During pregnancy, menstruation may occur. Can you have periods and pregnancy at the same time? Causes of menstrual bleeding

According to statistics, every fifth girl can observe her period during pregnancy in the first weeks after fertilization. Without contacting a doctor, it will not be possible to determine the exact cause that caused the discharge. The norm can be considered small in volume (up to 25 ml) discharge of light or red color. Gynecologists themselves answer the question “can menstruation go in the first month of pregnancy” most often in the affirmative, without denying the possibility of developing pathology.

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The line between the norm and the pathology of the process

When menstruation occurs in the first month of pregnancy, you can not worry about the pathology if the discharge is painless, there are no brown marks and the general state of health is normal. , aching pain in the lower back, lower abdomen and continued discharge in the later stages of bearing a child indicates violations in the body and can cause a miscarriage or abnormalities in the development of the fetus.

It is better to play it safe and make an appointment with a gynecologist. In some cases, such as, it is necessary to call an ambulance. Only a professional look, tests and ultrasound can reveal the real causes of menstruation during pregnancy.

Causes of discharge during pregnancy

Damage to endometrial vessels

The appearance of scanty periods during pregnancy can be caused by implantation bleeding. The discharge that accompanies the attachment of a fertilized egg to the endometrium may resemble menstruation. Their period should normally not exceed 2-48 hours. The nature of the discharge is different from the planned menstruation. There is no noticeable increase and decrease in the intensity of blood loss, and the color is not so saturated. For the fetus, such a phenomenon cannot be considered dangerous.

Abruption

Detachment of the placenta from the endometrium is accompanied by various kinds of secretions up to heavy bleeding and pulling pains in the lower abdomen. Since this can occur at different stages of bearing a child, asking the question of whether menstruation during pregnancy is more than relevant. It will be possible to avoid the loss of the fetus only with medication in compliance with the regimen.

The blastocyst does not have time to gain a foothold in the uterus

The reason for this process may be the fertilization of the egg at the end of the cycle. The blastocyst can descend into the uterus for up to 2 weeks and gain a foothold after the onset of a planned menstruation. The pituitary gland does not have time to receive a signal from the body about the onset of pregnancy, which leads to the release of a new egg and increased production of androgens. Critical days in this case may not differ from the planned ones and do not have a negative impact on the development of the fetus.

Ectopic pregnancy

In any "community" of pregnant women, the flow of stories about insidious periods during pregnancy does not dry out. Some women find out about pregnancy 2-3 months after its onset, and not at all because of their “denseness”, but because they continue to menstruate all this time - a situation that seems to exclude pregnancy and even suspicion of it. I myself know a certain lady, a neighbor down the street, who gave birth to six children (now adults), of which only two she really wanted and knew that she was pregnant. The rest were born unexpectedly, despite the fact that the lady visited the gynecologist. But pregnancy was discovered in her every time already at the time when even ardent atheists consider abortion murder, and all this time she menstruated. Yes, this woman was very full, with a big belly, it was difficult to feel something there, probably there were serious hormonal disruptions, and our district gynecologist was not very professional and sat in an empty office all year round. And yet - why? How does it happen?

Menstruation during pregnancy in the first month

Menstruation during the first month of pregnancy is generally normal. In the middle of the cycle, fertilization happened, but the fertilized egg might not reach the right place (it takes 7-15 days) and the hormonal background did not have time to change - the body reacted as usual - the usual menstruation began and ended. It shouldn't happen next month. It happens that the estrogen background is lower than necessary. Pregnancy hormones are already working, pregnancy is developing, and estrogens suddenly “fell” - well, you never know why! - and this is always spotting, and they come exactly when they should have begun, if not for pregnancy. Since a stable hormonal background in our time is a rather rare thing, some women menstruate for 3-4 months without the threat of termination of pregnancy. There are also cases in the literature of simultaneous maturation of two eggs (from different ovaries, usually in turn), when one of them is fertilized and the second is rejected, causing menstruation, but this situation is quite rare and complicated.

Spotting or still menstruation during pregnancy?

What is important to know? Firstly, any bloody discharge with the established fact of pregnancy is not the norm! This is an indicator of a greater or lesser imbalance of sex hormones, which means it is a reason to consult a doctor. Secondly, under the guise of menstruation that has come, a completely different, more formidable pathology can be masked - a miscarriage that has begun. Therefore, all the same, the doctor cannot be bypassed. The difference between the first situation and the second is that menstruation against the background of pregnancy is always insignificant, sometimes they appear only when the woman moves, disappear at night and are never accompanied by pain. Even small. Prolonged, nagging pain, heaviness in the lower abdomen, bright, sudden bleeding, even on the usual days of menstruation, can be a reason not only for going to the clinic - sometimes for calling an ambulance!

Is it dangerous to continue menstruation during pregnancy for the unborn child?

It is necessary to be examined seriously, to check the level of all the necessary hormones and what else the doctor will prescribe. If, due to ongoing menstruation, you found out about pregnancy after the first month, do as you planned. If the child is desired, continue to carry the pregnancy and do not be afraid that due to bleeding, he will be born some kind of weak, sick, with defects, etc. Fortunately, hormones do not affect the formation of the fetus, its organs and systems. The dirty environment, the medications taken, and a lot more affect - but not the balance of hormones - let's rejoice at least this!

Pregnancy during menstruation is rare, but it can happen. Not all bleeding during this period can be considered menstrual. Moreover, they all indicate pathology, but not necessarily threatening pregnancy. Diagnosis of the cause of the disorder is very important, it is necessary to completely exclude diseases such as cervical cancer, placental abruption, cystic drift, ectopic pregnancy and the threat of miscarriage.

Pregnancy during menstruation

For many girls, a delay is a cause for real confusion. The standard delay lasts a maximum of 14 days. If the bleeding has not started, then the reasons can be completely different, and pregnancy is not excluded.

Once conception occurs in a woman's body, periodic changes cease until the birth of a child. It is possible to establish pregnancy when menstruation is not interrupted using various criteria: physical sensation, changes in the hormonal level, and other signs.

Factors prolonging menstruation after fertilization

In the body of a healthy woman, after the process of conception, blood should not be released, because the embryo is formed and develops. There are cases when a woman has almost all the signs of pregnancy on her face, and menstruation is regular, does not stop and proceeds naturally, or vice versa, becomes painful, protracted or meager.

implantation bleeding

The main reason why the cycle of menstruation does not stop after fertilization is when implantation causes bleeding due to pathological processes in the body. This phenomenon is quite serious and can provoke a miscarriage, especially if the woman has not realized until this moment that she is in a position. This situation occurs in women who have been exposed to hypothermia, had infectious or sexually transmitted diseases.

As a result of disturbances in the endocrine system, pathogenic processes, various infections or stress during pregnancy, the estrogen background may decrease. In this case, menstruation comes clearly on schedule. Sometimes such an anomaly lasts up to four months, thereby increasing the risk of pathological termination of pregnancy. This often happens in women after 45, when approaching menopause, when it is still possible to get pregnant.

The presence of blood discharge during the course of pregnancy also indicates an existing pathology in the reproductive system and its organs. During sexual intercourse, damage to the cervix and, as a result, slight bleeding is possible.

The most serious pathology under such circumstances is a complication of pregnancy, when the attachment of a fertilized cell occurs outside the uterine cavity. With this arrangement of the embryo, the admissibility of its correct growth and birth is excluded, in this case an immediate operation is indicated.

The following disorders can also lead to such bleeding:

Symptoms

If pregnancy has come, and menstruation has remained, it is necessary to rely on the signs. To understand that a woman is pregnant, you can by the following symptoms:

• Exacerbated reaction of the mammary glands. They fill and increase in volume, the nipples are susceptible and painful, the areolas are dark due to increasing pigmentation.
• Constant desire to urinate.
• Meager discharge during menstruation, unnatural degree of density and color.
• Change in the duration of the cycle of menstruation (protracted, scanty). A decrease in the duration of the cycle does not always mean pregnancy, only if it has changed significantly. In this case, it is likely that an embryo grows and develops in the woman's body.
• Constant fatigue during normal physical exertion. The embryo takes some of the nutrients and energy that are required for its full development.
• Changes in the diet of a woman, the appearance of vomiting nausea and a peculiar susceptibility to various aromas. Nausea is most often in the morning, but can be in the evening.
• The appearance of obvious changes in appearance: dark spots on the skin, the appearance of blackheads, pimples or other rashes.
• The appearance of spasms in the lumbar region, pain in the lower abdomen.
• Slight increase in body weight.
• Sleep disorder.
• Constipation and gases.
• Slight increase in body temperature.
• Frequent mood swings.
• Decreased immunity (increased risk of colds).
• Positive pregnancy test result.

All of the above reasons may indicate that a woman is in early pregnancy during menstruation.

Later pregnancy symptoms

Periodic discharge in the 1st phase of pregnancy for the child does not pose a threat, but by the 2nd trimester they disappear. But there are cases that the bleeding of the expectant mother did not end in the second half of pregnancy, and then it can be determined by the following indicators:

• At the 3-4th month, with pressure (or spontaneously), droplets of a cloudy white liquid are released from the nipples - the secret of the mammary gland (colostrum). This is a sign that the glands are preparing for the feeding period after childbirth.
• Frequent urination, scanty amount of urine. This can be explained by the growth of the uterus: it puts pressure on the bladder, and therefore it has to be emptied many times.
• Due to the increase in the uterus, the stomach begins to protrude strongly forward, the first movements of the fetus are felt. Body weight increases greatly, this sharp change is especially noticeable on the figures of thin women.
• There is a change in food preferences, sometimes even to absurd combinations. A tendency to foods that were previously unloved and were not included in the diet of a pregnant woman is revealed.
• The most famous sign of pregnancy is rapid fatigue, accompanied by severe nervousness and irritability. The mother's body spends a lot of energy to ensure the life of the child, and an unstable hormonal balance contributes to a sharp change in mood.
• There is increased skin pigmentation. At the 3rd month of pregnancy, a vertical dark line begins to appear in the center of the abdomen, and chloasma (spots) appear on the face. Pigmentation immediately disappears from the skin after childbirth.
• Stretch marks appear. This is due to an increase in body weight. They can be on the chest, thighs and abdomen.
• Redness of the skin of the palms. It is manifested due to an increase in the level of estrogen in the blood.
• Numerous acne rashes on the skin of the face are possible, this is due to the fact that the sebaceous glands during pregnancy begin to work more actively due to fluctuations in hormone levels.

All of these symptoms clearly indicate the onset of pregnancy, in addition, they become noticeable not only to the woman herself, but also to others. Regular menstruation in this case is not at all a normal reaction of the body, which can lead to a miscarriage and is a good reason to contact a medical specialist. The doctor, after a clinical study, will identify the cause and prescribe the necessary treatment, which will be aimed at preserving the child and improving the health of the mother.

Diagnostics

After implantation of the embryo, already on the 6-8th day, the release of a substance called hCG (chorionic gonadotropin) begins. This hormone is secreted by the placenta that surrounds the fetus, and therefore its presence and a certain level in the body of a pregnant woman is evidence of the presence of an embryo. In order to detect pregnancy, provided that menstruation has begun, it is necessary to undergo tests for the presence of the hCG hormone in the body. But if there is a pregnancy, you can find out with the help of a test. If the test is negative, then the woman is almost certainly not pregnant.

Under the condition of an increased level of the hormone, you should immediately consult a gynecologist. Before visiting a specialist, it is necessary to try in advance to determine the approximate period of pregnancy during menstruation, indicators of the development of the embryo, to find out the specifics of menstruation, its changes after fertilization. In this case, ultrasound can be of great help.

If a woman has a test showing pregnancy and profuse spotting has begun, it is urgent to consult a doctor.

It is worth remembering that pregnancy and menstruation occurring together can cause serious complications in the body. Experts advise not to delay the conduct of a professional examination, to protect the body as much as possible from all kinds of viruses, stress and other adverse circumstances that can lead to complications for the mother and her child.

During menstruation, pregnancy is possible, because ovulation and fertilization of the egg sometimes occur at the very end of the cycle. But it should be remembered that cases of pregnancy during menstruation are still an exception, not a rule, so it is always better to check with the doctor if the bleeding that has occurred threatens the fetus?

Menstruation during pregnancy: why do they come?

It is advisable to call uterine bleeding monthly only in the first month of pregnancy. In the first month of pregnancy, menstruation is really possible, but in the following months it should no longer be.

Menstruation during pregnancy: causes

• implantation bleeding

At the moment when the fertilized egg is immersed in the endometrium, there is a slight damage to the vessels and, accordingly, scanty spotting, which can be mistaken for menstruation. Although such bleeding cannot be called menstrual, it is not dangerous and does not threaten the fetus.

• The fertilized egg did not have time to attach

If conception occurs in the middle or end of the cycle, the fetal egg may not have time to gain a foothold in the endometrium of the uterus - in this case, menstruation will occur. The path of the fetal egg to the endometrium of the uterus can take one to two weeks. Therefore, although conception has occurred, the hormonal background does not have time to rebuild and there are periods during pregnancy.

• Hormone levels dropped dramatically

As a result of an endocrine disorder, an inflammatory process, a viral infection, or stress, an estrogen background may decrease during pregnancy. In this case, spotting comes exactly at the time when the menstruation was supposed to be. Sometimes such an anomaly can continue for three to four months, increasing the risk of miscarriage!

• The release of two eggs from the ovaries at once

In rare cases, as a result of a malfunction in the body, eggs mature in both ovaries and alternately exit into the abdominal cavity. One of them meets with the sperm, forming a fetal egg, the other is rejected, causing menstruation.

Menstruation during pregnancy in the second to ninth month - are they possible?

During this period, menstruation should no longer be, any spotting is a sign of hormonal disorders leading to inflammatory diseases and the threat of miscarriage. Even if spotting begins at the fourth, eighth, 12th week of pregnancy, as if at the time of the expected menstruation, these are no longer ordinary periods, but endometrial detachment, requiring strict bed rest and medical supervision.

Do not look for signs of menstruation during pregnancy, because normally they should not be, and any bleeding should alert you. You should not write off spotting for menstruation, you need to see a doctor so that he can establish the causes of bleeding during pregnancy and help stop it and save the fetus.

Bleeding during pregnancy: causes

• Sex hormone imbalance

A deficiency of progesterone or an excess of androgens causes rejection of the ovum and scanty spotting, which are not accompanied by pain and occur mainly during the daytime and during movement. Prescribing medications is necessary to maintain pregnancy.

• Miscarriage

During a miscarriage, a woman experiences severe pulling or cramping pains in the lower abdomen, she opens scarlet bleeding. Some may mistake an incipient miscarriage for painful periods during pregnancy and stay at home. But it is worth remembering that heavy periods during pregnancy, especially accompanied by pain, are impossible, and it depends on how quickly assistance is provided, whether the pregnancy can be maintained.

• Frozen pregnancy

If the pregnancy has stopped its development due to genetic or hormonal disorders, viruses or stress, spotting or bloody discharge appears. This usually happens on the third-fourth, eighth-eleventh or 16-18th weeks.

• Ectopic pregnancy

With an ectopic pregnancy, there are monthly scanty spotting, accompanied by one-sided abdominal pain. It will not be possible to save an ectopic pregnancy, but it is important to consult a doctor in time to avoid complications and inflammation.

• Abnormal structure of the uterus

The saddle shape of the uterus, as well as its fibroids or endometriosis, can cause bleeding during pregnancy. Pregnancy with an abnormal structure of the uterus should be under the special supervision of a physician.

• Placental abruption, cervical infection

They can cause inflammation and bleeding, which the doctor will help stop by choosing a course of treatment.

No matter how comforting the legend about the possibility of menstruation during pregnancy sounds, remember that spotting with a positive pregnancy test is a reason to see a doctor as soon as possible in order to maintain the health of the mother and fetus.