Vaginal bleeding during the first trimester of pregnancy is common. It is often nothing to worry about. Bleeding during the second or third trimester can mean there is a significant complication.
If you have vaginal bleeding at any point during pregnancy, call your doctor.
Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy has many causes. The effect on the pregnancy depends on which phase the bleeding occurs in. Some common causes include:
These factors increase your chance of developing bleeding during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. She will also do a physical exam. The exam may include a pelvic exam.
Tests may include the following:
Treatment depends on the cause of the bleeding and the severity of the condition. Treatments include:
To help reduce your chance of experiencing vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, take the following steps:
RESOURCES:
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org/
March of Dimes
http://marchofdimes.com/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Ontario March of Dimes
http://www.dimes.on.ca/asp/home.asp/
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
http://www.sogc.org/index_e.asp/
References:
Bleeding during pregnancy. American Pregnancy Association website. Available at: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/bleedingduringpreg.html . Accessed August 3, 2005.
Detailed guide: gestational trophoblastic disease: what are the risk factors for gestational trophoblastic disease? American Cancer Society website. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_gestational_trophoblastic_disease_49.asp?sitearea= . Accessed August 10, 2005.
Ectopic and molar pregnancy. The March of Dimes website. Available at: http://search.marchofdimes.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=567&page_id=5441280&query=Ectopic+and+molar+pregnancy&hiword=Ectopic+PREGNANCIES+PREGNANCYS+PREGNANT+and+molar+pregnancy+ . Accessed August 9, 2005.
Placental conditions. The March of Dimes website. Available at: http://search.marchofdimes.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=567&page_id=4458240&query=placental+conditions&hiword=CONDIT+CONDITION+CONDITIONAL+CONDITIONED+CONDITIONER+CONDITIONING+PLACENTA+PLACENTAS+conditions+placental+ . Accessed August 9, 2005.
Pregnancy complications: symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. The National Women’s Health Information Center website. Available at: http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/complicationsp.cfm . Accessed August 5, 2005.
Preterm birth. The March of Dimes website. Available at: http://search.marchofdimes.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=567&page_id=6095104&query=preterm+birth&hiword=BIRTHED+BIRTHING+BIRTHS+birth+preterm+ . Accessed August 9, 2005.
Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy. The National Library of Medicine–National Institutes of Health website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003264.htm . Accessed August 5, 2005.
Last reviewed December 2009 by Ganson Purcell Jr., MD, FACOG, FACPE
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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