When I was pregnant with my third child, I began bleeding heavily at 12 weeks for 24hrs. After much research, a couple conversations with my midwives and a few ultrasounds later-I was fine....But what caused it? Well, in my situation the bleeding was caused by a rare condition called Subchorionic Hematoma. This condition is basically a hemorrhage within the uterus which began with the egg implantation. It can take up to 20 weeks to clot and dissolve.
When bleeding occurs in pregnancy, our first thought is miscarriage and yet spotting-heavy bleeding in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is seen in over 20-30% of pregnant women. I have researched this common issue in order to eliminate our worst fear of a loss of the baby. It is quite normal.
Here are a few other causes of early term bleeding:
1. Leftover Cycle blood (brown blood means old blood)
2. Implantation bleeding You may have some light spotting for a day or two at about the time when the fertilized egg burrows into the wall of your uterus. This is a process that starts just six to seven days after fertilization, so you wouldn't even know you were pregnant yet.
3. Infections Spotting can also be caused by conditions unrelated to pregnancy. A vaginal infection (such as a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis) or a sexually transmitted infection (such as trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, or herpes) can cause your cervix to become irritated or inflamed. An inflamed cervix is particularly prone to spotting after sex or a Pap smear. You may also spot or bleed after sex or a Pap smear if you have a cervical polyp (a benign growth).
4. Placental problems or premature labor In the second or third trimester, bleeding or spotting can be a sign of a serious condition such as placenta previa, placental abruption (in which the placenta separates from the uterus), a late miscarriage (between 13 weeks and midpregnancy), or premature labor (between midpregnancy and 37 weeks).
Even first trimester bleeding may be a sign of an underlying problem with the placenta. Research shows a link between early pregnancy bleeding and an increased risk of later complications, such as preterm delivery or placental abruption, particularly if the bleeding is heavy.
5. Miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy(1 out of 60 pregnancies)
Spotting or bleeding can be an early sign of miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy, especially if accompanied by abdominal pain or cramping. (Bleeding can also signal a molar pregnancy, a relatively rare condition in which abnormalities in the fertilized egg at conception make it impossible for the embryo to develop or survive.)
When is it serious?
~If you have severe bleeding or cramps and contractions (call 911)
~If vaginal bleeding in pregnancy lasts for more than 24 hours and you are unable to get in touch with your health care provider or you don't have one
~If you faint (pass out) or feel very dizzy
~If you are bleeding and develop a fever over 100.5°F
~If you have pain worse than a normal period, or severe localized pain in your abdomen, pelvis, or back
~If you have undergone an abortion and develop a fever, abdominal or pelvic pain, or increased bleeding
~If you have been given medical treatment for ectopic pregnancy with methotrexate, and you develop increased abdominal or pelvic pain within the first week after the injection.
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