Bleeding and Passing a Clot During Pregnancy

Bleeding and passing a clot during pregnancy can have several meanings. It may come from a sensitive cervix, a small collection of blood near the pregnancy, pregnancy loss or, less commonly, a serious complication such as ectopic pregnancy or a placental problem. A clot alone cannot confirm the cause, and the amount or colour of blood does not reliably show whether the pregnancy is continuing normally. If this is happening now, contact your maternal health nurse, midwife, GP or maternity service today for individual advice, even if the bleeding has stopped. Seek emergency help immediately for heavy bleeding, severe or one-sided pain, shoulder-tip pain, faintness, breathing difficulty, fever, or reduced baby movements later in pregnancy. While bleeding can be frightening, it does not always mean that a pregnancy is ending. What might bleeding and a clot mean? The likely cause depends on how many weeks pregnant you are, how much you are bleeding, whether you have pain and whether the blood came from the vagina. An examination, ultrasound and sometimes blood tests may be needed to find the cause. Changes in the cervix During pregnancy, the cervix has an increased blood supply and can bleed more easily. Light spotting may occur after sex, a cervical screening test or a vaginal examination. Infection, inflammation or a cervical polyp can also cause bleeding. This is often light, but collected blood may occasionally form a small clot. Bleeding near the pregnancy A subchorionic haematoma is a collection of blood between the pregnancy membranes and the wall of the uterus. It can cause spotting, heavier bleeding or clots, although it is sometimes found on ultrasound without any symptoms. Its significance varies according to its location and size, so your maternity team will advise whether follow-up is needed. Early pregnancy loss Bleeding with cramps, clots or tissue can be a sign of miscarriage, particularly in the first half of pregnancy. However, bleeding and cramping can also occur in an ongoing pregnancy. Symptoms alone cannot give a definite answer. Ultrasound and, in some circumstances, repeat pregnancy-hormone blood tests help clarify what is happening. Ectopic pregnancy An ectopic pregnancy develops outside the uterus, most often in a fallopian tube. It may cause vaginal bleeding with lower abdominal or pelvic pain, which can be on one side. Shoulder-tip pa…