Anyone bled heavily in early pregnancy & still remained pregnant?

[Distracted]

I suppose I already know the answer to this one really but just wanted to find out what other people's experiences were?

I would be 5 weeks pregnant now (ie. 3 weeks since conception) and I've had 2 positive pregnancy tests (1st was so faint that I repeated it). But Thursday night had blood stained discharge, which has turned into pretty heavy bleeding and stomach cramps too. Really I suppose I know that I'm miscarrying - I don't suppose you can bleed that heavily and keep a pregnancy.

I wondered about doing another pregnancy test at some point so that I knew for certain but I wondered how long you would have to wait after a miscarraige before a pregnancy test is negative?
Does anyone know?

[whymummy]

i really can't help you on this one,i'm sure someone will soon, although it is quite at weekends,i'm really sorry this has happened
hugs xx

[hana]

Sorry to hear about your bleeding Distracted, and I'm afraid it's not good news from my experiences, I have had 2 m/c and with both, the bleeding started out with spotting and over a few days got heavier. They were at 9 and 7 weeks. There are lots and lots of women who do bleed and go on to have healthy pregnancies however, so don't assume the worst just yet.
With regards to the pregnancy tests - the pregnancy hormone (forget what it's called HGC maybe?) will still be present after a m/c as it takes some time to level out - so doing a test I don't think would really tell you anything. Can you get an early scan? Have my fingers crossed for you and hope everything turns out well.
hana

[eyelash]

Distracted

I can fully sympathise having had 2 miscarriages at 5 weeks. But I also had v. heavy bleeding at 7 weeks with ds2 over a 2/3 day period and went on to have a perfectly healthy pregnancy. As Hana said the pregnancy hormone will still be present so a pregnancy test may give you false hope.

My only advice would be to get to your local early pregnancy unit asap to have a scan. They will be able to tell you what is happening and will know how to handle it. If this is closed at the weekend you can go to your local A&E and they will arrange a scan.

Please, please take care. What you are going through is awful. Let us know how you are.

[Brunhilda]

Lots of love and support to you. I can only echo what the others have said. I have had 2 mcs and one lovley baby. I bled a little (light and dark brown gunk as I remember) with my baby who turned out fine. Oddly enuogh I too am pregnant and bleeding a little and have had odd bits of bleeding a lot. Pregancy tests still show positive. Went to the doc last week. I am an old pro and so knew the score - I cannot go for a scan until next week since nothing wil show until you are 6 weeks gone. And if they cannot confirm viable pregnacny I will be recalled at 7 weeks. I feel quite matter of fact myself since I have been here before - but how are you - have you hada baby already? Having my little girl helps me so much. Lots of love to you. Do let us know how you get on.

[bunny2]

Distracted, I beld in my first 2 pregnancies, one was fine and I had my lovely son, the other ended in mc. In my third pg, I didnt bleed at all but still miscarried. So from personal experience I'd say isnt a link between bleeding and miscarriage. Sending lots of luck to you. Bxx

[quackers]

So sorry to hear this distracted. Please please go to your early pgcy unit and put your mind at rest, one way or the other. Are you ok?? How is your blood loss? Are you with someone??? Like the others I've had a healthy DD after bleeding, a miscarriage after bleeding and a miscarriage without bleeding (until later). Unfortunately there's no textbook way that it occurs, I wish there was as it would make life so much easier.
The pgcy test will stay positive (cruelly) for a little while after a miscarriage. The HCG will fall by half every 24-36 hours if there is something wrong. I send you a little prayer and some hugs {{{}}}} Please keep in touch.xx

[Distracted]

Thanks everyone for your lovely supportive messages. I do already have one healthy dd (19 months) so not as upsetting as it would be if this was my first pregnancy - I do keep thinking how lucky I am to have her.

It's good to hear of cases where people have had bleeding and still been pregnant, but I wonder if it was heavy bleeding? With my first pregnancy I had some spotting at about the time of implantation, but nothing else. I've had this bleeding now for 2 days and it's been pretty heavy at times and certainly very red, so I feel pretty certain that it must be a miscarriage.

At least I know that there's no point repeating the pregnancy test.

I did ring my GP's surgery and speak to the triage nurse yesterday morning and she said if the bleeding only went on for a couple of days and wasn't too heavy then I should take myself to the local hospital after the weekend for a scan. However, it has been heavy and had stomach cramps yesterday - a heavy dragging feeling in my groin. So I don't feel that there's much hope, but it is frustrating not to know for sure.

Sounds like there's not much point having a scan either as I'm not yet 6 weeks. I suppose it's just a waiting game now.

[Distracted]

Just been re-reading through what everyone's said. Most people didn't say if their bleeding was heavy when they bled and maintained the pregnancy. But I'm encouraged by what eyelash has said - maybe it is possible to have HEAVY bleeding and keen a pregnancy then.

Eyelash, do you mind me asking, but was your blood really quite red? And did you have any stomach cramps?

[quackers]

You can still have a scan. They will be able to see a foetal pole and sac, just maybe not a heartbeat yet. If it all looks ok, they'll ask you back. Having pains though is a little worrying. I hope you manage to get your scan and put your mind at rest.xxxxxx

[bossykate]

distracted, do you know if you have uterine fibroids? the symptoms you describe could be consistent with the fibroids necrotising as a result of being stimulated by pregnancy hormones. i'm currently running at 50/50 outcomes for bleeding in early pg - one beautiful boy, one m/c at six weeks. my bleeding with ds was quite heavy, red and clotty and accompanied by severe pain - it was due to fibroids as i mentioned above. i second the advice to go along to an early pg unit - at least it will end the uncertainty. i really hope it's good news for you. good luck.

[Distracted]

Thanks for the advice, perhaps I will try to get to a hospital with an early pregnancy scanner (trouble is I'm a long way from hospitals, going to be hard to take time off work, but I suppose that's silly).

I'm not aware of having fibroids, so can't think of obvious explanation for bleeding but I did have pain for half a day Friday. Not classic period style cramps but heavy dragging pain in groin (altho' have had something similar with periods occasionally). My mum told me she saw herself lose something about half a centimetre or centimetre long when she miscarried but I haven't seen anything like that. Today is day 3 and the bleeding has really eased up loads - my periods usually last 8 days, so I suppose that's a bit encouraging. I would have thought a miscarriage lasted as long or longer than a period as surely you're losing more?

I suppose I should just stop umming and aahing about this and find out about scans - will try and ring one of the hospitals in the morning.

Thanks for all your advice and support. It's so good to have mumsnet and get a wider experience from people as I don't know that many people, plus I don't realy want to tell many people at this stage (changed my nickname in fact here).

[bossykate]

hi distracted, fwiw, i bled for two whole weeks with my m/c. so the bleeding easing up could be a good sign. i've got some leaflets from the miscarriage association which say that 80% of bleeds in pg do not result in m/cs. however, only one way to be sure. what would your efforts at work be worth anyway with this on your mind? my advice is get seen as soon as you can. fingers crossed for you.

[hmb]

I hope that everything goes well with the early pregnancy scan. I don't want to sound too positive (but I want to be, IYSWIM), But my grandmother's periods never stopped when she was carrying my father. I lost a baby at 12 weeks so I do understand your worries. Take great care of yourself.

[hana]

Distracted, I also bled for about 2 weeks with my m/cs too. So hoping for you and fingers crossed,
hana

[eyelash]

Distracted

I am so pleased the bleeding has eased off. Certainly my miscarriages were like very heavy periods so fingers crossed.

I bled with a period type bleed for two full days and it was bright red for most of it. tbh I can't remember stomach cramps at the time. I was able to get a scan straight away as I was past the 6 weeks stage and had previously had a miscarriage. You should still be able to get a scan even at 5 weeks because as somebody else has said they can see the sac.

Please, please go to your nearest early pregnancy unit tomorrow. Worrying won't do you any good.

[wiltshire]

Whilst pg with DS, at about 7 weeks I passed clots and what looked like a huge kidney bean. I took it to the hospital and they said it was a sac. They then done a scan and said sorry but baby no more and I would need a D+C. I was visiting at the time so it was a strange hosp. When I went back to my own hospital the next day, they re-scanned me and found DS alive & well. So all I will say to this is you never can tell.

[wiltshire]

Oh and the blood was bright red and I did have some pain.

[zippy539]

Distracted - I'm so sorry you are going through this, I know how devastating it is. I had two days of bleeding with ds at six weeks - hard to say how heavy because it came out irregularly in splurges and so seemed quite heavy even if the overall loss wasn't enormous. The blood was brown and bright red and when the scan turned out fine the doctor put it down to implantation bleeding. I also had dragging pains with both ds and dd until about 8 weeks (like my period was always about to start).

Like everyone else has said, please go asap to your nearest assessment unit to get some support - don't worry about the six week thing, just go.

Good, good luck and thinking of you.

[Jimjams]

distracted I had positive pregnancy tests for a number of weeks after a m/c at 7 weeks (they initially suspected an ectopic so I had to keep going back for scans). Contact your early pregnancy unit and get a scan done then you will know. Fingers crossed for you.

[madgirl]

Hi Distracted, you last posted this lunchtime (Sunday) so I hope your bleeding has continued to ease off. I am 7 weeks pregnant and have been spotting on and off for around 2 weeks, i think the worst part is not knowing - i so badly want to down a few glasses of red wine and relax! one moment i have convinced myself that what will be will be and then the next moment i am all panicky and in limbo again. i can only echo what most of the other mumsnetters have said here - please go and get an early scan. nhs direct i am sure will be able to tell you the nearest place you can go. sleep well, madgirlxxx

[Distracted]

Thanks again for all the advice (sorry I only log on in frequently so just keep catching up every half day or so).I am really encouraged by other people's experience of losing bright red blood and even pains and still being pregnant so feel more positive now. The bleeding hasn't actually stopped but as of yesterday it's really lightened up and gone very dark (haven't had any at all yet this morning), so I only really had one day when it was very heavy.

I think I will take everyone's advice and find a hospital with a scanner as I really want to know one way or the other (and am going away for a romantic weekend this Friday with dh, so if the worst was true I could at least know that I could indulge in lots of wine to drown my sorrows)! I work Mon-Wed tho' and am so behind at the moment that I can't take time out (it's me that will suffer as have big meeting in 2 weeks that am really scared about and have to prepare lots of presentations that haven't started yet). Have decided to try and go Thursday morning when I'm not working and either take dd with me or hope to get babysitting.

Thanks again for advice, as I don't think I would have pushed for a scan without everyone's suggestions plus it's made me realise that perhaps there is still hope. Fingers crossed and I'll let you know on Thursday.

[Azure]

Distracted - sorry to hear you're going through this. Are there any clots? Are you sure you want to be at work, even though you've got a lot to do? Does you local A&E department have an emergency scanner - if so, could you go in the evening? Best wishes for a happy outcome.

[Distracted]

Thanks Azure. I just rang my local early pregnancy assessment unit and they told me it was too early to scan - need to wait until nearer 6 weeks. Have to say they were rather less than sympathetic - 'why did you do a pregnancy test so early?'. I didn't think it was that uncommon to know by 5 weeks (I did know at 4 actually and felt pregnant before that).

Anyway the outcome is that they told me to do another pregnancy test on Thursday as that will be a week after the bleeding started and if it's negative then I've miscarried. If it's still positive (which I gather from other people's comments is pretty likely whether I've miscarried or not), then they say I can come in for a scan that day. They run a clinic every morning from 8-9 am, so I'll get up v. early Thursday and do the test, then head over there pretty quick (it's 45-60 minutes away probably 60 minutes in rush hour)! I just really hope I find out either way before going away for the weekend.

[pollingfold]

Distracted

I've only just come back to my computer on a monday morning to read this. I had a m/c a couple of weeks a go. Everyone offered much support and ideas. I suffered from spotting which then turned into heavy bleeding for two days and then subsided greatly. However the baby didn't survive.

However there maybe some hope, as per eyelash, a common occurrence when people have heavy bleeding is that they actually had twins with one failing, but the other continuing.

I don't know what your EPU are going on about doing another pregnancy test in a couple of days. The tests you buy in boots etc have a sensitivity of 20mug for the pregnancy hormone, which is tiny. Since it is too early for a scan, what they can do, is do a blood test. From the blood they can get a count of how much prenancy hormone is in your body e.g 5000mug. They then take bloods 48 hours later and if the pregnacny is progressing the count will be double or triple e.g 10,000 mug. If the level stays constant or decreases then it is likely that you have m/c.

I'm sorry not to be more hopeful. The worst thing I found is that you feel soo useless at being unable to stop it, and of course the not knowing whats going on.

WRT work, stuff it!! this and you are much more important, the longer you leave finding out the more tense and stressed out you'll be which isn't good for you or the baby.

Good luck, fingers crossed.

[bossykate]

hi pollingfold, so sorry to hear your news