Patient education: Bleeding in early pregnancy (The Basics)

Does bleeding mean that I am having a miscarriage? — Not necessarily. Vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy is sometimes called a "threatened miscarriage." You might also have belly pain or cramping. The bleeding usually stops on its own, and the pregnancy will continue normally.

Sometimes, bleeding does end in miscarriage, also called "pregnancy loss." This is when a pregnancy ends before 20 weeks. (A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks.)

What else can cause bleeding during early pregnancy? — There are other conditions that can cause bleeding from the vagina during the first half of pregnancy. Rarely, vaginal bleeding and belly pain are caused by an ectopic pregnancy. This is when the pregnancy is located in the wrong place in the body, outside of the uterus. This is sometimes called a "tubal pregnancy."

Should I call my doctor or nurse? — Yes. If you are pregnant and have bleeding from your vagina or pain in your belly, call your doctor, nurse, or midwife right away. Bleeding during pregnancy can sometimes be a symptom of an emergency condition such as an ectopic pregnancy.

Will I need tests? — Yes. Your doctor, nurse, or midwife will ask about your symptoms and do an exam. They will also check for your baby's heartbeat. There are 2 main ways to do this. They can use:

●A device called a "fetal Doppler monitor" – This device is placed on your belly. It uses sound waves to let you hear your baby's heartbeat.

●An imaging test called an ultrasound – An ultrasound uses sound waves to create pictures of the inside of your body and of your baby. This test can show pictures of your baby's heartbeat.

Your doctor will probably also do a test to measure the amount of "hCG" (a pregnancy hormone) in your blood. You might need to have this test again a few days later.

How is bleeding in early pregnancy treated? — Unfortunately, there is no proven way to treat bleeding during pregnancy.

Sometimes, doctors recommend that anyone with vaginal bleeding lie in bed, avoid heavy lifting, or avoid having sex. But these treatments have not been shown to help prevent pregnancy loss.

If you have bleeding from your vagina, your doctor will monitor your symptoms until 1 of the following things happen:

●Your bleeding stops, and your doctor has made sure that your pregnancy is growing normally.

●You have a pregnancy loss or another problem with your pregnancy. If this happens, your doctor will talk with you about what to do next.

Could I have done something to cause this? — Probably not. And if your bleeding results in pregnancy loss, do not blame yourself.

Most of the time, when a person has a pregnancy loss, it is not because of anything they did. It's normal to feel sad or upset about it, but there is usually nothing you could have done to prevent it.

If you are struggling or think you might be depressed, tell your doctor or nurse. There are treatments that can help.

More on this topic

Patient education: Pregnancy loss (The Basics)
Patient education: Coping after pregnancy loss (The Basics)
Patient education: How to plan and prepare for a healthy pregnancy (The Basics)
Patient education: Ectopic pregnancy (The Basics)

Patient education: Miscarriage (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Ectopic (tubal) pregnancy (Beyond the Basics)