OBGYN: Careful and Personalized Care

Bleeding in the first trimester can mean many different things. Pregnancy sets your body off on a long line of changes, and each baby may bring new challenges. Before discussing potential reasons for bleeding in the first trimester, it is important to know that if you experience any bleeding, you should contact your obstetrician. While there are many reasons which could indicate that slight bleeding during pregnancy is normal, your obstetrician should still know about it in order to catch the whole vision of your pregnancy.

First trimester bleeding could happen for a number of reasons, including but not limited to:

Irritation

Pregnancy hormones can make your cervix and vagina extremely sensitive. This can result in bleeding after intercourse or a physical exam. You may notice this bleeding the following day in the form of brown blood or spotting. Some people experience bleeding almost instantly after these exams, in which blood will be bright red. You can know it is just irritation because it will likely be just a bit of blood (not enough to fill a pad) and will end shortly after starting. 

Implantation

Implantation bleeding usually occurs around the same time you would normally expect your period (10-12 days after fertilization). This is when the fertilized egg burrows into the wall of your uterus, where it will hopefully stay for 9 months. This will usually be just a bit of spotting and is sometimes mistaken for a light period. 

Infection

If you are experiencing painful urination, itching, or odd-colored discharge along with bleeding, you likely have an infection. This can be a bit of a relief since it has nothing to do with your pregnancy, but it can also be a nuisance. Talk to your OB/GYN in order to get a prescription that will take care of the problem without affecting your pregnancy.

Miscarriage

A sudden heavy gush of blood, cramping, pain, and/or passing clots of tissue could all be signs that you may be having a miscarriage. If you are filling up a pad within an hour, vomiting, or in a lot of pain, call your physician or go to the emergency room. There are things that can be done to determine if you are having a miscarriage, and if you are, help you to pass it more easily. 

In conclusion, no matter why you think you may be bleeding, you should make sure that your physician is aware of the situation. If you think you may be miscarrying, call your physician immediately or go to the emergency room. 

For more information about pregnancy, reach out to an obstetrician like Xiao-Mei Zeng MD.