WHY MENSTRUATION DURING PREGNANCY?

WHY MENSTRUATION DURING PREGNANCY?

Can you get your period while pregnant? The short answer is no. "Pregnant people can certainly have vaginal bleeding during a pregnancy, but when they bleed, they are not having a 'period'. 

A true period happens when the uterine lining sheds at the end of a menstrual cycle. When an egg goes unfertilized, levels of the hormones that control the egg's release drop and cause your uterine lining, which has thickened in the first half of your cycle as it awaited a fertilized egg, to slough off and shed in what we refer to as a period.

If you're pregnant, an egg has been fertilized and implanted in the wall of the uterus. Pregnancy hormones tell your body to maintain the uterine lining, and since it's not shedding, you no longer have a period. 

An Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Abosede Lewu, says it is a fallacy for a woman to menstruate in pregnancy, rather what she experiences is bleeding.

While it is possible for women to experience some bleeding during pregnancy, this will not be due to their menstrual cycle. It is essential to understand the potential causes and know when to speak to a doctor.

Women can bleed during pregnancy for various reasons. Here are a few common ones.

1. Implantation bleeding:

Many people experience something called ‘implantation bleeding'. "This can occur at the time the fertilized egg, known as the embryo, reaches the uterus and nestles itself into the lining of the uterus". Implantation bleeding tends to present as light pinkish or brownish spotting, occurring 10 to 14 days after conception. The bleeding may look like the start of your period but remains light and does not progressively get heavier.

2. Ectopic pregnancy:

Bleeding in the first trimester can also be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy (when the fetus starts to grow outside of the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube). The amount of bleeding with an ectopic pregnancy may vary. 

3. Sexual intercourse: 

Most women can continue to have sex while pregnant, unless a doctor advises otherwise, they may experience some bleeding due to increased sensitivity of the vaginal and cervical tissues.

4. Cervical examination: 

A doctor may inspect the cervix to check for any abnormalities. This procedure can result in some minor bleeding.

Other things can also cause bleeding such as miscarriage (or pregnancy loss), subchorionic hemorrhage, Placenta previa, Uterine rupture, Placental abruption.

If a woman does experience bleeding at any stage of pregnancy and is concerned, she should note the color, amount, and consistency of the bleeding and speak to a doctor.

Bleeding in pregnancy is common, it does not indicate that a woman is having her period.

Nevertheless, it's crucial to always get it assessed because some causes of bleeding during pregnancy could be dangerous or as a result of regular changes in the body during pregnancy.

Summarily, heavy bleeding may indicate a health issue that requires treatment. If someone is pregnant and bleeding, with or without pain, they should visit a health care provider for further instruction.

Writer Details:Erica✍️

Location:Edwin Clark university,Delta State,Nigeria🇳🇬.