Realizing you are spotting is one of the scariest moments in a pregnancy. It immediately brings fear of miscarriage to mind. However, there are several causes of spotting in pregnancy. Some are potentially dangerous and others are less serious.
Spotting isn’t all that uncommon. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, about twenty percent of pregnant women experience spotting in the first trimester of pregnancy.
While spotting may not be cause for alarm, you should always report it to your health care provider. Spotting is one of the main symptoms of a miscarriage, so call your doctor and report any episodes of spotting. She will advise you over the phone or have you come to the office to be checked.
When you call your doctor, you will probably be asked a few questions. Your health care provider will ask about the color of the blood and the amount. In addition, he will want to know about any pain you are experiencing and if you have other symptoms, such as a fever. You may be asked whether you recently had a vaginal exam or sex, since these can cause harmless spotting.
Generally, if you are having a miscarriage, spotting won’t be the only symptom. Other signs of impending miscarriage include pain in the abdomen. The blood is also bright red and is often heavier than spotting.
If you haven’t had an ultrasound during the pregnancy, your doctor may schedule one to rule out problems, such as ectopic pregnancy. The ultrasound also gives the doctor the opportunity to view the baby and be sure everything is progressing as it should be, considering your stage of pregnancy. The ultrasound will also show problems such as placental abruption, placenta previa or subchorionic hemorrhage.
A subchorionic hemorrhage is a blood clot that will generally dissolve and be reabsorbed by your body. This can be seen on an ultrasound. The subchorionic hemorrhage will be monitored by your doctor to be sure it dissolves as it should. Although there is slightly higher risk of miscarriage with subchorionic hemorrhage, most pregnancies turn out fine.
If the ultrasound shows no problems, your doctor may suspect an infection. Certain infections, such as yeast infections, bacterial infections and some sexually transmitted diseases can cause spotting. The best way to treat this is to diagnose and treat the infection.
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