Pregnancy is not only the most joyful, but alsothe most exciting period in the life of almost any woman. Why exciting, you ask? Because there are plenty of reasons to worry. And one of these reasons is bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy. As a rule, such bloody discharge causes panic in expectant mothers, which, however, is not surprising. However, this is not true at all. Not all bleeding that occurs in the early stages of pregnancy indicates the presence of any pathological processes in the body of the expectant mother that require immediate medical attention. Although, of course, bleeding during pregnancy should never be ignored. Let's look into this issue in more detail. But before we start talking, I would like to draw special attention to the fact that all information is provided FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and cannot be used for self-diagnosis. In any case, if bloody discharge appears, the expectant mother should seek help from a doctor at the first opportunity.

Physiological causes of bleeding

In the first few weeks of pregnancy,In the body of a pregnant woman, a global restructuring of the entire woman's body occurs - both physiological and hormonal. And during this period, slight bleeding is by no means a sign of pathology. Moreover, in some cases, it is insignificant blood loss that can become the first "alarm bell" indicating pregnancy.

• Implantation of the fetal egg

Bloody spotting may occuras a result of the attachment of the fertilized egg to the mucous membrane of the uterus. It is small fragments of the mucous membrane that are released from the vagina. These discharges can have a variety of colors - from bright red to brown and even brown. As a rule, such discharge is not very intense and lasts only a few days. In rare cases, this phenomenon can be accompanied by spasms - the woman complains of pain in the lower abdomen. Let us remind you once again - it is precisely such bleeding that can be the first sign of pregnancy. However, such a process occurs even before the pregnancy is established. After all, the fertilized egg has just begun to implant itself in the mucous membrane of the uterus. Most often, this process coincides in time with the expected period of menstruation. By the way, it is this phenomenon that has led to the emergence of a very widespread opinion that menstruation during pregnancy does not stop in all women.

• Hormonal background

In some cases, the cause of occurrencebleeding in early pregnancy is caused by a hormonal "storm" that rages in the body of the expectant mother. Such bleeding is very scanty, lasting only a few days. Most often, such bleeding occurs approximately 10 days after the first day of menstruation that never came. Such "smearing" does not pose any threat to the health of the child and mother.

• Cervical softening

Under the influence of many factors, includinghormonal changes - the blood flow to the cervix increases. Because of this, the cervix softens slightly and begins to bleed. Such bleeding can last for several days in a row.

• Cervical erosion

Cervical erosion is the most commona common cause of bloody "smearing" in early pregnancy. Incidentally, erosion develops for the same reason - increased blood flow to the cervix, which can result in inflammation and subsequent ulceration. Bleeding due to cervical erosion can occur immediately after intercourse, and sometimes without any apparent reason. Such bleeding is never heavy, the discharge is brownish in color. It can last only a day or two, or several weeks. As a rule, during pregnancy, the doctor does not prescribe any treatment for cervical erosion - a "wait-and-see" position is taken. Such discharge is not accompanied by any pain and does not cause any physical discomfort to the expectant mother - except perhaps psychological.

• Polyps

Cervical erosion is far from the only onea reason that can cause bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy. Quite often, bleeding occurs due to the presence of polyps of the uterus or cervical canal. Polyps are completely painless tumors that form either in the uterine cavity itself or in its cervix. In this case, the bleeding is also not profuse and completely painless. The doctor determines the treatment tactics for polyps in each specific case. Most often, the polyp falls off completely on its own, without any outside intervention. However, if the polyp is too large or bleeds too much, the doctor may decide to remove the polyp. There is no need to be afraid of this procedure - it is completely painless and does not pose a danger to either the baby or the expectant mother herself, since there is no need to perform curettage of the uterine cavity. Of course, at the same time as this procedure, doctors prescribe therapy to the woman aimed at maintaining the pregnancy.

Causes of pathological bleeding

However, as already mentioned above, not allbleeding in early pregnancy is not so harmless. In some cases, bleeding poses a very serious threat to the woman's body and the normal course of pregnancy. Let's look at these cases in more detail:

• Pathologies of the cervix

We have already talked about cervical erosion.However, this is the mildest violation. There are a number of serious pathologies of the cervix. Including malignant changes that can provoke bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy.

• Phlebeurysm

Did you know that varicose veinscan affect not only the legs, but also the genitals? And if these same dilated veins burst, bloody discharge may appear. In this case, they are bright red in color and are periodic.

• Detachment of the placenta

Placental abruption can occur not onlyat late stages of pregnancy, as most people are accustomed to believe. It also occurs in early stages. And can lead to bleeding. In most such cases, with proper treatment, the pregnancy can be saved.

All About Miscarriage

One of the most dangerous causes of occurrencebleeding - spontaneous termination of pregnancy or, more simply, miscarriage. Spontaneous termination of pregnancy in most cases occurs in the early stages - in the first three months. And one of the most important signs is bleeding. This process almost always begins in a standard way - the bleeding is very slight, and there is practically no pain. However, such bleeding does not subside - on the contrary, it intensifies. And as the intensity of bleeding increases, the pain intensifies. Doctors distinguish several stages of miscarriage, which differ in the level of blood loss and the degree of discomfort:

• Threatening miscarriage

The very initial stage is precisely the threatening onemiscarriage. Bloody discharge is very scanty, and pain may be completely absent. And if pain does occur, it is aching in nature and localized in the lower abdomen and / or lower back. At this stage, no pathological changes in the uterus and its cervix have yet occurred. And with active appropriate therapy, pregnancy can be saved in most cases. By the way, about 30% of all women who successfully give birth to healthy babies go through something like this.

• Start of miscarriage

At the stage of the beginning of a miscarriage, bleedingintensifies, and the pains become cramping. The external os of the uterus begins to open slightly, the cervix itself begins to shorten. The general condition of the woman still remains satisfactory. And at this stage, with proper and timely treatment, the probability of maintaining the pregnancy is quite high - about 80%.

• Abortion in the course

If the moment is missed, abortion begins in progress,it is almost impossible to maintain the pregnancy. Bleeding becomes very heavy, and the pain is extremely intense. This condition poses a serious threat to the woman's health and requires immediate hospitalization. Depending on the woman's condition, she will be given the necessary assistance. If the miscarriage was incomplete, the bloody discharge is especially strong, has a dark red color with a large number of clots. Such bleeding is accompanied by severe cramping pain. In this case, the woman should be given the following medical assistance. First, it is necessary to clean the uterine cavity to remove the fertilized egg. Otherwise, it will not be possible to stop the bleeding. Secondly, blood loss will be compensated, depending on the woman's condition. Thirdly, antibacterial therapy will be carried out to avoid the development of an inflammatory process in the uterine mucosa. But if the miscarriage was complete - that is, the fertilized egg left the uterine cavity - the bleeding will begin to gradually decrease, as well as the pain. But in this case, you should never ignore the doctor - otherwise, acute endometritis is almost guaranteed. The only thing the doctor will do in this case is clean the uterine cavity to make sure there are no remaining pieces of the fertilized egg and membranes.

Ectopic pregnancy

Another very sad reason for the appearancebleeding in the early stages of pregnancy can be an ectopic pregnancy. Let us recall what this term means. During a normal pregnancy, the fertilized egg is fixed in the mucous membrane of the uterus. However, unfortunately, in some cases this process fails. And the fertilized egg is implanted in the cervix or fallopian tubes. Such a phenomenon is extremely dangerous and poses a serious threat not only to the health, but also to the life of a woman. One of the first signs of an ectopic pregnancy is bleeding from the genitals. As a rule, the discharge is quite scanty and has a brown color. All the signs of a normal pregnancy are usually present - this is toxicosis, engorgement of the mammary glands, and a positive pregnancy test. Although in some cases, bleeding during an ectopic pregnancy can begin at a very early stage, when the woman does not yet know about her "interesting" situation.

Conclusion

In any case, whatever the causebleeding, you need to seek help from a gynecologist as soon as possible. After all, even if the bleeding does not pose a threat to the course of pregnancy, there is always a risk of developing other complications. For example, gestational anemia is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon. And its development with prolonged bleeding is very likely. The doctor will definitely carefully examine the pregnant woman, prescribe tests, conduct an ultrasound scan, which will help determine whether there is a threat of spontaneous termination of pregnancy. Based on all the data obtained, the doctor will objectively assess the woman's condition and prescribe the necessary treatment. Very often, expectant mothers do not consult a doctor, fearing hospitalization. However, this is very reckless. If the doctor offers you hospitalization, do not refuse it under any circumstances. Even if you or your loved ones know how to give injections, you will not be able to create a hospital environment at home. After all, in almost all cases of bleeding, the main condition for successful treatment is bed rest. And you will hardly be able to follow it at home - either breakfast, or dinner, or an older child or your other half demand your attention. And you should not perceive hospitalization as some kind of confinement. Try to find positive aspects in this situation. Moreover, it is not so difficult. You will be able to have a good rest, get enough sleep, read your favorite book that you never got around to, learn to cross-stitch, after all! And remember the main thing - very often it is inpatient treatment that helps save the life of your baby! In conclusion, I would like to once again remind you of the algorithm of actions for pregnant women when bloody discharge appears in the early stages of pregnancy:

• Try to calm down as quickly as possible - until no emergency has occurred!
• If there is such an opportunity, immediately go to bed and call someone close, if you are at home alone.
• Immediately inform the doctor. If the case occurs on weekends or at night, immediately call an ambulance team. Independently you can not go anywhere!
• Strictly follow all instructions and prescriptions of the doctor.

It is precisely the timely appeal togynecologist and competent treatment allows not only to maintain the pregnancy, but also to avoid the development of various complications. Happy pregnancy and easy delivery to you! We recommend reading:

Comments

comments