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Pregnancy Spotting – What Causes Vaginal Spotting During Pregnancy?

April 14th, 2010

Pregnancy spotting during the first trimester of pregnancy is the most normal sign of pregnancy. Though women tend to worry about the spotting found in vaginal areas, medical professionals advise them not to worry about the condition. Chances of vaginal spotting to appear vary from seven weeks of pregnancy to nine weeks. This vaginal spotting results from the implantation of the embryo in the lining of the uterus. This type of bleeding, which is also an early sign of pregnancy is termed as implantation bleeding. Mild spotting or bleeding from the vagina is not something to be worried about and you need not seek the help of doctors. However, when the bleeding seems to be heavy and accompanies cramping abdominal pain, please your doctor immediately.

What Does Vaginal Spotting Signal In Pregnancy?

Although to an extent, pregnancy spotting is completely normal and harmless in early pregnancy. However, bleeding beyond a level it may signal certain serious problems happening inside the pregnant woman’s body. In such cases, the expectant mothers should consider a few pregnancy tests to ascertain that both their and their babies’ health is fine and devoid of any possible pregnancy risk. Mainly on observing heavy vaginal bleeding, pregnant women are suggested a screening of their condition through examinations. If you experience heavy bleeding, rush to an emergency clinic or hospital if you cannot contact your gynecologist.

What Causes Vaginal Spotting?

There can be diverse reasons that lead to pregnancy spotting in the early months of pregnancy. This spotting is somewhat different from how normal menstruation appears. Spotting is usually experienced as a light form of vaginal bleeding before the start and end of your menstruation cycle. The main reason why this bleeding occurs is the increase in the supply of blood to the cervix and pelvis area. Spotting differs from the color of normal menstruation. The color of pregnancy spotting can be pink, dark red to brown or resembling the color of dried blood.

So what are the causes of pregnancy spotting in the early stage of pregnancy? Medical experts answers this question taking into account the following factors -

  • First, is bleeding due to implantation in the uterus. As the embryo is attached to the walls of uterus at about 6 to 7 days after fertilization, bleeding is secreted from the vagina. The fertilized egg by itself is attached to the uterus wall, so slight spotting results from this process of implantation.
  • Ectopic pregnancy can also be a reason why some women experience pregnancy spotting. Implantation and thereafter, development of the baby outside the uterus can cause vaginal bleeding. Outside the uterus, the embryo mainly begins to develop in the fallopian tube, which is why this ectopic pregnancy is also termed as tubal pregnancy or molar pregnancy. Molar pregnancy marks a diminished chance for the fetus to survive and marks an early termination of pregnancy.

    There are other causes of pregnancy spotting too, such as certain infections like vaginal or yeast infections or bacterial infections, sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea, Chlamydia, herpes etc. Stay alert to vaginal spotting and take the right precautions when it occurs.

  • Pregnancy Spotting – What Causes Vaginal Spotting During Pregnancy?

    Top 4 Early Signs of Pregnancy

    April 5th, 2010

    A frequently asked question by many women every month is “Am I pregnant?” This is the query of most sexually active women either wanting or not wanting pregnancy. There are times when no such symptoms are noticed until the woman misses her periods. However there are many women who either fail to keep the record of their menstrual cycles or in some cases the cycles of the women are not very regular. In both cases the women are not sure when to expect the menstrual cycles. So an obvious indicator of pregnancy is missing periods in their case. The good news is there are few early signs of pregnancy that can help to determine the pregnancy even before missing her periods.

    Following are the 4 top early signs of pregnancy that will enable most women to detect their pregnancy even before missing their periods.

    Tender and Swollen Breasts: The earliest sign of pregnancy is sensitive breasts. The cause behind the sensitive breasts is a thrush of hormones. The tenderness or soreness of the breasts resembles those experienced before menstrual periods but here it is an exaggerated version of this. The discomfort of breasts decreases once the first trimester is over; as the body gets acquainted with new hormonal level.

    Tiredness: Have you started to feel completely exhausted? If yes then it can be the earliest possible sign of pregnancy. No one can rightly find out the cause of tiredness in early pregnancy. However it is believed that an increase in the level of progesterone is the underlying cause as it contributes to sleepiness.

    These tiredness or fatigue feeling fades away when the second trimester starts. The pregnant mom starts to feel more energetic. Sometimes these pregnant feeling fades away in the third trimester as women have to carry an increased body weight. Restless nights are also the contributory cause of fatigue in the last semester.

    Implantation Bleeding: It is common for woman to experience some vaginal bleeding after 12 days of conception. The underlying cause of this vaginal bleeding is that fertilized egg has to try hard to burrow itself in the uterus lining. This vaginal bleeding is not heavy and may last for not more than 2 days.

    Morning Sickness: There are few women who do not experience morning sickness even after month of conception. However there are few women who start to feel queasy soon after the fertilized egg implants in the uterus. It is important to note that pregnancy related sickness is not only confined to morning; it can happen any time during the day or even night.

    Top 4 Early Signs of Pregnancy

    Early PMS Pregnancy Symptoms

    April 5th, 2010

    There are commonalities between early PMS and Pregnancy Symptom(s). It is important that if you even suspect you might be pregnant, go to your doctor to find out and also to make sure there is no underlying cause if you aren’t pregnant. The commonalities that is shared between early PMS and pregnancy symptoms doesn’t stop with the symptoms that might be presented. There may be some treatment protocols that are shared as well.

    PMS Definition and Symptoms

    PMS is the period of approximately one week before and a few days during a woman’s menstrual period. PMS comes with some uncomfortable complaints. The complaints are believed to be caused by either low serotonin levels or the fluctuation of hormones during this time.

    Low serotonin (a derivative of Tryptophan), may include mood swings, aggressive behavior, irritability, and anger. Concentration problems, increased appetites sleep problems, and anxiety and depression among other symptoms.

    Hormonal changes symptoms may include anyone of the following: migraines, headaches, sore breasts, weight gain, back ache and bloating among many others.There are more than 100 symptoms that have been noted as being related to PMS. Please note that symptoms will vary from one woman to another and from one month to the next.

    Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

    The most typical sign that you might be pregnant is if you’ve missed one or more periods in a row. There could be other reasons for a missed period so if you do miss one or more, have your doctor check you out to determine if you are pregnant or there is another problem going on.

    Many women experience the proverbial “morning sickness,” nausea and/or vomiting. Sore breasts or nipples may also be pregnancy signs. Headaches, fatigue, and mood swings have also been noted to be related to early pregnancy. Food cravings and food aversions have also been reported during pregnancy. You may have increased urination as well. Some women will experience aversions to particular smells.

    Early PMS Pregnancy Symptoms

    There are similar symptoms with PMS and early pregnancy. These can include mood swings, headaches, food cravings and an increased appetite. Weight gain, sore breasts, and fatigue are also symptoms shared by early PMS pregnancy symptoms.

    Conclusion

    Early PMS pregnancy has associated symptoms that are the same. You should seek medical care if you suspect you might be pregnant for a couple of reasons. First to determine whether you are pregnant, and second if you are not pregnant, to determine the causes of any missed or irregular periods is reason to get medical treatments. These symptoms can also be connected to other health conditions. Even more important is that once you determine you are pregnant, you should seek prenatal care so that you and your baby can be healthy.

    Check out PMS Pregnancy Symptoms treatments

    Early PMS Pregnancy Symptoms

    Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

    April 3rd, 2010

    How do you know your pregnant? Because of the signs you body sends. Find out the very first symptoms of pregnancy that you may notice in your first trimester.

    Pregnancy is different for every women. Heck, each pregnancy any one woman experiences is different from the others. But several symptoms are common early in pregnancy, some that are widely known, some you may not have known.

    Morning sickness

    Despite the name, the nausea or vomiting you experience may occur at any time of day.This is one of the first symptoms you might experience. It may start as early as one week after conception, however, it typically 6 to 12 weeks

    Slight spotting

    when the embryo attaches to the lining of the uterus, it may disturb some of the lining which is shed as light pink or light brown spotting-much lighter than a normal period. This is normal and would happen about 8 – 10 days after ovulation (actually just a bit earlier than your period is due).

    Cramping

    This may happen in early pregnancy as the uterus shifts to adjust as it grows. It may feel worse if you’ve been active. This may start 8 – 10 days after conception.

    Missed period

    Many times, this is the first symptom we notice. However, if you have very regular periods, you may know you’re pregnant even before taking a test.

    Frequent urination

    Even early on in the pregnancy, your growing uterus can start putting pressure on your bladder. Don’t forget, it’s not just the baby that’s growing but your uterus is thickening and a placenta and fluid are being created. You may feel this as soon as 2 – 3 weeks after conception.

    Breasts become larger or more tender

    Just as our breast may feel swollen or tender before our period, you may have the same feeling, starting 3 weeks into your pregnancy. But don’t buy a maternity bra just yet. Your breast will get bigger yet throughout your pregnancy.

    Areolas get darker

    That dark ring around your nipple may start to get darker and wider 2 to 4 weeks after conception. It is thought that the darker color of the areola helps the newborn to find the nipple for breastfeeding.

    Fatigue

    Starting from 8 to 10 weeks after conception, you might start to feel tired, even exhausted. You have to give yourself a break here. Your body is going through significant metabolic changes and it needs time to adjust to the new process of growing a baby. It should go away by the end of your first trimester.

    Constipation

    Your bowel habits may change in early pregnancy, about 8 to 10 weeks after conception. The extra hormones produced during pregnancy cause the intestines to relax and become less efficient.

    Indigestion and Heartburn

    Heartburn and indigestion are extremely common sometime after the 8th week. This happens due to hormone changes, specifically progesterone making your stomach work slower

    Discharge

    The amount of vaginal discharge increases early in pregnancy with increased estrogen production and greater blood flow to the vaginal area. This may start about week 8 and is perfectly normal.

    Of course, if you need to know if you are pregnant, there is no substitute for a pregnancy test (store bought tests are very reliable). However, if you see several signs, you know to check.

    Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

    Early signs of pregnancy before missed period for teens?

    March 28th, 2010

    I think my girlfriend that is 16 might be pregnant. she thinks she gonna have her period but its 2 days late and she does have bloating and cramps, but no cravings, fatigue, or headaches like early pregnancy gives. Can someone please help me out?

    Early signs of pregnancy before missed period for teens?

    Pregnant women warned over Prozac risk to foetus

    March 12th, 2010

    Pregnant women who take Prozac, the antidepressant, are twice as likely to give birth to babies with a congenital heart problem, the medicines regulator has warned.

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said there was a “possible small risk” of congenital heart defects if women were given the drug in early pregnancy.

    The agency said it had looked at the evidence from a number of studies of fluoxetine, the active ingredient in Prozac, and concluded that it could double the background rate of congenital heart defects.

    About one in 100 babies are typically born with a problem such as a heart murmur, hole in the heart or other problem with the organ’s structure or rhythm.

    But the MHRA estimates this rate increases to almost two in 100 pregnancies among women prescribed fluoxetine, which is a similar rate to another common antidepressant, Seroxat (paroxetine).

    The drugs are part of a group known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are not recommended to be taken during pregnancy because of the risk of withdrawal symptoms in the developing baby.

    But it is estimated that 2.3 per cent of pregnant women each year are prescribed SSRIs when the benefits are considered to outweigh the risks.

    Studies suggest that up to one in five mothers-to-be suffer from depression at some point during pregnancy, which if left untreated can cause low birth weight and premature birth.

    The MHRA said that a class effect with SSRIs on heart formation in utero “could not be excluded” and recommended GPs were mindful of this when prescribing the drugs.

    The agency said: “When prescribing fluoxetine to treat depression during pregnancy, prescribers should be aware that there may be a small increased risk of congenital cardiac defects in infants exposed in early pregnancy, similar to that seen with paroxetine.”

    Pregnant women warned over Prozac risk to foetus

    Are difficulty sleeping and headaches early signs of pregnancy?

    March 10th, 2010

    If they are how early would they occur?

    Also what are other early signs of pregnancy?
    If you experienced any uncommon or even common symptoms in early pregnancy please share your stories.

    When you tell any symptoms of pregnancy include when it occurs and as many details as you know.

    Also what is the best way to know if your pregnant BESIDES a pregnancy test?

    Thank You!

    Are difficulty sleeping and headaches early signs of pregnancy?