In case of menstruation during pregnancy it is important to go to the doctor to perform tests that can identify possible changes, such as ectopic pregnancy or detachment of the placenta, which can cause this bleeding.
It is not normal to have menstruation during pregnancy because the blood that would be menstruating is reverted to the developing baby. Thus, blood loss during pregnancy is not about menstruation, but is actually a bleeding, which can put the baby's life at risk.
Main causes of bleeding during pregnancy
Bleeding during pregnancy can have different causes depending on the time of gestation.
Bleeding early in pregnancy is common within the first 15 days after conception and in this case bleeding is pinkish, lasts for about 2 days, and causes menstrual cramps. So a woman who is 2 weeks pregnant but has not yet been tested for pregnancy may think she is menstruating when she is already pregnant. If this is your case see what are the first 10 symptoms of pregnancy and take a pregnancy test that you buy at the pharmacy.
The most common causes of bleeding during pregnancy are:
| Time of gestation | Common Causes of Bleeding |
| First quarter - 1 to 12 weeks | Conception Ectopic pregnancy Placenta detachment Abortion |
| Second trimester - 13 to 24 weeks | Inflammation in uterus Abortion |
| Third quarter - 25-40 weeks | Placenta previa Placental abruption Beginning of labor |
There may also be a small vaginal bleeding after performing exams such as touch, transvaginal ultrasound and amniocentesis, and after exercise.
What to do in case of bleeding during pregnancy
In case of bleeding during pregnancy, at any stage of pregnancy, one should rest while avoiding any kind of effort and go to the doctor as soon as possible so that he can examine and if necessary perform tests such as ultrasound to identify the cause of the bleeding.
Most of the time a small bleeding that occurs sporadically at any stage of pregnancy is not serious and does not put the life of the mother and baby at risk, however, one should immediately go to the hospital when there is:
- Frequent bleeding, requiring more than one daily panties protector per day;
- Loss of live red blood at any stage of pregnancy;
- Bleeding with or without clots and severe abdominal pain;
- Bleeding, fluid loss and fever .
During the last 3 months of pregnancy, a woman often shows bleeding after intimate contact, as the birth canal becomes more tender, bleeding easily. In this case the woman should only go to the hospital if the bleeding continues for more than 1 hour.
