Spots during pregnancy, the causes and the right time to consult a doctor

Have you ever had spots during pregnancy? This condition is clearly frightening for a mother-to-be. The blood spots are a question mark for the whereabouts of the fetus and the health of the pregnant woman. In some circumstances, spots are considered normal, but still blood spots during pregnancy are caused by something that is not working properly. The following is the full explanation.

Spots during pregnancy in the first trimester

Although it invites a lot of questions, most cases of brown spots during early pregnancy are fairly normal.

This early streak of blood is referred to as implantation bleeding and is common for one in five pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy.

In early pregnancy (about 6-12 days after fertilization), the embryo will begin to attach 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 because:

Hormonal changes so that the cervix (cervix) bleeds more easily.
excessive penetration of the penis during sex
Vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis.

The color of the blood that comes out is usually lighter than during menstruation. Spotting during pregnancy in early 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.

In the journal entitled Fertility and Sterility, it is written that more than 30 pregnant women with twins have a healthier chance even though they experience bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Blood spots during early pregnancy can be a sign of danger

However, brown spots during early pregnancy (first trimester of pregnancy) can be a sign of a miscarriage or other serious complications.

This includes miscarriage, pregnancy in wine, placenta problems such as placenta previa, placenta accreta, placental abruption, to ectopic pregnancies.

The reason is, most of the miscarriages occur at the beginning of the week around 13 weeks of gestation and are marked by spots during pregnancy.

If you experience spots and are not accompanied by cramps, talk to your doctor immediately. Some of the symptoms of a miscarriage include:

Mild to severe back pain
Loss of weight
Pink and white mucus discharge from the vagina
Cramps or contractions
A blood clot comes out of the vagina

If you have a miscarriage, it is unlikely that you will save the fetus. For further examination, immediately contact your obstetrician and perform an ultrasound test.

The doctor will usually order a curette to clean the uterus.

Spots during pregnancy in the second and third trimesters

In some conditions, the discharge of spots in the first trimester of pregnancy is normal.

However, if the second and third trimesters still experience the same thing, pregnant women need to consult a doctor.

The reason is, there are several conditions that cause spots during pregnancy in the second and third trimesters:

Placenta previa

This condition occurs when the placenta covers part or all of the cervix. Placenta previa can be seen through ultrasound examination in the second and third trimester by means of spots during pregnancy.

If pregnant women experience spots during pregnancy and even bleeding profusely, consult a doctor immediately.

Usually, doctors will recommend avoiding strenuous activities to give the pelvis a break. This includes giving breaks in sexual intercourse.

Placenta abruption or abruption

Abruption placenta often occurs in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Placenta abruption is a condition where the placenta is separated from the uterine wall.

Spots during pregnancy can be a sign that you have this condition.

However, there can also be heavy bleeding to blood clots, which can cause abdominal pain, cramps, pain around the uterus, and back pain.

The baby died in the womb (stillbirth)

The condition of the baby died in the womb (stillbirth) often characterized by bleeding during pregnancy.

WHO said,stillbirth occurs in infants at 28 weeks of age or older with no sign of fetal life.

Signs that pregnant women can feel when the baby experiencesstillbirth is:

Abdominal pain or cramps
Bleeding from the vagina
Contraction

Meanwhile, several factors increase the risk of experiencing pregnant women still birththat is:

Obesity
Smoke
Pregnant at an advanced age
Contain more than one baby (twins)
Experiencing pregnancy complications

The baby dies in the womb (still birth) is a condition that can happen to anyone.

However, it can be avoided by reducing the risk factors so that it is necessary to discuss with the doctor if the mother has one of these risk factors.

Torn uterine (uterine rupture)

This is a condition of the uterine rupture (uterine rupture) during delivery that is triggered by bleeding and occurs suddenly.

When experiencing this, the stomach feels very painful which is indicated by a sudden pause in contractions. A risk factor that increases this is a history of having a cesarean section and transmyometrial surgery.

Cervical wounds

Bleeding during pregnancy can also be caused by cervical trauma. This happens suddenly and is usually the result of sexual intercourse.

Usually the mother will feel mild to moderate pelvic pain depending on the level of damage to the cervix. Signs of this condition are bruising and a softer cervical area.

Differences in bleeding and spots during pregnancy

Are spots the same as bleeding? Not really, but the two are related.

American Pregnancy explains that bleeding is a condition of the discharge of blood from the vagina during pregnancy. This can happen at any time, from conception to the end of pregnancy.

Spotting blood during pregnancy is considered light bleeding and is common, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The signs of spots are not heavy, namely the blood that comes out is not thick and light, even the blood does not fully cover the pantyliner.

Meanwhile, bleeding is blood flow that is heavier. In this condition, you need a bandage so that it doesn't get wet on your pants, similar to menstrual conditions.

If you feel bleeding that resembles menstruation, immediately come to the doctor.

How to deal with blood spots during pregnancy

If you experience spots during young pregnancy (before 16 weeks), use a bandage to collect blood.

Also pay attention to other symptoms that may accompany it. Blood spots that come out during the early trimester and are not accompanied by any symptoms are normal conditions. This will gradually subside after 2-3 days.

If two to three days of spots do not stop or get worse and a lot, contact your doctor immediately. The reason is, doctors know how to stop spots during early pregnancy.

Meanwhile, if you experience spots in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy (after 16 weeks), the doctor will usually recommend bed rest so that the body is not too tired.

Quoting from the Manchester University website, it is advisable to avoid activities and carry heavy items. In addition, avoid bathing with water that is too hot because it can make your head dizzy.

Sexual intercourse should also be avoided to reduce the risk of miscarriage and bleeding getting worse.

The use of sanitary pads is recommended for 2-3 days even though the spots are not out. However, if the condition gets worse, contact your obstetrician immediately.

How to prevent spots during pregnancy

The discharge of spots during early pregnancy is unpredictable, but you can prevent it by doing the following:

Get enough nutrition during pregnancy with nutritious foods.
Reduce consumption of caffeine drinks and stop smoking.
Check for comorbidities (thyroid gland disorders, diabetes, or immune disorders that play a role in bleeding).
Get plenty of rest at home and avoid heavy work.
Pay attention to the mother's weight during pregnancy.

Underweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of bleeding during pregnancy.

When is the right time to consult a doctor?

You need to worry when the blood spots during pregnancy occur every day with the color of the blood getting thicker and brighter which leads to bleeding.

If the spots are bleeding that doesn't stop, the doctor will do an evaluation.

The doctor will perform a vaginal examination to see bleeding and perform an ultrasound, both from the abdomen and transvaginal. I

This is done to ensure that the fetus's heart rate is healthy and developing properly.

As a question, he continued, the doctor will likely ask whether the spotting is present along with cramps or fever.

Some pregnant women need special treatment because the spots can turn into bleeding during pregnancy.

Here are some serious spots during pregnancy that need attention, according to Emedicinehealth: