Way to avoid heomarage

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 09/08/2021 16:01

Please help

OP posts:

pinkteapots · 09/08/2021 16:20

Hi, it would really take a professional opinion on this, and even then their insight might be limited. Are there medical notes from the termination and aftercare that you can provide to your maternity team/midwife/consultant? Whether there are or not, i would discuss this with your maternity carers, definitely make sure they are aware, make sure you are satisfied they have taken it on board, and make sure they know you are anxious about it. The type of abortion needs to be known ie surgical, chrmical, etc. They are best placed to give you options (c section?? Certainly hosp care & birth, maybe consultant led?) and to ensure a set of safety measures are in place for the possibility.

Its not a given that you will haemorrage btw. You could haemorrage with a birth after no termination history, those eventualities are built into the maternity care provided in hospital. Or, you may not haemorrage after a termination or previous birth bleed at all. Its unforseeable in many ways, but not unplanned for in the system iyswim.

Many women go on post abortion (and post abortive complications) to carry and birth naturally and without further issue. Stay healthy, eat well, look after yourself, make sure your maternity team listen to you, and enjoy this pregnancy. If you need mental health support raise that too.

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 09/08/2021 16:23

It was a medical abortion. I don't know how much bleeding was normal which is why I am scared that it was too much. They never explained and wanted me out ASAP

OP posts:

Knittingupastorm · 09/08/2021 16:26

I haemorrhaged when I had DD and was told that while it increased my risk of having a haemorrhage in any future births (and I would have to give birth in the labour ward rather than a midwife unit or at home), it wasn’t a certainty or anything.
I had a surgical abortion a year after giving birth and did not have any issues with bleeding.
I’d say just make sure any midwife you have is aware during pregnancy and they can then advise you on what it might mean.

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 09/08/2021 16:28

The other thing is, my partner never knew I had an abortion and this was abortion was with a previous partner. And then the partner I am with now I have never told him about it because it was years after we had even met

OP posts:

EugeniaGrace · 09/08/2021 16:36

Once you are 10 weeks or so pregnant, a midwife will be ask about previous pregnancy history at you booking in and you can discuss your previous abortion/haemorrhage with them.

Some partners come to the booking in appointment, others won’t. It is your choice if you want to tell yourself partner in this conversation or not.

PlanDeRaccordement · 09/08/2021 16:41

@winterwalksandcoffee

Ok so this is hard for me to say. I had a abortion 4 years ago and I bled quite a bit, I was about 8 weeks. I didn't have to have any surgery but it was close. If I have a child will this mean I will hemorage? Can I try and avoid this at all? I'm so scared but really want to have children so I'm worried about blood loss

So sorry this is hard for you. But to answer your question, abortion is very different from childbirth so excess blood loss from one doesn’t mean you definitely would be any higher risk for haemorrhage in childbirth. (Assuming you are normal here and have no blood clotting disorder).

You should absolutely mention this to your midwife, as abortion can affect future fertility and pregnancy. Do this in private AND you can absolutely tell her your current partner is not to know about your prior abortion. There is nothing wrong with not sharing all of your medical history with your partner.

Haemorrhage is a common fear so don’t feel bad, as films tend to show this as cause of death in childbirth constantly....so that’s the image we get given repeatedly as a girl and young woman when watching shows with sad endings. But please be reassured that whether birthing at home or in a hospital, dying of this is extremely rare, because they can inject pitocin right away to stop or slow the bleeding, then you’re either in hospital or rushed there and blood transfusions along with emergency surgery do the rest.

Definitely discuss all this in more detail with you midwife along with any other fears you have...them telling you that they can do A, B, C and how low the risk really is will reassure you greatly.

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 09/08/2021 16:46

Omg thank you sooooo much. This has lifted a huge weight of my shoulders @PlanDeRaccordement and @EugeniaGrace. I thought the risk of death in pregnancy due to hemorrage was very high snd common. I have health anxiety obviously. I literally cried thinking I might not make it through the birth to see my baby.

OP posts:

Fresh01 · 09/08/2021 20:08

I can’t comment on the abortion aspect but I had a haemorrhage with DC1. I went on to have three more natural deliveries and never had another haemorrhage. The midwives did make sure that in the subsequent deliveries that I had a cannula inserted in my hand early on in established labour and some of my blood type on the ward but thankfully it wasn’t needed.

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 09/08/2021 20:14

@Fresh01 thanks so much. Was you more nervous about birth after your first birth??

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Fresh01 · 09/08/2021 21:45

I tried to focus on the safe delivery of the baby rather than all the different things that may or may not happen. I felt reassured by the fact the midwives were monitoring me for signs it may happen again and had the cannula and blood nearby if needed.

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 09/08/2021 22:06

@Fresh01 thank you for responding. Did you get an epidural?

OP posts:

bee38 · 09/08/2021 22:20

I hemorrhaged with my first baby, it was in my notes and i made sure at every consultant appointment everyone was aware. I was given a drug during my next delivery to prevent it happening again and it worked a dream.
So there are drugs that so give if you are at risk of having a hemorrage equally have drugs on standby to stop one

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 09/08/2021 22:24

@bee38 thank you for your reassurance ♥️

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Fresh01 · 09/08/2021 22:44

No, I never had an epidural. First three babies were gas and air. I had pethidine with no. 4, as she weighed in at 9lbs 12.5ozs 😬

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 09/08/2021 22:49

@Fresh01 well done so happy for you x

OP posts:

Bells3032 · 10/08/2021 11:54

Make sure that you explain to the midwife your fears at the booking appt. Don't take your partner (they prefer to see you alone anyway as they ask you questions about domestic violence etc) and please don't worry about haemorrhage. My mother had a heomarrage with me 30 years ago and after a few days in hospital was perfectly fine - she had a natural birth with my sister so doesn't mean anything.

They will keep a firm eye on you if they think there is any risk to you or baby. Just let them know and be honest with them

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 10/08/2021 12:01

@Bells3032 thanks so much for taking the time to write that. I hope I can get over my anxiety of birth

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Mammyofasuperbaby · 10/08/2021 12:12

I hemaoraged during a miscarriage that was medically managed. So the same as a medical abortion.
I told my consultant and midwifes and they were brilliant.
I had a c section for other reasons but as above they had my blood type in theater and I had extra fluids just in case.
I was absolutely fine though and it was all plain sailing.
Make sure you inform your midwife but try not to worry too much.
Also whoever said that abortion affects future fertility and pregnancies is wrong. It's a common misconception but not founded in scientific evidence

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 10/08/2021 12:15

Do you think I should tell my boyfriend about the previous abortion with another relationship?

OP posts:

Plumtree391 · 10/08/2021 13:33

There is no reason at all to suppose you will haemorrhage after giving birth. If you are really anxious about this, speak to your doctor when you go for your antenatal check ups and be reassured.

You don't have to tell anybody at all about previous abortion if you don't want to. It's entirely your business.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and I hope all goes well.

Babyiskickingmyribs · 10/08/2021 13:52

In post partum haemorrages the blood comes from either the part of the uterus where the placenta was attached, or from tears or cuts (episiotomy) that happen during childbirth. To stop the placental site bleeding they can use a drug called pitocin or syntocinon which is the same thing they use in the drip for inductions. It makes your uterus contract. This shrinks the area where the placenta was attached right down as the uterus contracts and gets smaller. So all the blood vessels that were supplying blood to the baby via the placenta get shut off and the bleeding stops. Cuts and tears get sewn up. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time and investigation to figure out where the blood is coming from. Sometimes a bit of the placenta gets stuck and they have to remove it by hand. All maternity hospitals have blood available for transfusions when mothers lose too much. Basically, haemorrages are scary but the midwives and obstetricians deal with them all the time. They is a fairly short list of reasons why too much bleeding happens and there are ways of dealing with all them quickly and effectively. Before blood transfusions and synctocin and free/affordable medical care then yes, post partum haemorrages would have been one the causes of the high maternal mortality rate. Modern medicine is a great thing!

Original poster

winterwalksandcoffee · 10/08/2021 13:55

This is incredibly reassuring. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this to me. That's amazing. It's google searches that haven't helped my anxiety 🤣

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