Bleeding During Pregnancy

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Medical Author:

Pamela Dyne, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Bleeding During Pregnancy Overview

Because bleeding during all phases of pregnancy may be dangerous, a woman should call her health care professional if she has any signs of vaginal bleeding during her pregnancy.

Vaginal bleeding is any blood coming from the vagina (the canal leading from the uterus to the external genitals). This usually refers to abnormal bleeding not associated with a regular menstrual period.

First trimester bleeding is any vaginal bleeding during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Vaginal bleeding may vary from light spotting to heavy bleeding with clots. Vaginal bleeding is a common problem in early pregnancy, complicating 20% to 30% of all pregnancies.
Any vaginal bleeding during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy (the last 6 months of a 9-month pregnancy) involves concerns different from bleeding in the first 3 months of the pregnancy. Any bleeding during the second and third trimesters is abnormal.
Bleeding from the vagina after the 28th week of pregnancy is a true emergency. The bleeding can range from very mild to extremely brisk and may or may not be accompanied by abdominal pain. Hemorrhage (another word for bleeding) is the most common cause of death of the mother in the United States. It complicates about 4% of all pregnancies.

Bleeding During Pregnancy Causes»

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Glossary

Pregnancy, Bleeding Topic Guide

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Ectopic Pregnancy Definition

Ectopic pregnancy: A pregnancy that is not in the uterus. The fertilized egg settles and grows in any location other than the inner lining of the uterus. The large majority (95%) of ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube. However, they can occur in other locations, such as the ovary, cervix, and abdominal cavity.

An ectopic pregnancy occurs in about 1 in 60 pregnancies. Most ectopic pregnancies occur in women 35 to 44 years of age.

Ectopic pregnancies are frequently due to an inability of the fertilized egg to make its way through a Fallopian tube into the uterus. Risk factors predisposing to an ectopic pregnancy include:

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can damage the tube's functioning or leave it partly or completely blocked;
Surgery on a Fallopian tube;
Surgery in the neighborhood of the Fallopian tube which can leave adhesions (bands of tissue that bind together surfaces);
Endometriosis, a condition in which tissue like that normally lining the uterus is found outside the uterus;
A prior ectopic pregnancy;
A history of repeated induced abortions;
A history of infertility problems or medications to stimulate ovulation; and
An abnormality in the shape of the Fallopian tube, as with a congenital malformation (a birth defect).

SOURCE:
MedTerms.com. Ectopic Pregnancy.

Read about the rest of the ectopic pregnancy definition. »

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