Why do periods occur during pregnancy. Menstruation in the first month of pregnancy: normal or time to sound the alarm? What periods are dangerous
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 was menstruating. 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!
Often, when pregnancy occurs, the question arises of whether menstruation can be with her? Many women claim that they had critical days almost up to three or four months of pregnancy, but can this really be?
From the point of view of medicine and anatomy, menstruation during pregnancy is impossible, this contradicts the very physiology of the menstrual cycle and the nature of pregnancy.
Can menstruation occur during pregnancy?
To understand the answer to this question, you need to remember the knowledge of female physiology.
The menstrual cycle of a woman is a kind of monthly preparation for pregnancy, in the first phase there is a rejection of the obsolete endometrium and an increase in the level of hormones responsible for the maturation of the egg.
The first days are menstruation, blood flow and the growth of a new endometrium, then the gradual maturation of the follicle, which ovulates by the middle of the cycle and the egg enters the tube cavity.
If it does not meet with the sperm there, then it ages, the level of hormones decreases and the “old” endometrium is rejected, which loses its functional significance - the embryo has not penetrated into it. Then there is menstruation.
If the egg is fertilized, it migrates into the uterine cavity and is introduced into the endometrium prepared for this, which gives it nutrition and protection.
Under such conditions, the level of progesterone produced by the corpus luteum - the place in the ovary where the egg was released - is maintained at a high level, the endometrium is not rejected and menstruation does not occur.
Pregnancy develops, the placenta is formed. Therefore, during pregnancy, menstruation simply cannot go, otherwise there would be no pregnancy.
But if menstruation occurs during early pregnancy? This is not menstruation per se, but bleeding resulting from various causes and is almost always a cause for serious concern.
A small amount of blood is possible to take during pregnancy, but if it is about 10 days from conception, it may be implantation bleeding.
This is the process of implantation of the embryo into the endometrium, in which one in five women may experience a slight "daub" mistaken for menstruation.
The presence of "menstruation" during pregnancy
Is the manifestation of menstruation dangerous during pregnancy - this question is often asked by women, and doctors answer - that in most cases this can be eliminated in time.
Naturally, the presence of bleeding during pregnancy in the early stages is always a deviation from the normal course, but it can not always really threaten the mother or baby.
The most basic thing that can be the reason that menstruation can occur during pregnancy is the bleeding during implantation described above.
But far from always it can be in the form of bleeding or even spotting, often implantation goes completely unnoticed by a woman.
Can I have scanty periods during pregnancy? This is in rare cases possible with late ovulation and a long period of implantation, when the egg does not have time to enter the uterus before the onset of menstruation.
But in this case, there is also a risk of pregnancy failure, since the endometrium will be partially exfoliated, and therefore not consistent. Under such conditions, a delay may occur already by the next cycle, when a change in the hormonal background occurs as a result of implantation.
Why do periods occur during pregnancy?
If this is not implantation bleeding, we can talk about the pathology associated with pregnancy and not about menstruation as such, but about the development of bleeding.
In the early stages, the presence of bleeding indicates the onset of detachment of the fetal egg and the onset of miscarriage. At the same time, pains arise as during menstruation during pregnancy, pulls the lower abdomen, and first spotting appears, and then bloody.
If the detachment is insignificant and everything is in order with the embryo, then the woman's body can independently stop bleeding by increasing the production of progesterone and maintaining the pregnancy.
Usually then only slight spotting occurs. In more serious situations, there may be pain and spasms, and the bleeding gradually increases.
With such symptoms, you should immediately call an ambulance and be hospitalized in a hospital, doctors will try to save the pregnancy by conducting medical procedures and prescribing drugs. In addition, you need to strictly adhere to bed rest and rest.
The reasons for detachment of the fetal egg and miscarriage at a very early date, which the woman herself can sometimes take for menstruation, are neoplasms in the uterus, endometriosis, oxygen deficiency in the fetus and its death.
Genetic defects of the fetus or defects in the laying of organs and systems can also significantly affect. Thus, the body tries to carry out a kind of natural selection and remove a potentially non-viable fetus.
Another dangerous cause of bleeding, similar to menstrual bleeding during pregnancy, may be the formation of an ectopic pregnancy.
With it, the fetal egg can be fixed in the abdominal cavity, on the ovary or in the cavity of the tube, or there may be another option for cervical pregnancy.
All of these pregnancy options cannot be carried, they can lead to bleeding and threat to the life of the patient.
If an ectopic pregnancy is suspected, an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity and genitals is required, which will confirm the diagnosis. Unfortunately, such a pregnancy must be terminated immediately so as not to get complications.
If you've heard stories like this, you might be under the impression that menstruation during pregnancy- a common thing, well, perhaps, a feature of the body. Actually it is not.
But after listening to the revelations of her friends, the young mother, discovering that she had , does not worry at all and is not in a hurry to be examined by a gynecologist.
The situation is further complicated by the presence of a fairly large number of "live examples" of this phenomenon. Moreover, mothers claim that with all this, the pregnancy proceeded normally, and the baby was born healthy.
Well, if so. This means that they are very lucky. After all, in fact, there are no periods during pregnancy and cannot be! This is a dangerous misconception that can lead to the loss of a child and complications with the health of the expectant mother.
Let's see what can cause this phenomenon and why it is so dangerous.
Menstruation during pregnancy: is it possible?
To begin with, let's refresh our knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of a woman.
As you know, once a month in the body of a woman, an egg matures, ready for conception. If fertilization does not occur, in due time it collapses. During this period, the uterus contracts and outward, in the form of spotting, comes out, in fact, what is left of the egg, as well as pieces of the endometrium - the tissue lining the walls of the uterus.
If the egg was fertilized, that is, pregnancy, as they say, on the face, then the essence of the ongoing processes changes significantly.
The body prepares a special place for the embryo and works hard to prevent the uterus from rejecting the embryo.
In particular, the female body begins to produce a special hormone - progesterone. This hormone has two main functions. Firstly, it stimulates the growth of the inner lining of the walls of the uterus (endometrium), so that the embryo can implant and better attach to them. Secondly, this hormone prevents the walls of the uterus from contracting, which protects the embryo from rejection.
I hope it is clear from here that they cannot go in any way. Well, if they do exist, what is the reason for this?
Why do periods occur during pregnancy
As already mentioned, spotting during pregnancy cannot be considered monthly. The cause of the discharge can be various pathologies, a violation of the hormonal functions of the mother's body. Such a phenomenon may be a signal of detachment of the fetal egg, which threatens a miscarriage.
Let's look at a few examples in more detail.
Often women who discover that they have menses during pregnancy actually suffer disruption of progesterone production. If this hormone is very small, then at the time set for normal menstruation, spotting with fragments of the endometrium can be observed.
This means that the uterus, as in the usual case, is cleansed, and at the same time it can reject the fetus. This, of course, cannot be allowed. Therefore, with timely treatment, the doctor prescribes to the expectant mother drugs that replace progesterone. In most cases, the threat of miscarriage with this type of disorder is stopped, and the mother calmly continues to bear the baby.
Also, the cause of the so-called menstruation during pregnancy can be abnormalities in the development of the fetus (genetic changes) or ectopic pregnancy.
It also happens that fruit does not attach well. For example, if the expectant mother suffers from endometriosis or has fibroids. Attached to such an unfavorable place, the embryo cannot develop normally, it is poorly supplied with oxygen, that is, a miscarriage may occur.
Another hormonal disorder leading to the appearance of spotting is hyperandrogenism. That is, to put it simply, an overabundance of male hormones. If untreated, this phenomenon often leads to detachment of the fetal egg, and, consequently, to a miscarriage.
With timely treatment, such consequences can be completely avoided.
Another rather rare phenomenon can be detected in those women who have menses during pregnancy.
It happens that initially 2 embryos are formed, that is, a multiple pregnancy. But at the same time, one of them develops normally, while the other is rejected by the body for some reason (unfortunate place of attachment, pathology, etc.). In this case menses during pregnancy are a signal of the process of rejection of one of the embryos.
As you can see, the reasons for such a phenomenon as menses during pregnancy far from harmless. Even worse consequences.
Therefore, do not listen to the advice of experienced people and do not close your eyes to what is happening. Even if you feel well, do not experience pain and discomfort, but you have spotting, do not hesitate to contact your doctor with a question why do periods occur during pregnancy.
And if lower back pain is added to the bloody discharge, something similar to contractions, the discharge becomes quite plentiful, immediately call an ambulance. It may turn out that an independent trip to the clinic will cost you a child!
As already mentioned, in many cases, especially if it is "hormones acting up", with timely access to a specialist, it is possible to avoid the threat of miscarriage. In other cases, even if nothing can be done, the sooner you inform the doctor that you have menstruation during pregnancy, the more chances to avoid health problems and hope for the next, more successful pregnancy.
Alexandra Panyutina
Women's magazine JustLady
Many representatives of the weaker sex believe that the cessation of menstruation is the primary and reliable sign of pregnancy. Such an opinion has the right to exist, but any statement has its exceptions.
General concepts
The uterus of a woman consists of several layers: inner, middle and outer. The first and last are the mucous membrane. As for the middle, it consists of muscle fibers. Each layer performs a specific function, for example, to protect the fetus from external influences or to normalize the microflora.
The most variable and mobile layer of the uterus is the endometrium. Its purpose is to maintain comfortable conditions for pregnancy until the placenta is fully formed. That is why the endometrium thickens during the entire first half of the cycle. In this case, implantation occurs in the mucous membrane of the fetal egg.
Menstruation is a clear reflection of the fact that pregnancy as a result of an attempt to conceive did not occur. In this case, the mucous secretion leaves the body along with the blood from the damaged vessels. Then this process is repeated again.
From all this, we can conclude that menstruation cannot go during pregnancy. Otherwise, when excreted from the body, they will capture the recently fertilized egg. On the other hand, in medical practice, there have been cases when pregnant women had their periods in the first weeks of their term, and as a result, they successfully carried and gave birth to a healthy child. Here you need to take into account the features of the anatomy of women.
Which periods are not dangerous?
Such discharge in pregnant women should not be considered as a normal menstruation cycle, but as bleeding caused by side effects. In this case, you should immediately find out the cause of menstruation from your doctor.
If bleeding from the vagina is detected, expectant mothers are advised to undergo an appropriate course of prevention. It is not worth worrying much about the fact that menstruation has gone in the first days of pregnancy. At this time, the mother's body can still be cleansed and "reformed". However, it is necessary to localize the problem in a timely manner.
According to many gynecologists, expectant mothers can have periods during pregnancy up to 2 months. In a third of cases, they do not pose a danger to the fetus. Bleeding in pregnant women may be the result of the introduction of an egg into the mucous layer or the formation of a vascular network in the shell of the embryo. It is generally accepted that such implantation secretions are not a threat to the mother and her unborn child.
Period at the beginning of pregnancy
In the early stages, spotting should not worry expectant mothers. Menstruation in the first month of pregnancy is considered the norm for any woman.
If fertilization happened in the middle of the cycle, and the egg did not have time to reach the right place, then the hormonal background changes noticeably. As a result, menstruation can occur during pregnancy in the first weeks of the term. This is the standard reaction of the body to forced restructuring.
It is worth noting that by the sixth week, any discharge should stop. The only exceptions are women who, for whatever reason, have a significantly lower estrogen background. In this case, the hormones behave as if the pregnancy did not occur at all.
Scientists have calculated that such deviations occur in almost 10% of women. The most rare case is the maturation of two active eggs at the same time. As a result, one of them is successfully fertilized, and the second causes menstruation.
What periods are dangerous?
By themselves, such discharge does not pose a danger to the course of pregnancy. Unfortunately, this cannot be said about heavy bleeding from the vagina. As a result, not only the developing fetus can suffer, but also the mother herself. With a large loss of blood in pregnant women, exhaustion and fainting very quickly occur.
However, self-diagnosis is not recommended. It is better to once again be examined by specialists. It is worth noting that in most cases, heavy bleeding leads to miscarriage. That is why expectant mothers are advised to undergo all the proper tests and analyzes before conception in order to exclude a deplorable situation.
A cause for concern in women even before the onset of pregnancy should be frequent disruptions of the menstrual cycle, changes in its nature, consistency of discharge, and profusion. If during the examination even the slightest deviations were revealed, it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment.
It is worth noting that it is not recommended to worry too much about such secretions, since stress will even more adversely affect this process.
The main causes of menstruation
During pregnancy, slight vaginal discharge may occur due to implantation bleeding. This process occurs at the moment when, after fertilization, the egg is immersed in the endometrial layer. Because of this, damage to the vessels and mucous membranes occurs, as a result of which meager periods can go. During pregnancy, such secretions are not menstrual, but they are not dangerous to the fetus.
Another cause of false periods can be a fetal egg, if after conception it did not have time to attach to the desired layer of the uterus. Also, scanty bleeding occurs with a sharp decrease in hormone levels. Failure can occur as a result of an inflammatory process, endocrine disruption, infection, severe stress, etc.
Scanty periods during pregnancy in the first month of the term should not cause excitement in the expectant mother.
Main causes of bleeding
Abundant discharge always indicates a serious problem in the course of pregnancy. The reason for this may be a failure in the balance of such sex hormones as androgens and progesterone. Their acute deficiency or excess causes rejection of the fetal egg in women. This process is very painful and is accompanied by quite heavy bleeding.
Heavy periods are also possible with an ectopic pregnancy. Allocations are regular, accompanied by unilateral pain in the abdomen. Similar symptoms are observed with a missed pregnancy or spontaneous miscarriage.
The most rare causes of bleeding are the abnormal structure of the uterus and placental abruption. Do not forget that serious inflammation resulting from a sexual infection can also lead to copious discharge.
Risk of miscarriage
Bleeding is one of the final stages of forced fetal rejection. The first symptoms of a miscarriage will be slight tingling in the lower abdomen. Then the pains will begin to take on a more systematic character, become pulling and prolonged. At the next stage, the detachment of the fetal egg will occur. After a while, the pregnant woman will have false periods. As the pain increases, the discharge will become more abundant. The final stage will be uterine contraction and fetal death. To prevent this, it is necessary to consult a doctor when the first stabbing pains appear.
Pathologies
Any violation in the mother's body can lead to inevitable consequences. With some diseases, menstruation may occur. During pregnancy, this entails an acute shortage of oxygen and vital substances, as a result of which the embryo may die.
Another common pathology is a violation of the functionality of the fetal egg. In this case, fertilization occurs in the fallopian tube and not in the uterus (ectopic pregnancy). With growth, the embryo begins to tear the mucous membrane. As a result, internal bleeding occurs, which is life-threatening not only for the child, but also for the pregnant woman. In this case, surgical intervention is urgently indicated.
Menstruation has always been considered the main sign of the absence of pregnancy, but sometimes it happens that a woman, knowing that a new life has already begun in her tummy, finds herself on her underwear. Such discharge is often perceived as menstruation and is very scary for the expectant mother. Or vice versa, they can mislead a woman: sometimes a woman found out about the onset of pregnancy immediately before childbirth. Let's see if menstruation can go during pregnancy, what is the reason for "menstruation" during pregnancy?
Based on this, as such menstruation during pregnancy can not go.
Rather, she can go in the first month of pregnancy if fertilization of the egg occurred in the middle of the menstrual cycle: the zygote simply did not have time to attach to the mucous layer of the uterus, because this requires a period of 7 to 15 days. The hormonal background of the expectant mother, which regulates the processes inside her body, has also not yet had time to change, which means that the body has not received indications for the abolition of menstrual bleeding.
Another reason for menstrual bleeding is disturbed hormonal background. Menstruation begins either with an excess of the male hormone androgen, or with a deficiency. If the menstruation went due to a violation of the hormonal background of the woman's body, then it is worth consulting a doctor so that he prescribes the appropriate drugs that will help regulate the level of hormones. In general, a slight violation of the hormonal background does not pose a particular danger to the fetus.
There are also really unique cases when the ovaries of the expectant mother, even during the onset of pregnancy continue to produce eggs ready for fertilization. In this case, there is also a place to be minor spotting.
In the case when menstruation continues during pregnancy, there is a so-called "colored pregnancy". About 20% of all pregnant women face it. As a rule, menstruation in this case can stop at the 5th month of pregnancy or go until delivery.
But there may be bleeding of a different kind, which is often mistaken for menstruation.
Bloody discharge during pregnancy is not always dangerous and is far from uncommon. Sometimes their cause is changes in the body associated with pregnancy. 
- implantation bleeding. It occurs in 30% of expectant mothers. Cause of implantation bleeding: during the attachment of the embryo to the wall of the uterus, damage to the blood vessels occurs. Because of this, spotting occurs, which a woman perceives as menstruation during early pregnancy. Such “menstruation” lasts for several days, and usually appears 1-2 weeks after fertilization.
- sexual intercourse. Sex during pregnancy is not dangerous and does not lead to miscarriage, but after it, a woman may also have bloody or brownish discharge. Reason: the reproductive organs of a woman during pregnancy are supplied with blood more than usual. Because of this, the vaginal mucosa becomes more tender and sensitive and easily damaged, which can also happen during sex. There is no danger of mucosal disorders, but it’s better to go to the doctor’s office, and before going to the doctor, refrain from love pleasures.
- Gynecological examination. Due to the increase in the level of sensitivity of the vaginal mucosa, any manipulations by a gynecologist sometimes cause minor spotting. They also do not pose any danger to the health of a woman or an unborn baby.
But there are many causes of bleeding during pregnancy that are not to be trifled with. Run to the doctor immediately, but it is better to immediately call the ambulance team in case of:
- bleeding that appeared after fainting or is accompanied by dizziness, nausea;
secretions that have a rich red color; - bleeding, accompanied by blood clots, tissue lumps;
- bleeding accompanied by severe abdominal pain.
Similar bloody discharge sign of serious disease threatening the life of mother or baby.
In this article, we have already written about several probable causes of menstruation during pregnancy. Now let's look at other pathology, which can cause bleeding in a woman.
- Detachment of the ovum. It is the first signal of the offensive. It is possible that the body will cope on its own by starting to produce more of the hormone progesterone, but in any case, it is better not to neglect going to the doctor. The cause of detachment: endometriosis or any neoplasms on the muscular layer of the uterus.
- Fetal development disorders. Most often they are associated with any genetic disorders or pathological changes in the development of the embryo. The reason for the appearance of these changes can be infectious diseases transferred by the mother. In this case, it is unlikely that it will be possible to save the pregnancy.
- Ectopic pregnancy. Occurs in the case of implantation of the zygote not on the wall of the uterus, but in the oviduct. This pathology is treated surgically. If doctors do not intervene in time, then the oviduct will burst under the pressure of the growing fetus, which will lead to internal bleeding, and possibly death.
- Frozen pregnancy. If the development of the fetus stops and occurs, a woman may experience spotting bloody or brownish discharge.
- Infections of the reproductive organs. Bleeding appears in the event of an inflammatory process inside the uterus. There is a chance to save the pregnancy.
- Abnormal structure of the uterus, tumors. The presence of fibroids and the saddle shape of the uterus can affect the correct course of pregnancy. In this case, bleeding is not uncommon.
- bubble skid. This is a product of conception, when the fetal egg does not develop properly, the embryonic membrane in this case grows in the form of vesicles filled with liquid. Bubble drift occurs in the case of fertilization of a defective egg, in which there are no chromosomes. In this case, the zygote cannot be viable, and there can be no question of any preservation of pregnancy.
In the event of bleeding, it is very important see a doctor as soon as possible, because to independently determine whether it is menstruation or pathological and dangerous bleeding, a woman cannot and risks losing her health, and sometimes even the life that originated inside her. Menstruation in itself is not dangerous, but you should not joke with bleeding. What to do if "menstruation" appeared during pregnancy?
- you need to see a doctor to determine the nature;
- reduce physical activity as much as possible;
- if spotting appeared after or examination by a gynecologist, you should refrain
- some time from sexual activity to going to the doctor;
- if the bleeding is profuse and accompanied by pain, call an ambulance.
In the modern world, when almost every woman has at least a hormonal imbalance, no expectant mother is immune from menstruation and bleeding during pregnancy. But everyone can reduce the risk of these "pathologies" by observing basic preventive measures:
- pregnancy should be planned;
- before conception, it is important to be examined by a doctor and exclude pathologies and diseases;
- if a woman has any gynecological diseases, they should be cured;
- you should minimize physical activity, take care of yourself;
- avoid stressful situations;
- to refuse from bad habits.