Common Causes of Bleeding During Pregnancy

There are many concerns and worries that you need to have during pregnancy, and although you certainly do not want to stress yourself out, at the same time you need to be aware of the different things that can go wrong even though many of them are rare, so that you can be prepared and know what to expect, just in case.

Bleeding During Pregnancy

One of the most common and often most dangerous issues is bleeding during pregnancy. Vaginal bleeding can occur frequently in the first trimester of pregnancy and may not be a sign of problems, and although this is not usually of any concern, any bleeding during pregnancy that occurs during the second or third trimesters is often a sign of serious complications.

During the first trimester bleeding may just be a commonality but it can also be a sign of miscarriage. Besides vaginal bleeding if you have had a miscarriage you will most likely notice cramping or pain low in the stomach around the pelvic area and tissue passing through the vagina. Just remember that a miscarriage does not mean that you are not going to be able to have a happy, healthy pregnancy in the future.

Bleeding during pregnancy in the second trimester is much more serious, and common conditions of minor bleeding include an inflamed cervix or growths in the cervix and late bleeding may pose a threat to the health of the woman or the fetus. Vaginal bleeding may be caused by the placenta detaching from the uterine wall before or during labor.

There are women who are at higher risk for this placental abruption, including those who have already had children, who are aged 35 and older, have had placental abruptions before, have sickle cell anemia, high blood pressure, trauma or injuries to the stomach, and those who have used cocaine in the past.

Bleeding during the pregnancy in the third trimester is most dangerous and frightening of all, and more now than during any other time, it is critical that you call your doctor as soon as you notice even the slightest spotting of blood at this point in your pregnancy. Often times bleeding at this point in a pregnancy it may be a sign of preterm labor, because as the cervix tins or effaces and begins to dilate in preparation for labor there is often bloody show.

If you ever experience bleeding at any point in your pregnancy it is important to seek medical help immediately to make sure that both you and your baby are safe and healthy.