Bleeding in Early Pregnancy

Patient Information Sheet

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Bleeding in early pregnancy is called a threatened miscarriage.

Bleeding or spotting during pregnancy is common, and many women will go on to have healthy babies.

There is a chance, however, that you will lose the pregnancy. A miscarriage is usually how the body deals with a pregnancy that is NOT developing normally.

A miscarriage does NOT occur because of something that you did. It is NOT the result of exercising, working hard, stress, or having sex during the pregnancy.

In general, the more the bleeding and cramping, the more likely the pregnancy will end in miscarriage. AS the bleeding gets worse, then clots will form.

In general, the fact that one pregnancy ends in miscarriage does NOT mean that this will happen again.

Instructions

• Do NOT take medication unless your doctor tells you to.
• You should be resting.
• Keep tracking of the bleeding. Record how many pads that you use each day.
• Do NOT have sex, douche or use tampons until two days after the bleeding has stopped.

Call your doctor or return to the Urgent Care Center or go to Emergency if:

• your bleeding or cramping becomes worse - Use your period as a guide. If the bleeding is greater than your period, seek medical help. You should not have to use more than one pad per hour
• you feel faint
• you have a fever
• you pass tissue - Put the tissue in a clean container or plastic bag and bring it with you
• you have pain that is steady and does not go away

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