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Menstruation in the first trimester of pregnancy. Video
In some cases, women find out about their pregnancy only after the first trimester, when it is already quite difficult not to notice it. Why is this happening? The answer is quite simple: for a certain number of women, menstruation simply does not stop, which misleads them about the completed conception of the child.
Periods in the first trimester of pregnancy
Menstruation and early pregnancy
Usually, spotting that appears in the first trimester is difficult to confuse with real heavy menstruation. They are quite sparse and last less than they should. To clarify the situation, remember the mechanism of the onset of menstruation – a layer of mucous membrane is rejected in the non-pregnant uterus, which is ready to receive an egg fertilized by a sperm every month.
Most healthy women who become pregnant experience amenorrhea – the complete cessation of menstruation. Otherwise, an urgent need to visit a gynecologist
If you find yourself spotting during the first trimester of pregnancy, do not rely on the advice of friends and information gleaned from online forums. Pseudo-monthly, in your case, can mean anything – an inflammatory process, an ectopic pregnancy, infection, hormonal disorders, an ectopic pregnancy and an incipient miscarriage.
Do menstruation affect fetal health?
The appearance of menstruation in the first trimester can provoke detachment of the ovum from the uterine wall. If the site of detachment is not too extensive, pregnancy has a high chance of surviving, but otherwise, a miscarriage is likely to be unavoidable.
The degree of detachment can be assessed with the help of modern ultrasound examination and timely measures can be taken.
The impact on the health and development of the unborn child of these bleeding cannot be assessed unambiguously. On the one hand, monthly bleeding at an early stage prevents a woman from suspecting pregnancy, as a result of which she continues to lead her usual lifestyle. The intake of antibiotics and other medications does not stop, the lifestyle does not change, the woman is overworked – all this, undoubtedly, can affect the baby.
If pregnancy is expected and desired, the onset of menstruation in the first trimester is not a prerequisite for its termination. In spite of everything, a healthy woman will be able to deliver and give birth to a child without any problems.
If bloody discharge occurs in the period from 4-5th, 8-9th and 12-13th weeks, it is necessary to urgently see a gynecologist and, possibly, even go to the hospital to reduce the risk of miscarriage. These weeks are considered the most difficult for pregnancy, so you need to be careful at this time as much as possible.
Serious causes of the onset of menstruation in the early stages
Menstruation in a pregnant woman is the first signal for anxiety (but not panic). Usually this anomaly is triggered by the detachment of the ovum, which is partially or completely detached from the uterine wall. This wrong course of events can be caused by a number of serious reasons.
So, one of the factors may be the lack of produced progesterone. This happens in case of violations in the function of the corpus luteum, when a small amount of this hormone entering the body cannot ensure the normal course of pregnancy.
Today, this problem is easily eliminated with the help of drugs containing progesterone analogs.
Detachment of the ovum can be caused by an increase in the amount of androgen – the male sex hormone (the so-called hyperandrogenism). If the level of androgens exceeds the permissible level in the female body, there is a threat of egg detachment, which doctors decide by prescribing special medications. Also, discharge with blood may indicate a missed pregnancy, genetic changes, or the occurrence of serious fetal pathologies. At the same time, a woman needs special treatment, which is carried out under strict medical supervision.
The presence of menstrual flow with all signs of pregnancy – toxicosis, exacerbation of smell, a positive test result, may be a sign of an ectopic attachment of the ovum. In this case, the woman needs to undergo a full medical examination, which will identify an ectopic pregnancy and help eliminate it in time.
With an unfavorable place of attachment of the egg (on the focus of endometriosis or myomatous node), it will be poorly supplied with blood, which will lead to the rejection of the ovum
Mitigating causes of menstruation in the first trimester
If you notice the appearance of your period in early pregnancy, do not rush to panic. Often in such a situation, the ovum remains attached to the wall of the uterus and is not rejected. The upper layer of the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus) at the same time begins to be renewed and separated under the influence of hormones – this causes the appearance of bloody discharge.
This process can be carried out in part, without affecting the area of the uterus with the ovum.
Despite the minimal threat in this case, you should not ignore the warning.
Menstruation in the first trimester can signal a lack of hormones in the body and, if the problem is ignored, even turn from meager to abundant, which is already dangerous for the fetus.
According to statistics, menstruation in early pregnancy occurs quite often in women; the main thing is to consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow all his recommendations exactly.