Spotting in early pregnancy, normal or dangerous?
At a relatively young gestational age, pregnant women are still vulnerable to various conditions. One of the conditions that makes pregnant women very worried is when they experience bleeding. The reason is bleeding is always synonymous with serious conditions such as miscarriage. However, not all bleeding always indicates a serious health problem. In early pregnancy (about 6-12 days after conception), the embryo will begin to stick to the uterine wall, causing light bleeding. Many women think that these light blood spots are the start of a new menstrual cycle. However, implantation bleeding will not be as much as menstrual blood and only last a few hours to a few days. This type of light spotting will also not harm the future baby. Most women who experience implantation bleeding will have normal pregnancies and have healthy babies.
Apart from implantation bleeding, blood spots during early pregnancy can also occur due to hormonal changes so that the cervix (cervix) bleeds more easily, friction during sex, or vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis. The color of the blood that comes out is usually lighter than during menstruation. Spotting during pregnancy in the early stages of pregnancy is not a dangerous thing and is a normal thing to happen. Not only that, if you are pregnant with twins, the possibility of experiencing spots during pregnancy is quite large.
The first thing a mother needs to do if there is bleeding during early pregnancy is to immediately rest. After that, the mother can do the following ways so that the bleeding condition does not get worse:
1. Complete rest
Pregnant women are advised to lie down and rest completely when experiencing bleeding. Reduce time standing and walking. If necessary, ask for permission to leave for pregnant women who are still working. Complete rest allows the placenta to protect the uterus and reduce the risk of miscarriage.
2. Avoid Intimate Relationships
Although having sex is declared safe during pregnancy, women who experience bleeding early in pregnancy should not have sex for a while until the womb is strong and stable.
3. Use Bandages
If there is a lot of blood coming out, avoid using tampons. Pregnant women are advised to use regular pads. In addition, take advantage of pads to help mothers find out how much bleeding is happening.
4. Pay attention to blood color
It is important for pregnant women to pay attention to the color of the blood that comes out, for example pink, brownish red, bright red, and others. The color of the blood that comes out can be a benchmark whether the mother's bleeding is normal or not.
Bleeding Conditions to Watch Out for
Bleeding during early pregnancy can also be caused by more serious conditions such as miscarriage, wine pregnancy, or ectopic pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women need to be aware of if they experience bleeding accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Heavy bleeding such as menstruation, bright red in color and accompanied by cramps in the lower abdomen that is unbearable. Also be alert if bleeding occurs continuously during the first trimester.
- Bleeding accompanied by tissue discharge from Miss V. Pregnant women should not remove the discharged tissue, because doctors may need it for further examination.
- Bleeding is accompanied by dizziness, even fainting. Or bleeding accompanied by chills or fever with a temperature of more than 38 degrees Celsius.
Although generally normal, bleeding during early pregnancy must be addressed properly, in order to avoid things that are harmful to the mother and the fetus. Do not delay consulting a doctor or asking for help to the nearest hospital if you have an emergency.