Vaginal Discharge and Bleeding in Pregnancy

Vaginal Bleeding

The following guidelines will help you determine the severity of your vaginal bleeding.

  • Severe bleeding means you are soaking through your usual pads or tampons each hour for 2 or more hours.  For most patients, soaking through their usual pads or tampons every hour for 2 or more hours is not normal and is considered severe.  If you are pregnant: You may have a gush of blood or pass a clot, but if the bleeding stops, it is not considered severe.
  • Moderate bleeding means that you are soaking more than 1 pad or tampon in 3 hours.
  • Mild bleeding means that you are soaking less than 1 pad or tampon in more than 3 hours.
  • Minimal bleeding means “spotting” or a few drops of blood. It may come and go.  It is usually painless.

Vaginal spotting in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy can be normal.  It may be the result of the pregnancy settling within the walls of the uterus.  Other causes of vaginal bleeding could be the result of irritation of the uterus from the fetus growing, cervical irritation after sex, or from vaginal warts. 

vaginal bleeding

 

Bleeding during the first trimester of pregnancy:

Up to 25 out of 100 pregnant women have some spotting or light vaginal bleeding. Of these women, about half of them do not have a miscarriage. Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is more common among patients who have been pregnant before than in patients who are pregnant for the first time.

Very early spotting sometimes occurs when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus. Implantation takes place 6 to 10 days after fertilization.

Vaginal bleeding can be a sign of miscarriage or preterm labor during pregnancy in the first trimester.

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 20 weeks. Miscarriages are very common. Most happen because the fertilized egg in the uterus does not develop as it should. Stress, exercise, or sex does not cause a miscarriage. It may be upsetting to hear that you may lose your pregnancy, however, there is nothing that you did to cause the miscarriage. There is no treatment to stop a miscarriage. Additional signs of a miscarriage are bright red blood, more than light spotting, and pain in the lower middle part of your pelvis. If you have any of these symptoms please call your Provider’s office.  You may also need to come in to be seen. The Provider may order or perform an ultrasound. 

 

Bleeding during the second or third trimester of pregnancy may mean a problem is present, such as:

  • Placenta previa: normally, the placenta is attached to the top portion of the uterus. In placenta previa, the placenta has attached low in the uterus, and partially or completely covers or blocks the cervix.
  • Placenta abruption: Normally the placenta is firmly attached to the uterine wall until birth.  If the placenta separates from the uterus before the baby is delivered, this is called placental abruption. Placental abruption usually occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy, but it can occur any time after the 20th week.

Please call your Provider’s office if you have severe to mild vaginal bleeding at any time during your pregnancy, and you:

  • Have an Rh negative blood type (A-, B-, AB-, O-)
  • Have been told you have a low-lying placenta, placenta previa, or placenta accrete
  • Are soaking through a menstrual pad in one hour or less
  • Are having contractions
  • Feel leaking of water from the vagina or think your water broke
  • Feel lightheaded, dizzy, or like your heart is racing
  • Your abdomen is in severe pain and feels very hard or tender to the touch