3 Steps To Take If You Notice Bleeding When You're First Pregnant
Finding out you're pregnant can be so exciting, but it can also quickly turn to dread if you notice a little bleeding at the start. Before you hit the panic button, it's important to get to the bottom of the bleeding, because losing blood doesn't always indicate a miscarriage. There's no real way to tell on your own, so follow these steps if you notice you're bleeding in the early stages of your pregnancy:
Acquaint Yourself With The Different Causes Of Early Pregnancy Bleeding
Sometimes it could be implantation bleeding, where the egg attaches to the uterine wall, which could trigger light spotting or blood streaks. It often resembles a light period, so it can be easy to miss pregnancy signs until later. This type of bleeding can last a few days or even a few weeks. The blood could also be breakthrough bleeding, which is something that may appear during the time of your normal menstruation cycles every few weeks. You may feel cramping and heaviness just as you did before your periods started. A low-lying placenta may also cause vaginal bleeding in the early stages. Apart from these, bleeding may also occur if you're experiencing a threatened miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.
Stay Calm And Avoid Stressing Your Body Out
While easier said than done, try to stay calm because stress will only make you feel worse. The minute you notice bleeding, use a sanitary pad. Avoid tampons because they can irritate the vaginal area and stress your body out. Additionally, tampons could pick up bacteria while you're trying to place them in your vagina. The bacteria may reach the uterus and cause unnecessary health complications for your unborn baby. The best thing to do to avoid stressing your body is to wear sanitary pads for the time being.
Contact Your Obstetrician Quickly
If you notice any bleeding in the early stages, it may be nothing serious, but it could also be an issue. It's important that you contact and organise an appointment with your obstetrician as quickly as possible to get to the bottom of the blood loss. Your obstetrician may order an ultrasound to see whether the bleeding source can be identified. The ultrasound will also be used to pick up the heartbeat of the foetus. If there is a heartbeat, then it is likely that the bleeding is not too serious. Don't panic if there is no heartbeat because it can be difficult to pick up on something early on in your pregnancy.
Consulting with your obstetrician is the best way to identify why you're bleeding in early pregnancy, so don't put off your appointment.