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 placental detachment, which can cause this bleeding.
Menstruation is not normal during pregnancy because the menstrual cycle is interrupted during pregnancy. Thus, there is no flaking of the lining of the uterus, which is necessary for the proper development of the baby.
Thus, blood loss during pregnancy is not related to menstruation, but is actually bleeding, which should always be assessed by the obstetrician as it can put the baby's life at risk.
Main causes of bleeding during pregnancy
Bleeding during pregnancy can have different causes depending on the length of pregnancy.
Bleeding early in pregnancy is common in the first 15 days after conception and, in this case, the bleeding is pink, lasts for about 2 days and causes cramps similar to menstruation. Thus, a woman who is 2 weeks pregnant but who has not yet taken a pregnancy test may find that she is menstruating when she is actually already pregnant. If this is your case, see what are the first 10 pregnancy symptoms and take a pregnancy test that you can buy at the pharmacy.
The most common causes of bleeding during pregnancy are:
| Gestation time | Common causes of bleeding |
| First trimester - 1 to 12 weeks |
Conception Ectopic pregnancy Detachment of the 'placenta' Abortion |
| Second trimester - 13 to 24 weeks |
Inflammation in the uterus Abortion |
| Third trimester - 25 to 40 weeks |
Placenta prev Placental abruption Start of labor |
There may also be minor vaginal bleeding after exams such as touch, transvaginal ultrasound and amniocentesis, and after exercising.
What to do in case of bleeding during pregnancy
In case of bleeding during pregnancy, at any stage of pregnancy, one should rest and avoid any type 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 little bleeding that happens 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 panty protector per day; Loss of bright red blood at any stage of pregnancy; Bleeding with or without clots and severe abdominal pain; Bleeding, loss of fluid and fever.
In the last 3 months of pregnancy, it is common for the woman to bleed after intimate contact, since the birth canal becomes more sensitive, bleeding easily. In this case, the woman should only go to the hospital if the bleeding continues for more than 1 hour.
