Any chance I'm not about to miscarry?

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

I'm 6 wks 3 days and have started passing some brown mucus. Not a huge amount, and my pregnancy symptoms (such as they are) are still there - tiredness, faint nausea, sometimes dizzy and quite sore nipples. I've had crampy pains, pretty mild (sub-period level) since I found out I was pregnant two weeks ago, which is normal for me in early pregnancy. But I also had two MCs before DS - one spontaneous at 6 wks and one MMC discovered at 12 week scan.

I haven't taken this pregnancy for granted at all, but it's still gutting to see brown murky stuff on the loo paper. Am trying to chill about it and take what comes, and I absolutely don't want to go to the EPU (I have bad associations of that place) unless I'm in a lot of pain/bleeding a lot/suspect an ectopic. How common is getting this sort of mucus? It's not remotely blood-coloured (yet).

[lucykate]

it so hard to say for definite, brown is old blood and can be down to so many things, not all bad. i've had bleeding, in fact bled til 23 weeks with dd and all was ok, but have also had bleeding which has led to a miscarriage.

rest, keep an eye on it, it may settle down and stop, but if it does get worse, well, you've been down that road before, you know the drill. all i can do is wish you luck and fingers crossed everything is ok for you.

[helsbels4]

I had a miscarriage before I had ds (10) and then had coloured discharge when I was about 8wks pregnant with dd. I was convinced I was miscarrying again and felt almost numb and resigned to the whole thing.

She's now five and sitting here moaning about eating her tea!

It might be something but it might be nothing. The only way you will know, is to get it checked out

[oldmum42]

Brown discharge = old blood, may or may not be a bad sign. It's often a sign that something is wrong but that doesn't mean mc every time.

Lots of pregs have bleeding or brown discharge as a result of the placenta (just a bit of it)coming away and causing a bleed, sometimes it may take days for the blood to come out, so it goes brown. It can just heal it's self, or it may get worse - sadly only time will tell. The situation is far from hopeless.

I hope things work out well for you, best wishes.

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

I know, lucykate - in fact, 'you know the drill' has been going through my head since I discovered this! At least I know a MC isn't the end of the world, and I know what happens. Just that my only experience with this sort of discharge is that it ends in a MC, and I know it doesn't always happen that way.

Helsbels - thanks, that's hopeful. I'm pretty numb at the moment, because I can't really stand getting hopeful, which is one thing MCs teach you. I think I'll give it a couple of days and then if it's still happening, I might present myself at the wretched EPU. (mind you, that'll be the weekend. )

[DomesticG0ddess]

My experience of a mc is different - I had tiny amount of red spotting, followed by my symptoms disappearing then bleeding. This pregnancy however, I have had a little brown discharge at different stages, but everything is fine. I wouldn't necessarily think that brown discharge so early is a problem - old implantation bleeding, or old bleeding from when your period was due. Good luck!

[lucykate]

rwd, there were so many points with dd that i thought it was all over, she clung in there and is now 8. with me, it was down to the placenta having torn away slightly, but all was fine in the end, hopefully yours will be another good outcome.

[saucetastic]

This happened to me a fortnight ago with brown discharge and some bleeding and at the same stage of pregnancy also. I had a mmc last year, and was quite panicked when bleeding started this time. I spoke to an nhs nurse over the phone and she said to put my feet up, and it could just be implantation bleeding. i then spoke to an out of hours gp, then my own gp, who both said it was too late to be implantation bleeding. They sent me into an epu a week later for an early scan, and lo and behold it turned out to be implantation bleeding.
Seeing the embryos heart beating was an immense relief. Good luck.

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

Bah. It's gone red now.

Saucetastic, I do know there's a tiny chance this could be ok, and I'll drag myself to the EPU tomorrow for a scan, I think.

I'm really glad your pregnancy's still going!

[lucykate]

oh no!, hard not to but don't panic, with dd i lost red blood, clots everything, definitely go to epu tomorrow, hope it's good news.

[JamieJay]

Reshape - good luck and try not to panic (easier said than done). Make sure you get checked out though.

I've had bleeding in 2 pregnancies - both times it started out brown but included some red blood.

The first time sadly ended in m/c but I'm now 28 weeks with the 2nd and know lots of other people have had bleeding at various stages in their pregnancy.

So no straight answer there but just wanted to re-assure you that there is still hope.

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

well, red blood seemed to be a blip and it's back to occasional brown discharge. I have no idea if this is an on-again, off-again MC, or maybe that things are still ok in there. And I will have no way of knowing until TUESDAY because the EPU just told me there are no free scan appts until then! And that's if I can persuade a GP to refer me. I am about to go out and sit on her desk until she makes me an appointment - wish me luck!

[youremindmeofthedave]

Good luck!

[saucetastic]

Thinking of you, and i'm sure given your history your gp will refer you. It can feel like a very long wait for the epu, but try to stay positive and busy, even if there's more bleeding/discharge in the interim, as there was every day for me. Good luck!

[addictedisinthesecondtrimester]

hey reshape, i hope your feeling ok today. if you look back in the pregnancy section you will see that there are lots and lots who have had or who are having brow/red bleading and are having or have had normal pregnancys.

i'm one of thoes. red or brown discharge and blood comes and goes, i'm 14 weeks today and have had 3 scans showing a strong heartbeat. its not all over yet.

i know its hard, but it could all be fine yet.

fingers crossed for you

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

Got an appointment for tues. GP was a locum and couldn't have been nicer or more considerate. He'd obviously read the MN Miscarriage Code of Conduct!

Thanks for all the help and support here. I really wish I'd been on MN when I went through MC before DS.

[MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird]

Hi Reshape, I have been having exactly the same symptoms as you. Brown blood 1 week ago at week 6 exactly. Went for the scan the same day (not living in UK) and gynae said she could only see an empty yolk sac and would expect to see a heartbeat with a BHCG of 15,000, but to go home and come back in a week. One red bleed after that, then brown spotting on and off ever since.

I spent 3 days in tears convinced it was all over, but then when the heavy bleeding and the cramping never came have been fluctuating between hope and resignation. Boobs still hurt, and threw up at work this morning, but then I know the symptoms can carry on for ages. Next appointment is on Sunday so I suppose I will find out then.