Bleeding In Pregnancy

Every woman's pregnancy is different, sometimes the same woman's experience will differ between pregnancies. While there are some things that are pretty consistent or likely to happen during pregnancy, such as morning sickness during the first trimester, the levels of severity may vary from woman to woman, pregnancy to pregnancy. While most side effects are expected, there are some that a woman may want to pay special attention to. One of which is bleeding during pregnancy.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, women are more likely to have vaginal bleeding during the first trimester. And while it's considered normal and relatively harmless to bleed a little during the first and near the end of the third trimesters, if the bleeding is heavy or lasts for long periods of time, it may indicate a complication with the pregnancy.

Harmless first-trimester bleeding occurs when the cervix softens with an increased blood flow to the uterus. A fertilized egg implanting to the uterine wall may also cause harmless bleeding.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, bleeding during the first trimester can indicate the following, which will require immediate attention from a health care provider: cervical cancer, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, molar pregnancy or an infection.

The following are reasons for second- or third- trimester bleeding, according to the Mayo Clinic: Miscarriage, placenta previa, placental abruption, preterm labor, cervical infections or a uterine rupture.