First-Trimester Bleeding
If you have vaginal bleeding at any time during pregnancy,
report it to your doctor immediately. Vaginal bleeding can be a
sign of
miscarriage or premature labor during a pregnancy, but
sometimes it is not, particularly in the first trimester.
During the first trimester of pregnancy:
- Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is more
common in women who have previously been pregnant than in women who are
pregnant for the first time.
- Very early spotting is sometimes the
result of the fertilized egg implanting in the uterus. Implantation takes place
6 to 10 days after the sperm fertilizes the egg.
- Bleeding can be a
sign of miscarriage. Early bleeding during the first 6 weeks or so can be an
early miscarriage called a blighted ovum. Although a
gestational sac has developed, the fertilized egg has not developed into an
embryo. This is usually caused by a chromosomal error in the early stages of
cell formation. On an ultrasound, a blighted ovum is likely to look like an
empty sac attached to the uterine wall.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Femi Olatunbosun, MB, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Last Revised | April 18, 2011 |