Has anyone actually had periods during pregnancy or is this an urban myth?

[jennymac]

Since having my ds 3 years ago, my periods have been unusually heavy (when compared to before his birth). However, last week when my period arrived it was considerably lighter and only lasted a couple of days. We were a bit careless during the month and now I am wondering if I could be pregnant. I know I should just do a test (!) but half of me thinks I am being ridiculous even considering it, and the other half thinks I would be irrationally disappointed if I tested and it was negative. Has anyone actually had a period and then turned out to be pregnant?

Well, I bled in 4 weekly intervals x3 and twigged I was pregnant eventually at 16 weeks .

Do a frigging test !!

When I was pregnant with DS I did a test and it was positive but I still bled roughly every four weeks up until around 24 weeks. My GP told me that sometimes it takes your body a few months to realise and stop it's cycle. I know someone who didn't know she was pregnant until just over five months because she was having periods still.

Do a test, at least you'll know one way or the other :)

I was at school with a girl who was on the pill, continued to have periods, and was planning on going off to university... until she went into labour during our A-levels. She was very athletic and was not visibly pregnant either.

This still sounds like an urban myth I know, but it did actually happen, honest!

It happened to my mum! She had regular periods throughout her pregnancy, no cravings, sickness, no symptoms whatsoever (she wasn't even 'showing' until her 8th month when we look back at photographs) and she didn't know she was having a baby until 30 minutes before my brother was born! It was her first pregnancy so she had absolutely no idea that her pains were labour pains - especially as she had no pregnancy symptoms.

She knew with me though. The only difference was her periods had stopped, I was planned and she took a test!

Quite common in our family. My aunts even don't know they are pregnant until they are in their 2nd trimester between 16 and 22 weeks!!

I found out I was pregnant on 6th May. I had no periods but had taken norethisterone to stop it whilst on holiday and I took a test (we were TTC but didn't think I'd fall pregnant - thought we would have problems) and it was negative!! When my period didn't arrive, I mentioned it to the doctor (whilst getting a sick note as I had suspected DVT from returning from the Caribbean). I really did think it was just my hormones playing up as I was convinced the negative test was true. If I hadn't of been for the doctor doing another test which showed positive, I would have gone probably another one or two months before seeking advice! I have had very little symptoms and if I still hadn't known I was pregnant, I would not associate a lack of appetite or tiredness as pregnancy related symptoms as I have a stressful job.

OK -now I'm scared. Will nip out and pick up a test at lunchtime!

I think you do need to test!

I had a period - bit lighter than usual - when I was PG and have had 2 other smaller bleeds since (currently 15 weeks pg).

My doctor says it is uncommon but not unusual for this to happen.

Yes, just the one. Turned out to be a haemmorage on the wall of my uterus, was exactly like a period though.

Now 29 weeks pregnant!

it does happen - my friend had 2 periods )at regular intervals) before realising she's pregnant! :) get the test :)

Yes three periods before I discovered I was 15 wks. The ver light period third gave the game away.

Any news?

Cbear6 are you in glos? xxx

But where is the blood coming from? Presumably not your uterus, as all the amniotic fluid would leak out as well.

I think it's an urban myth.

Nowhere near glos, George - opposite end of the country to me. I think. It's far away from where I am, I know that :)

Anyway. The inside of the uterus is sort of like an onion in that it has layers. You have the uterine wall, the uterine lining, the membrane/amniotic sac, and the baby and fluid is inside that sac. It's possible to bleed in pregnancy and many women do, it's very common. For some the bleeding is random and for others it happens at roughly the sane time their period(s) would have been due and so they don't realise they're pregnant until months down the line (there's even a TV show called "I didn't know I was pregnant"). The bleeding can be from small sacs/blisters inside the womb that are dislodged as the pregnancy grows, it can be excess uterine lining shed by the body, it can be a uterine bruise (can't remember the correct name) which come away (a bruise is just a patch of blood), it can even be a cervical erosion which is a patch of cells on the cervix that can become irritated during pregnancy and this irritation makes them bleed.

Definitely possible to bleed in pregnancy and mistake it for a period.

I was getting weird pains and the doc thought it was IBS, he prescribed drugs and then asked if I could be pregnant. I answered that I could, but didn't think I was. He told me to do a test before taking the IBS meds.

I didn't have IBS, I was fairly pregnant.

My Mum had periods as normal the first 4 months she was pregnant with me! Do a test 3 weeks after you were last unsafe x

Bought test at lunchtime but still in work so will do it when I get home. Pretty sure it is just an anomaly and that I am not pregnant and all will be back to horrible heavy normalness next month! Will let you all know!

It's called decidual bleeding and obviously isn't exactly the same as a period. It is hormonal though

Test was negative so just one of those weird things I guess!

I bled the first month with all three, with ds2 I bled every 3 to 4 weeks realy heavily up untill 24 weeks, you can bleed from the cervix, where the placenta attaches to the uterus or from bruising/ lesions any where else in the womb, the amniotic sac is just that, a sort of balloon in the uterus, it's not attached to the Walls but is sort of free floating apart from where the placenta is attached

Hi, I'm 4 weeks pregnant and worried because I'm having a "period".

I'm first time pregnant and conceived on Tue 27 Sep 2016. I know this because I used ovulation strips and recorded when we had sex. The first day of my last period was Sunday 04 Sep 2016. My periods are irregular lasting from 29 to 40 days. I've taken two pregnancy tests earlier this week and both came back positive. One was a weeks indicator one and said "1-2 weeks pregnant" when I used it on Wed 12 Oct 2016. The last two days I've had spotting (brown-ey) but today there is blood (red). Im also feeling "period-ey". I'm worried that this is a mis-carriage. I'm healthy. I'm 33. My older sister had "periods" for the first 10 weeks of her first pregnancy. However, my twin sister did not with her pregnancies. I don't think this can be implantation bleeding as I'm past the 6-12 days mark. My older sister says that sometimes if the egg is at one far side of the womb, the chemicals it produces to stop the womb lining shedding, don't always reach the other side of the womb and this part sheds a bit like it would during a normal period. Do you think I'm having a "faux" period? Your thoughts would be greatly welcomed.

Maria - I read that normally most symptoms in isolation are ok. Cramps on their own are normal. Slight spotting is also normally fine but be more cautious if you start to pass clots. If you have bleeding and cramping that increases all at the same time then it could be a miscarriage. Fx it is just your uterus adjusting and making room for growing baby.

Maria it's impossible to say, you just have to wait and see. Plenty of people bleed in pregnancy but go on to have babies. Some people sadly miscarry.

(By the way, it's generally considered bad form to revive old threads. You're better off starting your own.)