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Bleeding During Pregnancy

Article Summary: Pregnancy is a joyful time, but it can also be a time filled with worry and concern for many women. Noticing spotting during pregnancy can set off alarm bells for many pregnant women. Is it a sign of problems?

Pregnancy is a joyful time, but it can also be a time filled with worry and concern for many women. Noticing spotting during pregnancy can set off alarm bells for many pregnant women. Is it a sign of problems? Is it your period, which many women swear they continue to get all through their pregnancy? Or is it something completely different? Bleeding during pregnancy can be cause for concern but it can also be normal. So how do you know when to call your health care provider?

What is Implantation Bleeding?

Implantation bleeding is lighter than menstrual bleeding, and consists of pink or brown colored blood. Implantation bleeding occurs when the trophoblast, or tissue that surrounds the egg, attaches to the endometrium and slowly eats its way into the lining. As it does so, it eats through the mother's blood vessels, forming blood lakes within itself. When these blood lakes form near the surface of the trophoblast, they often cause implantation bleeding.

Many pregnant women have vaginal spotting or bleeding in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. If there is vaginal bleeding early in pregnancy, a doctor will perform a pelvic exam. A blood test may be done to measure human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a substance produced during pregnancy. As the pregnancy progresses, hCG levels increase, so there may be more than one test. Ultrasound may be used to find the cause of the bleeding.

Sometimes the cause is not found. Special care may be needed if there is bleeding since there is a higher chance of going into labor too early (preterm labor) or having an infant who is born too small.

There are Times to Worry

However, bleeding during pregnancy be a sign of impending miscarriage. Your care provider may want to you to come in to check the baby's heartbeat or to have an ultrasound check.

You may be advised to put your feet up and avoid physical activity. Studies have shown that this is not particularly helpful in preventing miscarriage, but it makes many moms feel better.

Bright red bleeding could also indicate complications such as a low-lying placenta (placenta previa). This is a situation where the placenta is lying across the cervix. This complication often corrects itself by the end of pregnancy.

The other cause for bleeding during pregnancy is implantation bleeding. It is a condition where a little amount of bleeding takes place in the very early stages of pregnancy (10-14 days after fertilization).

It happens generally when the fertilized egg joins the lining of the uterus. This condition doesn’t last for longer period.

Molar pregnancy is a condition where an abnormal mass (without a baby) develops in the uterus after fertilization process. In molar pregnancy, bleeding during pregnancy is most common. However, it is a rare cause of bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Bleeding during late pregnancy

There are several causes for bleeding during late pregnancy. Sometimes bleeding can be a sign of normal labor; however, any time you experience bleeding during pregnancy you should call your doctor right away. Bleeding in late pregnancy can be a sign of problems with the placenta such as placenta previa or placental abruption. It could also be a sign of a late miscarriage if you are in your second trimester or preterm labor.

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

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Rick Hutch
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