SELF: Is Bleeding During Pregnancy Normal? Here’s What to Know

SELF recently interviewed Mariam Naqvi, MD, a maternal fetal medicine specialist and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Cedars-Sinai, about lesser-known causes of bleeding during different stages of pregnancy.

Naqvi told SELF that there are several reasons why a pregnant person may bleed during the first 20 weeks of gestation, including a so-called threatened miscarriage. This occurs when a patient experiences symptoms of a miscarriage, such as heavy bleeding and cramping, but still has a closed cervix and a fetal heartbeat (signs of an active pregnancy). Naqvi added that pregnant people are diagnosed with this condition through a physical evaluation.

Another common cause of bleeding during a baby’s first 20 weeks is the development of a blood clot between the uterine wall and outer membrane that protects the fetus, called a subchorionic hematoma. Naqvi said that physicians use an ultrasound to determine the location of the bleeding to diagnose this type of blood clot.

Although bleeding is less common during the second half of pregnancy, placental abruption or vasa previa—when unprotected blood vessels from a baby’s umbilical cord seep across the cervix—can cause bleeding during the later stages of fetus development.

Naqvi told SELF that regardless of the trimester, bleeding is the most common reason pregnant people are admitted to the hospital. Although it doesn’t automatically signal a serious medical problem, Naqvi said it’s imperative that pregnant people seek medical care if they notice any bleeding.

“We want someone to get to the hospital as soon as possible,” she said.

Click here to read the complete article from SELF.