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You are here : 3-RX.com > Medical Encyclopedia > Diseases and Conditions > Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy
      Category : Health Centers > Pregnancy and Childbirth

Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors | Symptoms & Signs | Diagnosis & Tests | Prevention & Expectations | Treatment & Monitoring

Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy means bleeding that happens at any time during pregnancy before the delivery of the baby.

What is going on in the body?

There are many causes of vaginal bleeding in pregnancy. It occurs in as many as 20% of pregnant women during the first trimester, or first three months of pregnancy. Bleeding can also take place later in pregnancy. A healthcare provider should check into any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. Some causes of bleeding are not of concern. However, others may be life-threatening to the mother and baby.

Bleeding may be related to conditions other than the pregnancy itself. For example, vaginal tears or certain infections may lead to vaginal bleeding.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

Following are some causes of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy:

  • ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus
  • inflammation of the cervix
  • injury to the cervix, which may occur after intercourse
  • miscarriage, or loss of the baby in the first half of pregnancy
  • a molar pregnancy, in which the fetal tissue becomes a tumor
  • normal implantation of the fertilized egg into the wall of the uterus
  • a tumor or cancer
  • Common causes of bleeding in late pregnancy are as follows:

  • normal labor, which may be preceded by blood and mucus from the vagina
  • placenta abruptio, a condition in which the placenta detaches from the wall of the uterus before or during labor
  • placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta is abnormally located over the cervix, blocking the birth canal
  • premature labor

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    Next section

       

    Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy: Symptoms & Signs

    Author: Eva Martin, MD
    Reviewer: Barbara Mallari, RN, BSN, PHN
    Date Reviewed: 07/31/01



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