Can there be menstruation during pregnancy? This is a question young women often wonder whether pregnancy and menstruation can occur at the same time.
Indeed, during pregnancy, some women experience bleeding, which is mistaken for menstruation.
But it is not so. There can be no full-fledged menstruation during pregnancy.
The endometrium, a layer of cells that lines the uterus from the inside and comes out with blood during menstruation, helps the placenta develop during pregnancy and remains in the body.
The cycle of monthly renewal of the endometrium stops during pregnancy. However, bleeding during pregnancy is not uncommon.
Their appearance indicates that there are some malfunctions or pathological conditions in the woman’s body.
It can be a hormonal imbalance, a threat of miscarriage, and even an ectopic pregnancy.
Unfortunately, many young women underestimate this symptom, believing that periods during pregnancy are possible, and do not worry about discharge.
They do not consult a doctor until the situation becomes critical. And in some cases, a timely reaction can save not only the future child, but also the life of the mother.
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What can cause bleeding during pregnancy
To understand how menstruation can begin during pregnancy, and what should be done at the same time, let’s turn to the processes that occur in the body of a pregnant woman.
During sexual intercourse, sperm enters the vagina and then the uterus.
But fertilization may not happen immediately: spermatozoa remain active for three days.
After the germ cells unite, the fertilized egg is attached to the wall of the uterus.
This, too, may not happen immediately, but over several days.
If these processes are prolonged, normal regular menstruation may begin.
At the same time, the ovum will be fixed in the uterus, and the pregnancy will develop normally.
A pregnancy test will show a positive result. Unfortunately, this rarely happens. Much more often, bloody discharge is an alarming symptom.
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Early pregnancy and menstruation
In some cases, the fertilized egg is fixed not in the uterus, but in the fallopian tube or outside the genitals.
An ectopic pregnancy develops – a serious pathology that poses a serious threat to the life of the mother and excludes a successful outcome for the fetus.
With an ectopic pregnancy, bleeding can mean a rupture of the fallopian tube.
The walls of the fallopian tubes are only 2-3 millimeters thick, they are inelastic.
If an embryo develops and grows in the tube, the wall ruptures, and internal bleeding begins.
This usually happens within 3-4 weeks. In this situation, urgent surgical intervention is necessary.
Characteristic secretions may also appear when the epithelium is sloughed off and there is a threat of miscarriage. This is possible with hormonal failures in a woman’s body.
But sometimes spontaneous termination of pregnancy occurs due to internal failures that are almost impossible to predict in advance.
If a young woman leads an unhealthy lifestyle – consumes alcohol, other toxic substances, or does a lot of physical work, this can increase the risk of an involuntary abortion.
The discharge will mean that the process of rejecting the embryo has begun.
Sometimes the cause of discharge is the death of one of the embryos during a multiple pregnancy.
If several eggs have been fertilized, the development of other embryos may continue. But the risk of death of these embryos in this situation is quite high.
In some cases, the cause of secretions are pathologies or diseases of the uterus.
The ovum cannot be successfully fixed in the uterus, especially if there are pathologies or neoplasms in the uterus.
If the pregnancy develops normally, but the woman continues to have menstruation-like discharge, this indicates a hormonal imbalance.
Insufficient production of the necessary hormones is alarming, but, as a rule, not a dangerous condition.
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If menstruation began during pregnancy, is there a chance to save the child?
Fortunately, the appearance of bleeding does not mean termination of pregnancy at all.
Of course, in case of severe pathologies, such as ectopic pregnancy, it will not be possible to save the fetus.
But if you do not consult a doctor in these cases, then there will be a very high risk of losing the child, and in some cases – the mother.
Reader’s Question
What can be associated with bleeding during pregnancy?
Full periods while carrying a child are impossible. The endometrium, which lines the uterus from the inside and comes out with menstrual blood every month, is not rejected during pregnancy, but serves as the basis for the development of the placenta.
Therefore, bleeding in pregnant women cannot be associated with menstruation.
What are the causes of bleeding during pregnancy?
In the early stages, a quarter of pregnant women may experience slight spotting bleeding.
They are associated, as a rule, with the implantation of the embryo to the wall of the uterus.
Such minor bleeding during early pregnancy occurs both during natural conception and after IVF.
Unfortunately, in most cases, bleeding from the genital tract indicates problems with bearing a child. The cause of bleeding during pregnancy may be:
- hormonal imbalance;
- ectopic pregnancy;
- subchorionic hemorrhage;
- threat of miscarriage;
- premature detachment of the placenta;
- premature birth, etc.
If menstruation has appeared during pregnancy, it is recommended to contact the gynecologist who is observing the patient without fail.
Even with minor bleeding discharge, it is necessary to go to the doctor for an examination, and in case of pronounced bleeding (especially if it is accompanied by pain, spasms, weakness or loss of consciousness), it is necessary to call an emergency team.
An obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in pregnancy management conducts routine examinations of the expectant mother, refers to tests and deals with the prevention of complications in the pregnant woman and the fetus.
You can ask your doctor questions about bleeding during pregnancy and discuss the order of your actions in the event of such a problem.
Is menstruation possible during pregnancy?
Such a question can worry future young mothers. After a woman becomes pregnant, her monthly menstrual flow stops. Release of blood from the genital tract during pregnancy is called obstetric bleeding.
How to distinguish menstruation from bleeding during pregnancy?
True menstruation differs from discharge during early pregnancy in terms of duration (4-7 days) and gradual development.
Menstruation, as a rule, begins with smearing brown discharge and gradually increases to the discharge of red blood.
When is menstruation during pregnancy?
Although women do not have a “period” during pregnancy, they may have periods. Usually 1 in 4 pregnant women have “a little” bleeding during their first trimester. Bleeding can occur about a week after ovulation, when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus.
When is an ectopic pregnancy period?
There are no monthly periods in case of ectopic pregnancy, but smears may be observed. Ectopic pregnancy is most often tubal, when the fertilized egg does not reach the uterine cavity, but is attached to the wall of the fallopian tube.
Why did I bleed during pregnancy?
Light bleeding is normal during pregnancy. A woman may have blood clots, thicker blood or just bloody discharge.
However, it is important to keep in mind that bleeding can be a sign of miscarriage, placental abruption, or placenta previa. So if you notice blood, seek medical help immediately.
What does discharge look like at the beginning of pregnancy?
First of all, the synthesis of the progesterone hormone increases and blood flow to the pelvic organs increases. These processes are often accompanied by abundant vaginal discharge. They can be translucent, white or with a slight yellowish tint.
How long does bleeding last during pregnancy?
With implantation bleeding, when the fertilized egg is attached to the lining of the uterus, small spots or streaks of blood may appear. It usually lasts only a day or two, and occurs during the period of implantation or when the period should have started.
