancy, such as toxicosis, dizziness, swelling and chest pain.

Things are completely different if a pregnant woman notices the release of blood or blood clots in late pregnancy. Blood clots from the eighth to ninth months of pregnancy herald the onset of labor. In the last weeks of bearing a child, the expectant mother’s body intensively prepares for childbirth. Among the preparatory measures, softening of the cervix takes place, and the process of removal of the uterine plug may occur, which reliably protected the entrance to the uterus from the penetration of foreign microorganisms into its cavity.

It is this process that a woman who is in the late stages of bearing a baby can observe in herself - a clot of mucus with blood. This process is completely normal before childbirth. In any case, it is necessary to call doctors to take you to the maternity ward.

Measures to help a pregnant woman with bleeding

After finding out all the possible reasons, a fair question arises: what to do if bleeding begins in the first trimester of pregnancy? How to stop bleeding, and can a woman do this on her own before doctors arrive or if it is impossible to call them. Whatever the reason for bleeding during pregnancy, if possible, you should call an ambulance as soon as possible or start stopping the bleeding on your own, and only then get to the nearest medical center.

In the meantime, while the doctors are on the way, you must immediately take a lying position and wait for their arrival. Under no circumstances should you even move. It is also undesirable to drink, especially drinks with even a small amount of caffeine or other central nervous system stimulants are strictly prohibited, otherwise the bleeding may increase significantly.

The list of prohibited foods also includes foods that increase blood pressure.

If relatives are present with the woman, and the ambulance is delayed, then it is permissible to give the pregnant woman a safe drug that stops blood loss. One of the available herbs is suitable as such a medicine.

Plants that have a hemostatic effect:

• Nettle.
• Field horsetail.
• Shepherd's purse.
• Water pepper.
• Leaves and especially cherry twigs.

It is better to prepare a decoction of hemostatic herbs more concentrated than provided in the recipe (usually one tablespoon per glass of boiling water). This is done so that a woman experiencing uterine bleeding does not drink large amounts of liquid. But you need to take this remedy in small sips, monitoring the condition of the pregnant woman.

There are also a lot of pharmaceutical drugs to stop bleeding, but their use must be agreed with your doctor. Therefore, during periods of pregnancy, it is better not to prescribe medications on your own; the arriving ambulance team will, from a professional point of view, take all necessary measures. The actions of doctors in cases where a pregnant woman may experience severe bleeding are primarily aimed at stopping it. And after this, the woman is taken to the hospital to take blood for analysis and carry out other diagnostic procedures in order to find out the cause of blood loss.

It is generally accepted that during pregnancy a woman not only does not have menstruation, but also cannot have any bleeding at all. And any of them are a sign of serious danger and, most likely, miscarriage. In fact, the situation is not entirely the same, and not always, if bleeding occurs during pregnancy, this means a threat of termination.

It is necessary to know such information, first of all, in order not to succumb to panic and act clearly and quickly. If a woman panics, cries, or becomes hysterical, this can provoke increased uterine tone. Therefore, let's agree - if bleeding occurs, you will be attentive to your condition and sensations, save the pad to show it to the doctor, and be sure to make an emergency visit to the gynecologist. But in some cases it is really necessary to go to the hospital immediately.

If you bleed during early pregnancy

We remember that the first trimester is quite dangerous and indeed, blood during pregnancy at this stage can be a sign of an incipient miscarriage. But there are other, relatively harmless reasons for the appearance of unexpected discharge.

For example, they can occur as a result of mechanical damage to the uterine pharynx - this happens during sexual intercourse or as a result of physical training. The uterine pharynx is actively supplied with blood at this time, so vascular damage may occur. The bleeding is painless, mild and goes away after a few hours. It's absolutely safe.

If blood flows during pregnancy at the same time when you previously had menstruation, this is also a completely physiological phenomenon. Moreover, it occurs more often than women think. The discharge during such “menstruation” is not strong, spotting, and lasts for several days.

A woman may bleed during pregnancy even if she lacks progesterone. In this case, the doctor will prescribe treatment based on the test results - the pregnant woman will need to take special medications, an analogue of progesterone, in the form of tablets, suppositories or injections.

Let us repeat once again: in all of the above situations, the bleeding will be insignificant - rather spotting, and practically painless. If you notice the following symptoms, call an ambulance immediately:

• Bleeding or discharge is profuse, the blood is bright;
• You experience severe pain - cramping or piercing;
• Your blood pressure dropped and your heart began to palpitate;
• Weakness, perspiration, tinnitus, and spots before the eyes appeared.

Such symptoms can accompany not only spontaneous abortion, but also ectopic - tubal pregnancy. You will need emergency surgery.

Be sure to tell your loved ones (husband, mother, sister) that you started bleeding during pregnancy: if you suddenly become ill or lose consciousness, your relatives will be able to explain to the doctors what exactly happened. Until the ambulance arrives, you need to take a horizontal position and not move.

If you bleed during pregnancy in the second or third trimester

Mid-pregnancy is usually the safest time for mother and fetus. Here, the cause of bleeding is mainly injury - for example, if a woman hits her stomach or falls.

But if during pregnancy bleeding occurs after the 28th week, this signals a certain threat to the development and sometimes even the life of the fetus: placental previa or placental abruption. Abnormal position of the placenta is determined by ultrasound, and training contractions or increased physical activity can cause ruptures of blood vessels. In this case, the woman will be placed on preservation to reduce the tone of the uterus and try to restore the functioning of the placenta.

The same situation can arise with partial placental abruption. The woman must be under the supervision of doctors around the clock, and if the situation cannot be stabilized, doctors will perform an emergency caesarean section.

Thus, blood during pregnancy can either indicate the presence of a serious situation or be a symptom of some natural physiological phenomena. To avoid causing bleeding on your own, monitor your exercise levels, do not engage in intense physical training, and of course, do not lift heavy objects. If the doctor insists on sexual rest, try to comply with this condition as well.

Bleeding during pregnancy can be very frightening for the expectant mother, but it is important to know that blood loss does not always mean that a miscarriage is occurring.

Discharge of blood from the genital tract while expecting a baby is more common than you might think. Approximately 20-25% of women have this problem. In about half, the doctor will diagnose a miscarriage, but the other half of women will be able to continue the pregnancy. The most likely time for bleeding to occur is the first trimester.

Some women may experience blood loss only once, while others may experience it throughout the entire 40 weeks. This may include small spots, spotting, or more severe discharge.

Is it necessary to report this fact to the gynecologist?

Necessarily! Any bleeding, even minor, should be reported to your gynecologist at the antenatal clinic. Any loss of blood of this nature will be considered a “threat” or “threat of miscarriage”.

It is especially important to see your doctor within 72 hours of bleeding starting if you are Rh negative. Usually, during the first pregnancy, the Rh conflict is not very acute, but it is worth being safe.

Why might bleeding occur during pregnancy?

There are a number of reasons that are not always dangerous for the woman and the fetus. Some arise in the early stages, others in the later stages, but you should definitely pay attention to any sensations that you do not understand. Remember that if your discharge is accompanied by spasms and pain, you should seek help from specialists as soon as possible.

Reason #1: Implantation bleeding

Reason #2: Periods during pregnancy

Some women experience what is popularly known as “fetal wash”—discharge that occurs during the period when menstruation would normally occur.

In addition to the discharge, the usual sensations that you experienced during menstruation also appear - back pain, abdominal pulling, heaviness in the pelvic area, a feeling of bloating in the lower abdomen.

During pregnancy, hormones prevent periods from occurring. But sometimes it happens that their level is not yet high enough to stop the cycle. In most cases, by the 3rd month the placenta takes over the production of hormones and this problem ceases to worry the woman. But it is very rare that a woman can experience “fetal ablution” throughout her pregnancy and give birth to healthy children at term, but it is important to always be under the close supervision of her gynecologist.

This situation is not normal for a healthy woman; the causes of disturbances must be sought in the hormonal background.

Reason #3: Threatened or ongoing miscarriage

Research shows that about 30% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage (the medical term is spontaneous abortion). This usually happens in the first 12 weeks, and the woman may not even know about her situation. The main cause of miscarriage is fetal developmental abnormalities.

Once you've reached the 14-16 week threshold, you can relax and rest assured that your pregnancy is safe. That is why it is considered the norm not to tell friends about your situation before this time, until you know for sure about a favorable outcome.

Common signs of a miscarriage include bleeding, cramping, and pain in the back and abdomen. Women who have experienced this claim that if pregnancy symptoms continued, then fetal loss could usually be avoided. But when, before a miscarriage, a woman suddenly felt all her symptoms go away (nausea, bloating, chest pain), then in most cases grief could not be avoided.

Reason #4: Sexual intercourse

Spotting very often occurs after a stormy night with a partner. This is completely harmless and is due to increased blood supply and softening of the cervix. Although this form of bleeding is not serious, tell your doctor about it. You don't need to completely stop your love relationship with your husband, but you should reduce your partner's excessive movements.

Reason #5: Ectopic pregnancy

It occurs when your fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. You may experience severe pain on just one side of your abdomen, or general pain, along with a feeling of weakness and nausea. If a pipe ruptures, the pain may disappear for a few hours or days, but then it will return and the situation will become even more complicated.

An ectopic pregnancy must be treated immediately as it can rupture the fallopian tube, causing internal bleeding and damage to the tube. In such cases, the fallopian tubes are removed along with the fertilized egg, but this does not mean that now the woman will never be able to have a child. The chance remains quite high if the second ovary and fallopian tube are healthy.

Reason #6: Problems with the placenta

Painless vaginal bleeding may be caused by an abnormal placement of the placenta. Sometimes this organ is implanted very low on the wall of the uterus, right above the cervical canal. This is called and occurs in approximately 2% of expectant mothers. Presentation will inevitably cause bleeding to begin at some point in the pregnancy, usually after 20 weeks. There are several degrees of severity of this condition; a repeat ultrasound will be required to accurately diagnose it.

Another problem that occurs in 1 in 200 expectant mothers is partial or complete separation of the placenta from the walls of the uterus. Symptoms: severe pain and blood loss. To learn more about the degree, causes, treatment of detachment, read our article.

What to do?

• Don't use tampons, only pads.
• Regardless of the stage of pregnancy and the diagnosis you suspect, consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Bleeding is any discharge from the genital tract of any intensity. They can be very slight (spotting), medium or strong. The color of the discharge may be bright red, pink, brown or almost black. In addition to blood, clots and pieces of tissue may be released.

The severity of the condition does not always correspond to the severity of the bleeding. Sometimes it can happen that blood is retained inside the uterus or between its wall and the placenta, and very little discharge comes out. With large blood loss, symptoms such as severe weakness, dizziness, and nausea appear.

Possible causes of bleeding are very diverse and depend on the stage of pregnancy. In the first trimester (1-3 months) they are completely different than in the later stages.

Since any bleeding during pregnancy can become dangerous, if you experience any bloody vaginal discharge, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Bleeding in early pregnancy

This is any spotting in the first three months of pregnancy. Their strength can vary - from smearing to heavy, with blood clots. A fairly common problem in early pregnancy, occurring in 20–30% of cases.

Possible reasons:

• Implantation bleeding is a small release of droplets of blood at the time of implantation (attachment of the embryo to the uterine wall). An absolutely normal phenomenon, but it is often confused with menstruation, since it occurs approximately at the time when they should have arrived. This often leads to confusion and incorrect timing of pregnancy.
• The threat of miscarriage (miscarriage) is the most common cause of bleeding in the first trimester, accounting for up to 50% of all bleeding in the early stages. It manifests itself as bleeding from the vagina or cramping pain in the abdomen. The embryo still remains in the uterus, which can be determined by testing, but the outcome of the pregnancy is in question. The threat of miscarriage can be the result of infection (most often genitourinary infections), the use of certain medications, dehydration, physical trauma, as well as a consequence of abnormalities in the development of the embryo.
• Complete - if a miscarriage has already occurred, then the abdominal pain gradually subsides, the discharge stops, the cervix is ​​closed, and its cavity looks empty on ultrasound. The reasons for this are the same as the threat of miscarriage. In case of complete spontaneous miscarriage, there is usually no need for uterine curettage.
• Incomplete miscarriage (abortion in progress) - continued discharge of blood, clots and pieces of tissue from the genital tract. In this case, during the examination, the doctor can determine that the cervix is ​​still open, while with a complete miscarriage it closes. There is no longer any chance of preserving the pregnancy after an abortion, because... the embryo has already died. It is often necessary to curettage the uterus to avoid infection or severe bleeding.
• – may not give any symptoms, but more often there is scanty bleeding, abdominal pain, reduction and softening of the breasts. The causes of frozen pregnancy are most often due to genetic abnormalities of the embryo. An ultrasound and blood test will help confirm the diagnosis. Management tactics can be different: wait for spontaneous miscarriage or perform curettage.
• Hydatidiform mole is an abnormal development of pregnancy when unformed tissue grows instead of an embryo; it can also manifest itself as bleeding in the first trimester. The reasons for this deviation are not fully understood. In most cases, hydatidiform mole is not dangerous for the mother. Sometimes its cells can penetrate the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, but even in this case the disease is highly treatable.

Bleeding in late pregnancy

In late pregnancy, bleeding is always a sign of some kind of problem, and after 28 weeks we are talking about an emergency.

The causes of bleeding in the second and third trimesters are different than in the early stages. Most often this is a problem with the placenta. The main ones:

• Placenta previa is the incorrect location of the placenta in the uterus close to the entrance to it (uterine os). As a result of prenatal changes in the muscular layer of the uterus, the thin wall of the lower part cannot hold the placenta, and small tears occur. In 70% of cases this manifests itself as painless bleeding, in 20% it is accompanied by cramping pain in the abdomen. In 10% of cases there are no manifestations, and blood accumulates between the placenta and the wall of the uterus.
• Placental abruption - in this rare complication (probability 1:200), the normal placenta suddenly begins to separate from the walls of the uterus before or at the very beginning of labor. The reasons are unknown, but may accompany severe gestosis and preeclampsia. The most common manifestation is dark vaginal discharge with blood clots, abdominal pain, and increased uterine tone. Fortunately, complete abruption is rare and usually affects only a small part of the placenta. The condition of the fetus may be different; it must be constantly monitored so that, if necessary, it can be carried out on time.
• Bleeding from fetal vessels. Occurs in 1:1000–1:5000 cases. May be caused by a tear in the umbilical cord or vessels in the membranes of the fetus. The baby's heart rate first increases, and then its frequency drops as blood is lost. The decision on how to proceed with pregnancy and childbirth is made by the doctor, depending on the situation.

Causes of bleeding not related to pregnancy

In addition to these reasons, the appearance of bloody discharge can be caused by reasons not directly related to pregnancy:

• Injuries to the genital tract, such as fissures after intercourse;
• Bleeding from vaginal varicose veins;
• Diseases of the cervix and vagina: erosions, polyps, fissures, etc.;
• Genital tract infections – most often genital infections, as well as fungal infections;
• Hereditary diseases, such as hemophilia, are very rare, occurring in one case in 10,000. They usually manifest themselves long before pregnancy and the expectant mother already knows about them.

Prevention of bleeding

Unfortunately, in the first trimester, the developing embryo is affected by many negative factors, each of which can cause developmental disorders. In addition, we must not forget that very often miscarriages occur due to genetic abnormalities in the fetus, and this in no way depends on you.

If you do all of the above, and also maintain close contact with your doctor, you will do everything that depends on you for your baby, and you will definitely be fine.