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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Bleeding During Pregnancy

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Why Vaginal Bleeding Occurs During Pregnancy


Bleeding during pregnancy can be a frightening experience. There are several reasons why bleeding may occur in pregnant women. Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy can pose a serious risk to you and/or your baby. Depending on the cause, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy may also not pose a serious risk. It's important to inform your health care provider immediately if you experience any amount of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy.

Vaginal bleeding during the first trimester (12 weeks) occurs in many women. This does not necessarily mean that a miscarriage is immanent; however, any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy should be investigated by your health care provider. Most miscarriages occur during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. About half of pregnant women who experience vaginal bleeding during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy do not have a miscarriage. If you pass anything you think is fetal tissue be sure to take it to your health care provider for examination.

Unfortunately, most miscarriages are not preventable; a miscarriage is often nature's way of dealing with abnormalities. Exercise and sex have not been proven to cause miscarriage, in fact continuing regular exercise (always check with your health care provider before starting an exercise program during pregnancy) during pregnancy can help ease labor when it is time for your new baby to be born. Fifteen to twenty percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage.

Another potential cause of bleeding during early pregnancy is having an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself in one of the fallopian tubes. This is often called a "tubal pregnancy." Ectopic pregnancy is much less common than miscarriage occurring in about one out of sixty pregnancies.

An extremely rare cause of vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy is a molar pregnancy. A molar pregnancy occurs when abnormal tissue grows rather than an embryo. This type of pregnancy is often referred to as gestational trophoblastic disease or GTD; it may also be called a "mole."

Vaginal bleeding during late pregnancy is often due to an inflamed cervix or cervical growths. Bleeding during late pregnancy may be a serious health risk to both the woman and the fetus, and may require hospitalization. Heavy vaginal bleeding during late pregnancy is, most often, an indicator of a problem with the placenta. The two most common problems that involve the placenta are placenta previa and placental abruption.

Placenta previa occurs in about one out of every two hundred pregnancies. If your placenta is laying low in the uterus it can cover all or part of the cervix. While many women experience placenta previa early in pregnancy, the placenta often moves before labor occurs. If a woman has placenta previa in the last weeks of pregnancy, a cesarean section will be scheduled. Placenta previa poses a serious risk to both the mother and the baby if it is not diagnosed and labor is allowed to occur; both the mother and baby are at risk of death in this situation. Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is often the first sign of placenta previa.

Placental abruption occurs when the placenta detaches from the wall of the uterus either before or during labor; most often, placental abruption occurs during the last trimester of pregnancy. Vaginal bleeding may occur or not; most women will experience stomach pain even if they do not have any obvious bleeding. Fortunately, placental abruption occurs in only about one percent of pregnancies.

When labor arrives, many women will experience a "bloody show." This is when the plug that covers the opening of the cervix during pregnancy is passed shortly before birth occurs. This often contains a small amount of blood and mucous; it is quite common and not a health threat if it happens with a few weeks of your due date.

Remember anytime vaginal bleeding occurs during pregnancy, whether early pregnancy or late pregnancy, it should be reported to your health care provider.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, there are risks for the very simple reason that the reproductive capacity reduces gradually after 35. But being knowledgeable about the general risks and difficulties will help you to minimize the risk of a late pregnancy. These are summarized here just for you. Take time to go through them.

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