Bleeding Early in Pregnancy
Podcast Transcript: Bleeding Early in Pregnancy
Vaginal bleeding can be very scary for anyone who is pregnant. It can be a sign that something bad is happening with the pregnancy. You will want to speak with your doctor or nurse as soon as possible. Your doctor may have you go to the office or the hospital.
Unless it is a very small amount of spotting you will likely need some blood tests and an ultrasound. Believe it or not—if there is some bleeding in pregnancy everything turns out okay most of the time.
A healthy pregnancy makes a hormone called HCG. This HCG level should keep going up. If you are early in pregnancy and the HCG goes down or stays the same it might mean there is a problem.
An ultrasound can help look for a growing baby or a heart beat. Sometimes it is helpful to just see the bag of fluid where the baby will grow. Sometimes your pregnancy is just too early for the ultrasound to be helpful.
Bleeding early in pregnancy might mean that you are beginning to have a miscarriage. There might also be some cramping. After your doctor examines you and looks at the other tests they can tell you what is happening. You may need surgery or you may need further blood tests in a few days. Your doctor may tell you, “Everything is just fine.”
Bleeding early in pregnancy could be a hint that the pregnancy is in your tubes and not your womb. This is called an ectopic pregnancy. If your doctor finds out that this is true you will be treated with surgery. Sometimes tubal pregnancies are treated with injections of medicine.
The blood that you see might be just a small amount of pink spotting. It might be more like blood clots. The amount you have does not always tell how bad the problem might be. If you feel sick and light-headed and the bleeding is heavy call you doctor right away.
The areas of your vagina and cervix are very fragile in pregnancy. Sometimes they can bleed if you are just a little more active. After your doctor has evaluated you make sure you pay attention to their instructions.
Hopefully you will get to hear or see the baby’s heartbeat before too long. Once you do you will not have to worry as much. Things are most likely safe at that time.