During pregnancy, those affected are often particularly sensitive to physical changes. After all, they want to protect the health of their child. Therefore, especially bleeding during pregnancy often causes panic. Some reasons for bleeding are harmless, others are serious. Overall, a doctor should always be consulted for examination of mother and child.
Not entirely clear: period or intermenstrual bleeding?
In pregnancy, a period is not possible. After all, the purpose of menstruation is to remove the lining of the uterus from the body. However, once the egg is fertilized, it makes its way to the uterus, where the lining is needed for implantation of the egg. Pregnancy and menstruation at the same time are thus mutually exclusive. Menstruation would expel the fertilized egg with the uterine mucosa. Nevertheless, some women experience bleeding during their pregnancy. These are sometimes misinterpreted. In fact, recurrent bleeding occurs during the first weeks of pregnancy. However, this is not menstrual blood. The bleeding is much weaker than the usual period and is not usually cyclical. Other factors may be the cause, such as implantation bleeding or hormonal changes. However, because bleeding can also have serious backgrounds, a visit to the doctor is always advisable.
Causes of bleeding during pregnancy
The causes of bleeding in pregnancy are varied. They often differ depending on the timing of pregnancy. A distinction is made between early and late pregnancy.
- In early pregnancy
In early pregnancy, implantation bleeding may be responsible for discomfort. Ten days after fertilization, the egg travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus. During this process, the mucous membrane may be injured, which manifests itself as bleeding. Implantation bleeding is harmless and weak. The light blood comes out through droplets and often subsides after a few hours. In addition, bleeding is possible after sexual intercourse because the sexual organs are particularly well supplied with blood during pregnancy. The spotting disappears quickly and poses no danger to the unborn child. During a PAP smear test to check for HPV infection, mucosal lesions cannot be ruled out. However, such a smear is usually taken only if there is a concrete suspicion. More serious is an extrauterine pregnancy. In this case, the egg has not nested in the uterus, but in the fallopian tube, for example. There is a risk of life-threatening complications in some cases. An ectopic pregnancy is often terminated by the body. If it does not end naturally, pregnant women should be fully informed about the risks. Ectopic pregnancies occur with a frequency of about 1 to two percent. In contrast to earlier times, however, they rarely end in the death of the mother. In the worst cases, the hemorrhage means an abortion.
- In the second half of pregnancy.
In the second half of pregnancy, bleeding is less frequent. They may indicate an improper location of the placenta praevia. Such bleeding must be treated, because otherwise the blood loss endangers mother and child. Premature placental abruption is accompanied by severe pain. However, most of the blood flows inward. The pregnant woman needs medical treatment as soon as possible. In addition, premature opening of the cervix may be responsible for the bleeding. Because premature births can occur, control is necessary.
What to do about bleeding during pregnancy?
Bleeding during pregnancy is often not a cause for concern, especially in the first few weeks. Nevertheless, they should always be clarified gynecologically and taken seriously. Self-treatment is not recommended. The complaints should never be ignored. Missing a doctor’s appointment can endanger the health of both the child and the mother. Especially in pregnancy, it is better to see a doctor too often than not to clarify symptoms such as bleeding.
How to prevent bleeding during pregnancy?
Bleeding during pregnancy can be prevented only to a limited extent by appropriate behavior. Pregnant women should avoid falls and accidents and be more careful during sexual intercourse. In this way, bruising and injuries in the area of the uterine lining can be partially prevented. Regular check-ups provide information about the risk of suffering from complications in the further course of pregnancy. In such a case, it may be necessary to take it easy until delivery. Ultimately, any bleeding that occurs must be clarified. During sporting activities there is better blood circulation in the body and also in the reproductive organs. For this reason, increased exercise should initially be suspended until the cause has been diagnosed. A general generalization cannot be made. In principle, however, exercise is recommended during pregnancy. The same applies to sexual intercourse: once the cause has been found, nothing stands in the way of sex. The fear of harming the child or increasing the likelihood of miscarriage is unfounded.
Signs of miscarriage?
Bleeding during pregnancy can be both harmless and severe. That is why it is important to always see a doctor and have the cause clarified. Often it is only a case of implantation bleeding, but sometimes a miscarriage announces itself. All offered preventive measures should be accepted and physical changes should be medically examined. To prevent bleeding, it is advisable to avoid falls and other accidents. Otherwise, the symptoms cannot be counteracted preventively.
