Be Prepared For These Questions
If you experience bleeding during pregnancy, be ready to answer these questions when you call or visit your doctor:
- How far along are you?
- When did you first have a positive pregnancy test?
- Have you had an ultrasound, and if so, what did it show?
- When did the bleeding start?
- Were there any obvious causes? For example, have you recently had intercourse or a vaginal exam?
- How heavy has the bleeding been?
- Have you had any pain or other symptoms with the bleeding?
If you are asked to make an appointment, your doctor is likely to check your cervix with a speculum. You might have an ultrasound or other testing to help learn the cause of the bleeding.
Many factors can cause spotting and bleeding during pregnancy. Because of that, its best to talk with your doctor if you have any bleeding. The bottom line is, if youre thinking about it, call your doctor.Thats what were here for, says Dr. McKenna.
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Many moms-to-be experience bleeding while they are pregnant. In fact, the American Pregnancy Association says studies show that 20-30 percent of women experience some degree of bleeding during early pregnancy. But how do you know how much bleeding is normal and when its a cause for concern? It depends on how far along you are, and how severe the bleeding is.
First, know how to tell spotting from bleeding.
Spotting is very light bleeding. It is common in the first trimester. The blood will be light brown or pink, similar to what you see at the end of a period.
Bleeding is heavier. The blood is bright red and is more like the bleeding you experience when having your period.
If youre thinking about it, call your doctor.
Do Transgender Guys Get A Period
Not everybody who gets a period identifies as a girl or woman. Transgender men and genderqueer people who have uteruses, vaginas, fallopian tubes, and ovaries also get their periods.
Having a period can be a stressful experience for some trans folks because it’s a reminder that their bodies dont match their true gender identity this discomfort and anxiety is sometimes called gender dysphoria. Other trans people might not be too bothered by their periods. Either reaction is normal and okay.
Sometimes trans people who havent reached puberty yet take hormones to prevent all of the gendered body changes that happen during puberty, including periods. And people who already get periods can use certain types of birth control that help lighten or stop their periods. Hormone replacement therapy, like taking testosterone, may also stop your period.
If you start taking testosterone, your period will go away. But this is reversible if you stop taking testosterone, your period will come back. There can be some changes in your menstrual cycle before it stops for good. Periods get lighter and shorter over time, or come when you dont expect it. You may have spotting or cramping every once in a while until you stop getting your period, and sometimes even after it seems to have stopped this is normal. Testosterone injections make your periods go away faster than testosterone cream.
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What To Do If You Have Abnormal Bleeding During Pregnancy
Because vaginal bleeding in any trimester can be a sign of a problem, call your doctor. Wear a pad so that you can keep track of how much you’re bleeding, and record the type of blood . Bring any tissue that passes through the vagina to your doctor for testing. Don’t use a tampon or have sex while you are still bleeding.
Your doctor might recommend that you rest as much as you can and avoid exercise and travel.
You should expect to receive an ultrasound to identify what the underlying cause of your bleeding may be. Vaginal and abdominal ultrasounds are often performed together as part of a full evaluation.
Go to the emergency room or call 911 right away if you have any of the following symptoms, which could be signs of a miscarriage or other serious problem:
- Severe pain or intense cramps low in the abdomen
- Severe bleeding, with or without pain
- Discharge from the vagina that contains tissue
What Are The Chances I Can Get Pregnant On My Period
The chances of getting pregnant if you have sex during your period are very low. However, if youve had unprotected sex, it is still possible to get pregnant during your period.
To understand how this can happen, you need to know how your menstrual cycle works.
- Your cycle starts on the first day of your period and lasts until the first day of your next period.
- About 10 to 16 days before the start of your next period, you will ovulate, which is when one of your ovaries releases an egg.
- Once youve ovulated, you enter the Luteal phase, when the now empty follicle develops the corpus luteum, which produces the hormone progesterone.
- The lining on your uterus thickens in preparation for a fertilized egg to implant.
- If you have not conceived, then the egg passes into the uterus, hormone levels drop, and the womb lining sheds as you begin your next period.
You are at your most fertile around the time you ovulate. Although the egg lives only for 12 to 24 hours after being released, you can get pregnant even if you have sex days before you ovulate as sperm can live up to five days in your body.
So how likely are you to get pregnant during your period? Well, it depends on a few factors like:
- whether you used contraception or not
- the length of your menstrual cycle
- the length of your period
- when you had sex
You can also conceive after having sex during your period if you have short menstrual cycles, as this means you ovulate a few days earlier, and closer to the end of your period.
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Conception That Occurs Close To Menstruation Or Low Progesterone Levels May Cause What Looks Like A Period While Pregnant
Conception may not occur until mere days before your period is due if you have a short cycle or dont ovulate mid-cycle.
For example, lets say youre regularly maintaining a 26-day cycle. Chances are youll ovulate around day 13. Even if fertilization occurred that day, it would still take six to twelve days for the fertilized egg to reach and implant in your uterine lining.
If those hormone levels are insufficient, such as in a situation of low progesterone from luteal phase defect or had already begun to fall, you might have what seems like a lighter than usual period. You might even have what seems like an entirely normal period. In that case, its possible not to have any indication youre pregnant until you are already around eight weeks pregnant.
This type of bleeding is often referred to as break through bleeding, and is the most common type of bleeding mistaken for a period while pregnant. Break through bleeding is usually seen during the first month of pregnancy but may continue in the first trimester if hormone levels stay low.
Its important to note that any bleeding following the first bleed would not occur in a timely, predictable manner like a period. It would be sporadic bleeding with a varying flow. Multiple timely bleeds like a period, whether irregular/light for you or not, are very unlikely to be pregnancy bleeding.
Can You Get Pregnant If You Have Sex During Your Period
By | Aug. 29, 2013, 7:13 a.m.
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Can you get pregnant if you have sex while you are in your period?
Yes its possible to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex during your period. However, its less common for this to happen.
Heres the deal: A woman is most likely to get pregnant from sex that happens just before and during ovulation . Ovulation happens in the middle of the time you get periods, usually about 14 days before your period starts. Its more likely that you could become pregnant from sex during your period if you have a shorter menstrual cycle.
All of this might sound really complicated, especially if you arent sure how long your menstrual cycle is, or when youre ovulating. During the first few years that you have a period, its pretty typical for your menstrual cycle to be irregular which makes this stuff even harder to keep track of. But if you use a birth control method like condoms or the pill every time you have sex, your chances of getting pregnant are really really low, whether youre on your period or not.
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Bleeding Later In Pregnancy: Why It Happens
Weve already discussed why it isnt possible to have a period during pregnancy, and why some people may experience light bleeding or spotting during their first trimester. Bleeding during the second and third trimesters is possible, though not common, and it may be an indicator that something else is going on. If you experience bleeding later in your pregnancy, its important to see your health care provider.
Potential reasons for mid- or late-term pregnancy bleeding include:
You Can’t Have Your Period When You’re Pregnant But You May Still Bleed
- It isn’t possible to be pregnant period , but you could still have vaginal bleeding or spotting throughout your pregnancy.
- Bleeding during pregnancy can be common, however, significant bleeding could be a sign of more serious complications like an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage.
- If you’re experiencing bright red bleeding, make sure to contact your doctor immediately.
No, it’s not possible to have your period while pregnant. However, you still may experience light bleeding or other period-like symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and spotting.
“Bleeding during early pregnancy can be quite common – in fact, it occurs in 15 to 25% of pregnancies in the first trimester ,” says Lauren Demosthenes, MD, senior medical director of Babyscripts. “In addition to bleeding that may be mistaken for a period, some women may experience pelvic heaviness or mild cramping that may feel similar to a period. “
Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy can be common and doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s something wrong. However, bleeding can be a warning sign of something serious such as a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.
In this article, we’ll discuss why you may be experiencing vaginal bleeding during pregnancy and what it could indicate.
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When Should I Test
Home pregnancy tests can be very accurate , especially if you wait to test until after your period is officially late. Some tests claim to accurately detect pregnancy up to a week before your missed period, so if you’re experiencing some pregnancy symptoms and are champing at the bit, go for it.
You’re more likely to get an accurate test result if you wait until your period is late, according to the Mayo Clinic, because the hormone that’s detected in home pregnancy tests, hCG, doubles every two to three days after an embryo attaches to your uterus, meaning there’s more to detect in your urine if you wait a few days.
Because this hormone can sometimes take a while to build up, false negative results aren’t uncommon in early pregnancy. It’s much more rare to get a false positive. If you get a positive test result, you are very likely pregnant, or experienced a recent pregnancy loss, and can confirm the pregnancy through a blood test or ultrasound.
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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Getting Pregnant With An Iud
IUDs are a very effective method of birth control, says Costescu. The copper IUDs failure rate is a mere 0.8 percent, while a hormonal IUD has a failure rate of just 0.2 percent. A copper IUD is immediately effective when placed, and the hormonal type is effective within five days after being placed, he explains. And, since you dont have to do anything after its in place, and youve had a follow-up to make sure it was inserted properly, theres no chance for user error.
The one risk is that over the five-year life of your IUD, there is a three to five percent chance it may be expelled by your body. If someone does notice they suddenly have heavy bleeding with clots with an IUD inside, that could be a sign that the IUDs been expelled, Black explains. If this happens, do a string check to make sure the IUD is still in place if you cant find the string, make an appointment with your health-care provider so they can make sure everything is where it should be and, in the meantime, use backup birth control, such as condoms.
If you suspect youre pregnant, take a home pregnancy test. If its positive, its important to see a health-care provider as soon as possible to get an ultrasound. Its an urgent matter because if you get pregnant with an IUD there is a higher chance that it will be an ectopic pregnancy, which means the embryo has implanted in one of your fallopian tubes rather than in your uterus, which can be dangerous, and needs to be treated right away.
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When Can I Get Pregnant During My Menstrual Cycle
You have the highest chance of getting pregnant on the days leading up to ovulation these are called fertile days.
Ovulation usually happens about 14 days before your period starts but everyones body is different. You may ovulate earlier or later, depending on the length of your menstrual cycle.
Your egg lives for about 1 day after its released from your ovary, and sperm can live in your uterus and fallopian tubes for about 6 days after sex. So you can usually get pregnant for around 6 days of every menstrual cycle: the 5 days before you ovulate, and the day you ovulate. You can also get pregnant a day or so after ovulation, but it’s less likely.
Many people track their menstrual cycles and other fertility signs to help them figure out when theyre ovulating. This is called fertility awareness some people use it to prevent pregnancy, and others use it to try to get pregnant. Check out our app, which makes it easy to chart your cycle and figure out your fertile days.
Some people have very regular cycles, and other peoples cycles vary from month to month. Its really common for young people to have irregular periods. Since your period can be unpredictable, its hard to know for sure when youll ovulate . So if you dont want to get pregnant, use birth control every time you have vaginal sex.