Is it Possible to have Periods during Pregnancy?
Menstruation happens when the hormones
in your body indicate your ovaries to release a matured egg. During your
periods, hormones like estrogen and progesterone make the eggs in your ovaries
mature. When this egg has been released the process of ovulation starts. Many
women don’t feel it when they ovulate. But you might detect the ovulation by
these ovulation symptoms are bloating, spotting,
or a little pain in your lower abdomen that you may only feel on one side.
So, once the egg leaves the ovaries,
it travels through one of your fallopian tubes and toward your uterus. These
hormones make the uterus lining thick. When and if your egg gets fertilized, these
fertilised eggs attach themselves to the lining of the uterus and start a
pregnancy. This uterus lining is made of tissue and blood.
When the eggs mature it means the eggs
are ready to be fertilized by a sperm cell. If
your eggs do not get fertilised your body doesn’t need the thick lining in your
uterus. This lining then breaks down, and the blood, nutrients, and tissue flow
out of your body through your vagina. And, this shedding of the uterus lining
is how menstruation starts.
Periods
in Pregnancy
During a menstrual cycle, the uterus
sheds the lining that gets built up in case of a pregnancy. A woman can have uterine bleeding
during pregnancy but it will not be due to a period. In fact, a period will not
be the cause of any bleeding during pregnancy.
When a
woman gets pregnant, she does not ovulate and thus will not have a period. Women
menstruate when she is not pregnant. Though it can be possible for women to
experience some bleeding when they are pregnant but this will not be due to
their menstrual cycle.
Some
women do not get their periods while breast-feeding. However, they may begin to
ovulate soon again after giving birth. So, doctors may advice you to get on some
form of birth control while you are breast-feeding if you do not want
to get pregnant. The menstrual cycle occurs to help facilitate pregnancy. The menstrual
cycle begins on the first day of a woman’s period and it ends on the first day
of the next period.
Other
causes of bleeding during pregnancy
Even
though a woman will not get her period when she is pregnant, she may still have
some bleeding. While bleeding during pregnancy is not a sign of any underlying
problem, it is still important to understand the potential causes of the
bleeding and when you should speak to a doctor.
First
trimester
Bleeding is
more common during the first trimester of pregnancy. Some mild spotting can
occur when the placenta implants in the uterus. Some light bleeding can happen when
a woman experience changes in the cervical cells during pregnancy. This may
happen especially after having sex.
Other
causes of bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy include:
- Ectopic pregnancy: It occurs
when a fertilized egg gets implanted and grows outside the uterus. When
this happens, it is a medical emergency.
- If a woman has an infection
- If it is miscarriage or pregnancy loss
- If you get subchorionic hemorrhage which is also
known as a subchorionic hematoma. It happens when bleeding occurs between
the uterine wall and the placenta.
- A gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). It
is a very rare condition that can cause complications in pregnancy by
a tumor that may contain
abnormal fetal tissue.
After 20 weeks
Causes of
bleeding in the later stages of pregnancy may include:
- Cervical examination: When
a doctor checks the cervix for any abnormalities it may result in some
minor spotting and bleeding.
- Placenta previa: Bleeding
can also happen when a woman’s placenta is implanted close to the cervical
opening or on the cervical opening.
- Preterm labor or labor: At
the time of labor, the cervix dilates and the uterus contracts to move the
foetus down. All this process during labour can result in some bleeding.
- Sexual intercourse: When
a woman has sex with her partner during pregnancy, unless advised by a
doctor not to do so. It may result in some spotting and bleeding due to
the sensitivity of the tissues in the vagina and cervix.
- Uterine rupture: A
woman’s uterus may tear during labour. This happens rarely but the chances
of it happening is high when a woman has in her previous pregnancy had a
caesarean delivery or if she had any surgery done on the uterus.
- Placental abruption: It
is a serious medical condition in which the placenta starts to separate
itself from the uterus before the birth of a baby.
If a woman experiences bleeding at any stage of
pregnancy and is concerned about her bleeding. She should speak to her doctor
and give her every information about the color, amount, and consistency of the
bleeding.
When to
see a doctor?
Sometimes bleeding is not that serious during
pregnancy and may happen due to some minor reasons. However, this is not always
the case. Sometimes it can be a medical emergency. In that case, women should
seek emergency medical attention for bleeding during pregnancy. And, if they
have additional symptoms such as:
- You experience cramps and pain.
- You get dizzy or faint
- Heavy bleeding or passing clots of blood
- If you have severe pain in the stomach and
pelvis
A woman
should also see a doctor about bleeding during pregnancy if it’s bright red in
color and a pad gets drenched in blood. Vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain in the
early stages of pregnancy may be a sign of ectopic pregnancy. It is especially
the case if these symptoms occur before an initial ultrasound. Any woman who thinks she has ectopic pregnancy
should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Another case
when you should see a doctor is when a woman bleeds and is showing signs and symptoms
of preterm labor. Preterm labor is labor that happens before 37 weeks of
gestation. Preterm labor symptoms may include constant pain
in the lower back, abdominal cramping, and contractions happening on a regular period.
Conclusion
Bleeding during pregnancy is not an indication of a woman having her period. There are differing reasons for bleeding or spotting during pregnancy. Bleeding can happen due to the changes that a body goes through during pregnancy.
The
bleeding that happens due to the regular changes in pregnancy does not insinuate
any underlying problems. But if a woman experiences heavy
bleeding it may indicate a health issue that requires immediate medical treatment.
If a woman experiences either a light or heavy bleeding during pregnancy, she
should speak to a healthcare professional in both cases.
References:https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/health-and-wellness/menstruation