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Pregnancy - vaginal bleeding; Maternal blood loss
Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy is bleeding coming through the vagina during pregnancy, for any reason.
Up to 10% of women have vaginal bleeding at some time during their pregnancy, especially in the first 3 months (first trimester). Bleeding is even more common with twins.
To help prevent a miscarriage or other problems during pregnancy:
During the first 3 months, vaginal bleeding may be a sign of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. See the doctor right away. During months 4 - 9 bleeding may be a sign of:
Other possible causes of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy:
Other diseases and medications can cause bleeding during pregnancy. The causes may differ depending on your age.
Characteristics of the bleeding can indicate its causes. These include:
Gabbe SG, Niebyl JR, Simpson JL, ed. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2007.
Taval VS, Glass CM. Emergency ultrasound. In: Marx JA, ed. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 197.
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