Is the appearance of bloody discharge in an expectant mother a reason to consult a doctor or is this normal for early pregnancy?
Let's figure it out. Tatyana Vladimirovna Grigorieva, obstetrician-gynecologist at SM-Clinic (@smclinic), told Letidora readers about what the menstrual cycle is, as well as about menstruation during pregnancy. Tatyana Vladimirovna Grigorieva, obstetrician-gynecologist at SM-Clinic
When periods fall at different times
It is often difficult to determine on your own whether your period has arrived or whether it is unwanted bloody formations. Especially for a short period of time. This often happens in the presence of irregular menstruation, which occurs either after a longer period of time or after a shorter one.
Irregular cycle
If the cycle is twenty-eight days, then the onset of pregnancy usually occurs on the 13th or 15th day. This is an ideal situation. In practice, everything depends on the general condition - emotional mood, stress, regularity of sexual relations, weight, the presence of viral infections in the body, taking medications, etc.
This is associated with the release of an egg at the beginning or end of cycles. Sometimes this phenomenon is possible two or three times within a month. In such cases, the woman has doubts whether her period or pregnancy has begun.
What to do if you have brown discharge instead of your period?
If you are faced with spotting and it does not go away in two or three days, and is also not a sign of the first menstruation or the upcoming menopause, then this is a reason to contact a gynecologist. First, the doctor will interview you, then examine you and, most likely, refer you for an ultrasound or other examinations. The most reliable option is microbiological tests, namely a smear. It is taken from the vagina and cervix to understand what caused the spotting. In severe cases of the disease, women are referred for laparoscopy to make an accurate diagnosis. Here's what experts recommend:
- use white pads or underwear during pregnancy to see discharge in time;
- refuse tight artificial underwear;
- try not to disturb the vaginal microflora when washing and not to cause infections;
- Save the drainage pad to ask your doctor for advice.
And remember that only a gynecologist will say for sure whether spotting is a sign of pregnancy or is caused by other reasons.
Presence of an ectopic pregnancy
When the egg rises through the tube after fertilization, it may become embedded in the wrong place. More rarely, attachment occurs near the ovary, in the uterine cervix, in the abdominal cavity, which leads to the subsequent development of bleeding of varying strength. At the same time, it is not easy to determine whether these are signs of pregnancy or menstruation. This process is accompanied by nagging painful sensations and a bloody brown smear - signs of the onset of rejection and miscarriage.
Ectopic pregnancy
At the same time, the lower abdomen aches and hurts, contractions and the release of bloody formations, both spotting, brownish, and copious with ichor, are possible. Signs of a threatened miscarriage may depend on injuries in the abdominal and lumbar regions. When breastfeeding a baby, fertilization can occur without menstruation. The first egg released will be fertilized immediately. In this case, a discharge containing blood appears, similar to menstruation.
Presence of sexual intercourse or smears taken
Pregnancy, and the formation of an unusual background of hormones, changes the structure of tissues in the female body, especially in the genitals, filling them with blood from the veins. Even a routine swab test, such as in the cervical canal, can easily cause mild bleeding. This also applies to frequent sexual intercourse, which injure the uterine cervix in the presence of erosion, ectopia or polyps, as well as other pathological phenomena. As a result, slight discharge with blood occurs. Unusual positions and gross physical intrusion can also cause them and interrupt the normal course of pregnancy.
Presence of other diseases
Women do not always understand the source of bloody discharge. Even in short periods of time, nodules often appear and bleed with minor damage. Small drops of scarlet color appear, which make the woman worry. As the tummy increases, pressure in the abdominal cavity increases and hemorrhoids progress.
With inflammatory processes in the deep uterine layer, with previously performed abortions, artificial termination of pregnancy for other reasons, endometritis can develop. Its symptoms are pain syndromes that gradually increase. The patient has a fever, a general state of weakness and chills. And the key symptom is the presence of blood clots.
What effect does progesterone have on the mucous membranes of the uterus?
Progesterone is the most important hormone throughout pregnancy. It is involved in preparing the endometrium for implantation of a fertilized egg, fetal development, and prevents premature birth. The cause of bleeding from the vagina, including on days when a woman previously had menstruation, may be a lack of this hormone.
Hormonal bleeding left unattended can lead to spontaneous abortion.
However, in most cases, with timely treatment, it is possible to relieve the deficiency condition and minimize risks.
Determining the presence of menstruation or other bleeding
During pregnancy, it is sometimes difficult for a woman to determine whether her periods are passing or whether other substances are being released. When you think you might be pregnant, it is best to consult a qualified gynecologist. He will be able to accurately determine the cause of the bloody discharge and determine the seriousness of the situation. It is important not to delay your visit to a specialist.
The presence of such symptoms indicating the onset of pregnancy is not menstruation. There is another explanation. Carrying out independent testing for the presence of an embryo in the uterine area shows that even if one of the stripes is not very pronounced, this is most likely due to a short period of time.
A blood test for hCG gives a clearer picture with a high degree of probability. Such a study can be carried out already on the eleventh day after supposedly effective sexual intercourse. At the same time, the temperature inside the cervix of the uterine part remains constant at 37, and does not decrease due to the absence of menstruation or spotting instead, or heavy bleeding.
Blood test for hCG
In this case, there are signs of nausea; vomiting may occur more often in the morning, after certain foods. Pain in the abdomen (lower part) and lumbar region.
If during menstruation pain appears before it begins, then the pregnancy process is characterized by the fact that a new manifestation of an attack increases bloody discharge. A fairly common manifestation after fertilization is the presence in a woman of signs of swelling glands, and even their strong increase in size up to the third. Soreness of the nipples and their areola occurs. A different character is noted during pregnancy, since the discharge is not similar to normal menstruation.
After fertilization occurs, discharge occurs in the form of brownish spotting drops or even the presence of one or two bloody drops. There is a discharge in which the thickness and color are similar to a watery liquid riddled with bloody streaks. It is important to know that this type of discharge occurs with a slight delay. The larger it is, the higher the likelihood of productive fertilization. When a girl notices an unusual onset of her periods, she should be checked by a doctor.
This happens in the case when before the critical days there was pain in the lower part, but now this is not observed. Instead, the blood appears unexpectedly, or everything happens the other way around.
Why does spotting appear?
During pregnancy, brown discharge occurs due to a lack of progesterone coupled with muscle hypertonicity. It is important to take action in time, then the daub will stop. If we talk about implantation bleeding as a phenomenon, then it is often one of the early symptoms of pregnancy. Even in the absence of a delay, such discharge will indicate a likely past conception. First, the egg unites with the sperm and a fetal egg is formed, then it penetrates the uterine mucosa and, finally, during this, small vessels are damaged, which causes the coagulation of drops of blood and the appearance of brown discharge. Therefore, if the daub meant pregnancy, then it will go away on its own in a few days. In other cases, as mentioned above, you should definitely visit a gynecologist.
Appropriate Actions for an Expectant Mother
First, calm down and be able to reason and act correctly. First of all, realize that the normal course of the pregnancy process is not associated with “menstruation” and other bleeding. Most likely, this is a complication of the normal course of pregnancy if you did not take a cervical smear.
It is important to concentrate and begin to remember the moments that could help provoke the unwanted condition.
Such consequences may be caused by recent sex. If the discharge is minor, spotting, and there is no pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar region, there is no cause for concern. However, it is advisable to conduct an ultrasound examination in the pelvis and visit a gynecologist as soon as possible.
Important: when the discharge has a bright pink color and is abundant, then you should immediately contact an ambulance. You can drive yourself to a nearby hospital with a gynecology department.
When the pain resembles contractions and bloody discharge is present, you should immediately seek medical attention from a doctor.
It is important to know that you should be allowed through and accepted out of turn in this case. In such emergency situations, there is no need to take a ticket or wait.
Currently, medicine is able to help the expectant mother and baby in safe ways and methods. Timely and effective therapy can restore the normal course of pregnancy.
You need to know that even in the absence of conception, and the presence of severe bleeding. Contacting a gynecologist is mandatory. Only the resumption of normal menstrual cycles without severe pain is an indicator of stable health and the normal course of pregnancy.
Unfortunately, not all women experience such a stable menstrual cycle.
The presence of frequent stressful situations, the accumulation of chronic fatigue, an excessively intense work schedule and the presence of various types of diseases can adversely affect the physiology of the processes.
At the same time, you should always have knowledge about the distinguishing features of normal monthly discharge from the manifestations of excretory substances during pregnancy.
Condition of the expectant mother in the first month of expecting a child
Symptoms of the first month of pregnancy are individual - “every pregnancy is unique”**. However, the most common signs can be identified:
- Increased fatigue, drowsiness, feeling of tiredness, even slight dizziness. The body spends energy on restructuring, and it may not be enough for usual activity.
- Lethargy and apathy. These symptoms may be caused by a natural, temporary decrease in immunity.
- Sudden mood swings. The body of the expectant mother produces progesterone, which affects the psyche and can slightly disrupt the functioning of the central nervous system.
- Problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Heartburn, constipation, bloating are also consequences of progesterone production.
- Periodic increase in temperature up to 37 °C, especially in the afternoon. And this is also one of the likely consequences of the growing level of progesterone.
- Changes in the mammary glands: engorgement and darkening of the nipples, breast enlargement. These are signs of incipient hormonal changes.
- Other common symptoms include increased sense of smell, changes in taste preferences, nausea, aching pain in the lower back, and increased frequency of urination.
Features of the functioning of the female body
It is not uncommon for the appearance of bloody substances from the female body to be a sign of fertilization and conception. It also happens that such discharge in small quantities accompanies a woman during all stages of gestation.
It is important to pay due attention to your health and take into account some features of your life.
The process of conception is associated with the descent of the embryo through the tubes of the uterine part, followed by rejection of the fetal egg or, conversely, its attachment to the abdominal part. In this case, conception occurred. This is sometimes accompanied by a few drops of blood on the underwear.
In this case, the most difficult thing is to find out whether your period has arrived according to calendar dates, or just small bloody discharge, indicating possible fertilization. The most standard case is when conception occurs during ovulation after a two-week period, when the cycle itself lasts four full weeks.
It is not a fact that the ovulation process can begin much earlier. It depends on many factors. In this case, there is often a coincidence in time between the presence of discharge and the onset of menstruation.
When superimposed in this way, they can be distinguished by some characteristic features:
- they are more scarce, since conception is accompanied by less blood;
- short duration from one to three days, in contrast to the norm from four to seven;
- the presence of a different shade (dark brown, light pinkish, brown, black);
- slimy consistency.
There are cases of continuation of menstruation without delay in the early stages of pregnancy. The reason is the shift in ovulation. In such cases, the fetal egg does not have time to gain a foothold in the uterine cavity three to four weeks after its fertilization. The outer layer of the uterine area is shed and bleeds, just like during menstruation.
In this case, fetal development is combined with changes in hormone levels. Previous ovulation occurs earlier and is dangerous if there is sexual intercourse in the final menstrual days.
Therefore, the process of conception occurs with increased blood discharge, perceived by the woman as heavy menstruation.
The use of contraception to prevent such situations is the most effective way for all sexual intercourse. The use of oral contraceptives can easily make it possible for several eggs to be released at the same time (multiple ovulation). It may be earlier, or, conversely, too late. Unprotected sex can lead to the conception of an embryo, and pregnancy after this may be accompanied by spotting.
For many women, having a small amount of blood during ovulation is normal. The presence of several drops and a large number of mucous and stretchy secretions. In this case, it is advisable to undergo regular monitoring by a gynecologist.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
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Abortion and contraception clinic in St. Petersburg - department of the medical gynecological association "Diana"
Make an appointment, tests or ultrasound via the contact form or by calling +8 (812) 62-962-77. We work seven days a week from 09:00 to 21:00.
We are located in the Krasnogvardeisky district, next to the Novocherkasskaya, Ploshchad Alexander Nevsky and Ladozhskaya metro stations.
The cost of a medical abortion in our clinic is 3,300 rubles. The price includes all pills, an examination by a gynecologist and an ultrasound to determine the timing of pregnancy.
conclusions
Pregnancy despite menstruation (if we consider it as a complete rejection of the endometrium) are incompatible. Thus, all stories about menstruation and pregnancy are myths . But at the beginning of pregnancy, bleeding is possible, which, although not menstruation, can coincide in time with it. Such bleeding occurs frequently, has various causes and often does not have any negative consequences. Therefore, women may mistake this bleeding for menstruation and claim that they had a period after becoming pregnant. IMPORTANT : the cause of any bleeding during pregnancy should be clarified at an appointment with a doctor, so as not to waste time and increase the chances of maintaining pregnancy in dangerous cases.
