Causes Of Bleeding While Pregnant

Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy can occur frequently in the first trimester of pregnancy and may not be a sign of problems.

But bleeding that occurs in the second and third trimester of pregnancy can often be a sign of a possible complication.

Bleeding can be caused by a number of reasons.

Some basic things to know about bleeding are:

• If you are bleeding, you should always wear a pad or panty liner so that you can monitor how much you are bleeding and what type of bleeding you are experiencing.
• You should never wear a tampon or introduce anything else into the vaginal area such as douche or sexual intercourse if you are currently experiencing bleeding.
• If you are also experiencing any of the other symptoms mentioned below in connection with a possible complication, you should contact your health care provider immediately.

First Half of Pregnancy:

Miscarriage: Bleeding can be a sign of miscarriage but does not mean that miscarriage is imminent. Studies show that anywhere from 20-30% of women experience some degree of bleeding in early pregnancy. Approximately half of pregnant women who bleed do not have miscarriages.

Approximately 15-20% of all pregnancies result in a miscarriage, and the majority occur during the first 12 weeks.

Signs of Miscarriage include:

• Vaginal bleeding
• Cramping pain felt low in the stomach (stronger than menstrual cramps)
• Tissue passing through the vagina

Most miscarriages cannot be prevented. They are often the body’s way of dealing with an unhealthy pregnancy that was not developing.

A miscarriage does not mean that you cannot have a future healthy pregnancy or that you yourself are not healthy.

Ectopic Pregnancies:

Ectopic pregnancies are pregnancies that implant somewhere outside the uterus. The fallopian tube accounts for the majority of ectopic pregnancies. Ectopic pregnancies are less common than miscarriages, occurring in 1 of 60 pregnancies.
Signs of Ectopic Pregnancies:

• Cramping pain felt low in the stomach (usually stronger than menstrual cramps)
• Sharp pain in the abdominal area
• Low levels of hCG
• Vaginal bleeding

Women are at a higher risk if they have had:

• An infection in the tubes
• A previous ectopic pregnancy
• Previous pelvic surgery

Molar Pregnancies:
Molar pregnancies are a rare cause of early bleeding. Often referred to as a “mole”, a molar pregnancy involves the growth of abnormal tissue instead of an embryo. It is also referred to as gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). Continue reading