Im pregnant is it normal to bleed

The position of your placenta is recorded at your morphology scan. If the placenta is near the cervix or covering it, the baby cannot get past it to be born vaginally, and a caesarean will be recommended.

Vasa praevia is a rare condition, occurring in about 1 in 3, to 1 in 6, births. It occurs when the blood vessels of the umbilical cord run through the membranes covering the cervix. Normally the blood vessels would be protected within the umbilical cord. When the membranes rupture and your waters break, these vessels may be torn and this can cause vaginal bleeding. The baby can lose a life-threatening amount of blood and die. It is very difficult to diagnose vasa praevia, but it may occasionally be spotted before birth by an ultrasound scan.

Vasa praevia should be suspected if there is bleeding and the baby's heart rate changes suddenly after the rupture of the membranes.

It is linked with placenta praevia. To work out what is causing bleeding, you may need to have a vaginal or pelvic examination, an ultrasound scan or blood tests to check your hormone levels. Your doctor will also ask you about other symptoms, such as cramp, pain and dizziness.

It is possible that the tests and investigations will not find the cause of the bleeding. If your symptoms are not severe and your baby is not due for a while, you will be monitored and, in some cases, kept in hospital for observation.

You might have to stay in overnight, or until the birth, depending on the cause of the bleeding and how many weeks pregnant you are. This will enable staff to keep an eye on you and your baby so that they can act quickly if there are any further problems. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Unfortunately half of these pregnancies may also end in miscarriage, which cannot be prevented. Read more on WA Health website. There are several types of miscarriage — threatened, inevitable, complete, incomplete or missed.

Miscarriage Despite being common and widespread, miscarriage can be a heartbreaking experience — with up to one in five pregnancies ending before week Read more on Gidget Foundation Australia website. Unfortunately not all pregnancies are successful. Find out more on miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy and stillbirth and neonatal birth. You need to talk to your doctor if you experience very severe morning sickness as you may not be getting all the nutrients you and your baby need or early pregnancy spotting spot bleeding as you may be at risk of miscarriage.

Read more on Parenthub website. This Dads Guide to Pregnancy covers miscarriage, the grief men might experience after miscarriage, and how to support partners after pregnancy loss. Read more on raisingchildren. The cervix may bleed more easily during pregnancy because more blood vessels are developing in this area. It is not uncommon to have spotting or light bleeding after sexual intercourse or after a Pap test or pelvic exam.

Problems that can cause bleeding in early pregnancy include infection, early pregnancy loss, and ectopic pregnancy. Loss of a pregnancy during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy is called early pregnancy loss or miscarriage. It happens in about 10 in known pregnancies. Bleeding and cramping are signs of early pregnancy loss.

But about half of women who have a miscarriage do not have any bleeding beforehand. If you have had an early pregnancy loss, some of the pregnancy tissue may be left in the uterus. This tissue needs to be removed. You can allow the tissue to pass naturally, or it can be removed with medication or surgery. See Early Pregnancy Loss.

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg does not implant in the uterus but instead implants somewhere else, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. If the fallopian tube ruptures, internal bleeding can occur.

Blood loss may cause weakness, fainting, pain, shock, or even death. Sometimes vaginal bleeding is the only sign of an ectopic pregnancy. Other symptoms may include abdominal, pelvic, or shoulder pain. These symptoms can occur before you even know you are pregnant. If you have these symptoms, call your ob-gyn right away.

The pregnancy will not survive, and it must be removed with medication or surgery. See Ectopic Pregnancy. Common problems that may cause light bleeding later in pregnancy include inflammation of or growths on the cervix. Heavy bleeding is a more serious sign. Heavy bleeding may be caused by a problem with the placenta.

Any amount of bleeding also may signal preterm labor. If you have any bleeding late in pregnancy, contact your ob-gyn right away or go to the hospital. Placental abruption —In placental abruption, the placenta detaches from the wall of the uterus before or during birth. The most common signs and symptoms are vaginal bleeding and abdominal or back pain. Placental abruption can cause serious complications if it is not found early.

The fetus may not get enough oxygen , and the pregnant woman can lose a large amount of blood. Placenta previa —When the placenta lies low in the uterus, it may partly or completely cover the cervix.

This is called placenta previa. It may cause vaginal bleeding. This type of bleeding often occurs without pain. Some types of placenta previa resolve on their own by 32 to 35 weeks of pregnancy as the lower part of the uterus stretches and thins out. Labor and delivery then can happen normally.

It may happen a few days before contractions start or during labour itself. Find out about the signs of labour and what happens in labour. This is a serious condition in which the placenta starts to come away from the womb wall. Placental abruption usually causes stomach pain, and this may occur even if there is no bleeding.

This is when the placenta is attached in the lower part of the womb, near to or covering the cervix. Bleeding from a low-lying placenta can be very heavy, and put you and your baby at risk.

You may be advised to go into hospital for emergency treatment, and a caesarean section will usually be recommended. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has more information on placenta praevia. This is a rare condition where the baby's blood vessels run through the membranes covering the cervix.

When your waters break, these vessels may be torn and cause vaginal bleeding. The baby can lose a life-threatening amount of blood. To work out what is causing the bleeding, you may need to have a vaginal or pelvic examination, an ultrasound scan or blood tests to check your hormone levels. Your doctor will also ask you about other symptoms, such as cramp, pain and dizziness. Sometimes it might not be possible to find out what caused the bleeding.

If your symptoms are not severe and your baby is not due for a while, you'll be monitored and, in some cases, kept in hospital for observation. How long you need to stay in hospital depends on the cause of the bleeding and how many weeks pregnant you are.