Morning ladies...how are you today pip. Will you be testing with smu today? Xxx
Something for to to read Claire x x x
Bleeding during pregnancy can be a very scary time for a pregnant woman, however blood loss doesn’t always mean you could be experiencing a miscarriage.Bleeding during pregnancy is more common than you might think – around 30% of women experience bleeding during pregnancy. Around half of those women will continue on to have a healthy baby and the other half will have a miscarriage. The most likely time bleeding can occur is in the first trimester.Some women have a once-off bleed, others may bleed throughout their whole pregnancy. This may be in the form of spotting, streaking, period-like blood loss or more.Those women who need to see a doctor within 72 hours of every bleed are those who have rhesus negative blood groups (e.g. O-, A-). See our article,*Rhesus Negative Blood Groups In Pregnancy*for more information.All bleeding should be reported to your doctor or midwife. Any passage of blood from the vagina of a pregnant women before 24 weeks will be termed a ‘threatened miscarriage’ or ‘threatened abortion’. After 24 weeks its termed an ‘ante-partum haemorrhage’.Below is an explanation of some of the more common reasons for bleeding during pregnancy, and as you will read, its not always sinister.
Implantation Bleeding or Streaking
When a fertilised egg attaches to the uterine lining, this can result in light spotting or streaking (streaks of blood). Usually this only lasts a day or two, however do mention it to your carer for safe measure. Implantation bleeding is usually bright fresh blood like that which you would expect to see if you cut your finger. It can also be in the form of a pink mucous stain.
Breakthrough Bleeding
Some women experience what is known as ‘breakthrough bleeding’ at the times when your period would have normally been due. So this would be at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is often accompanied by the feeling that you would normally associate with your period being imminent i.e. back ache, cramps, a heavy sensation in your pelvis, feeling bloated and ‘off’. Of course the period doesn’t arrive (even though you feel like it will) because you are actually pregnant! During pregnancy, hormones prevent your period from occurring. Sometimes the hormone levels are not yet high enough to stop your period and therefore you have this breakthrough bleeding. It can last for around three months – after this time the placenta begins to take over hormone production from your ovaries. Some women may experience breakthrough bleeding throughout the whole pregnancy and have healthy babies, under the close watch of their carer.
