Should I worry about bleeding during my pregnancy?

Vaginal bleeding is pretty common in early pregnancy. Sometimes it happens as an ‘implantation’ bleed because when the embryo settles itself into the inside wall of your uterus, it can dislodge some cells that come out looking just like period blood. Bleeding can also happen for other reasons, especially after having sex that involves something in your vagina (penis, fingers, rotating purple plastic vibra-doodle). That’s usually because the surface of the cervix is ‘spongier’ than usual and some bloody-looking cells can come off and go down the vagina.

Any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy usually slows and stops without causing any problems at all. But because the most common symptom of miscarriage is also bleeding, it can be scary – or at least a surprise. So if bleeding happens, contact your doctor or midwife team immediately. You’ll need to describe the colour, quantity, and when you noticed it. Light spotting is usually no cause for action. A heavy flow could mean they want you to go straight to hospital to get checked out.

There’s more info on all this in the book Up the Duff: The Real Guide to Pregnancy.