Hematoma

[sw11mumofone]

Hi all,
I am currently 6 weeks and 6 days pregnant. Last friday morning I started spotting brownish blood. Not too much, mainly when I wiped and a little bit on a panty liner (not enough for a pad). I had ivf so my clinic did an emergency scan and saw a heartbeat - big relief. that was at 6 weeks and 1 day. However they also saw a bleed next to the gestational sac and said that is where the bleeding would have come from. It is called a hematoma apparently. That evening when I wiped I had some bright red blood and then nothing else for a couple of days. Then on Monday the brown spotting started again. Had that for two days and today nothing. Haven't had too much in the way of cramps - just mild ones which I'm sure I got in my first pregnancy with everything stretching. I just wondered if anyone had any experience of hematomas? Apparently it will either absorb back into my body or come out. The danger is that it could take the pregnancy with it. I have been told the next two-three week are crucial so now I'm constantly terrified. I'd appreciate any experience you may have to share.
Thank you! x

No experience here, I just wanted to hold your hand. I hope it turns out alright for you.

Happy story for you here I suffered from bleeding all through my first trimester and up to about 15 weeks, I had a sub chorionic haematoma and spent a lot of time on bed rest and was signed off for about a month - I don't think there's necessarily any evidence that it definitively helps but I felt that I wasn't doing anything that would leave me feeling guilty should the worst happen - and as soon as I upped my activity the bleeding started again! It was a very, very scary time, I had regular scans and each time I had another bleed I was convinced it was all over (I'd had 2 mc's previously) fast forward 11 weeks and baby is kicking away and doing well. I know it's going to be a scary time for you but after seeing several threads on here it seems these more often than not have a positive outcome, try not to google because you'll only see the scary stuff.... I really hope that all goes well for you and there's lots of us to hold your hand along the way

My daughter had the same from 6 weeks, huge bleed at 7 weeks, had to fly to America the day after for 5 days, bled on and off until about 12 weeks, the haematoma gradually disapeared, she just carried on as normal throughout, worked up until 36 weeks and now has a gorgeous baby girl who has just celebrated her 1st birthday, x

I had one. Quite possibly still do.

Had absolutely massive bleed at about 11 weeks. Gush all over the floor type bleed. Went to a&e. They found heartbeat but didnt look into the cause. Continued to have equivalent of a really heavy period for two days. Had scheduled scan a week later, they found a pretty large haematoma and said they'd be surprised if I didn't bleed some more. Had brown gunky blood when I wiped for about a week or so and no more since. Had an extra follow up scan that showed it had shrunk and then at my 20 week one it was much smaller.

I'm now 35 weeks and, touch wood, all is okay.

Hope all goes well for you too.

I second staying away from Google. Google is not your friend.

Hi sw11 - I had a subchorionic haematoma, like you I first noticed the bleeding around 6 ish weeks, and it lasted until around 14 weeks, even tho I was told at the 12 week scan that it had gone . I was told there was nothing that could be done about it, it was just one of those things and that it would likely resolve itself.

Did they give you any indication of the size of the haematoma? I think the position of it is a factor to consider if it is still present at 12 week scan, I.e. is it near the placenta, things like that. The size of mine was 23.5mm x 26.9mm x 26.9mm (sounds huge but this was tiny in comparison to others I read about).

I am now 28w4d and all is going well at this point, a normal pregnancy. I did put myself on 'bed rest' when I had nothing else to do, until 15 weeks, but I didn't let it affect my normal activities, work/school runs/playing with children etc. I just carried on as normal but rested when I got the chance. And I'm sorry to say, I was too worried to have penetrative sex - we did twice and each time I bled, so neither of us wanted to chance it again. Normal relations resumed once bleeding had stopped .

Fingers crossed all goes well for you. Don't be googling it all the time tho, you'll only stress yourself out x

Ha I cross posted with pickle, see we're all saying stay away from google! lol

Had haematomas in all my pregnancies. with ds2 it was huge and just sat there throughout, they scanned me every fortnight to check The one I had with dd caused an absolutely enormous bleed at 13 weeks, but she stayed put.
Only word of advice. Take it (very) easy and don't lift anything.

Can I just add, I notice Kelbells has mentioned the levels of activity and noticing more bleeding, I found this to be the case as well, if I was very active then I would bleed more for a couple of days after. I also noticed the same thing if I consumed much caffeine, any more than a couple of cups of tea/coffee and the bleeding would get heavier :(

Thank you all sooo much for taking the time to reply to me. I have been terrified and am feeling quite a bit calmer having read all your experiences. I will be going for another scan tomorrow to get an update so will ask about size, position etc. Regarding google, you are right! Totally frightening but had already trawled it before reading your warnings!! It will be a very slow few weeks i think but thank you again for the support and taking the time to reassure me. Very much appreciated! x

Just a quick note to say that I hope your scan went well today x

Hi Kelbells - lovely of you to remember that I had my scan today. It went pretty well I think thank you. I'm seven weeks today and the Dr said that the baby's heartbeat was good and it was growing well and was the right size for this stage. The haematoma is still there - hasn't grown and hasn't shrunk. But it is quite close to the baby which is stressing me out a bit. But the Dr said its quite small 15mm by 8mm and hopefully shouldn't cause any problems. She said to expect a bit more bleeding and to take it easy. Back for another scan in two weeks time. Just got to keep everything crossed!!
Thanks again for thinking of me - means a lot! x

Hi SW11

Poor you, it is horrible what you are going through, I remember it well.

I had this at 6 weeks also, my haematoma was massive, more than 45mm, they told me I would lose my baby as it was just getting bigger and bigger. I was advised COMPLETE bed rest, to lift nothing as another poster said up thread, not even to go in a car, certainly not a bus etc etc...

After 2 weeks it started to get reabsorbed and after another terrible 2 weeks the baby was bigger than the haematoma and after another two weeks it was gone. Against all the odds.

Good Luck OP, I am sure all will be well - just take it easy and try to relax.

Thinking of you x

Hi Calypso - thank you for your message. The more of these positive stories I read the more I start to breathe out and relax. Its a horrible wait and every day seems to be taking about a month! Can't believe I've got another 5 weeks to go just to get to 12 weeks!!! I'm going on holiday for a week to Cornwall on Saturday so am hoping that will take my mind off things. Although will have to take it pretty easy. I have to say I went on four buses today to get to my clinic and back and every bump I went over I was totally paranoid!! I'm hoping that in 2 weeks time then that I might see some shrinkage in the haematoma. Disappointing there was no movement today from last week but suppose it was only 6 days. I hope I will be as lucky as the rest of you.
Thanks again for taking the time to reassure me - can't tell you how much it helps!
x

So glad to hear it! Take it as easy as you can... and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, the bigger the baby gets the better it is... But as you've heard all the good stories from others your chances are very, very good! Enjoy a bit of pampering in the meantime

Thanks Kelbells! Difficult to relax and be pampered when you've got a two year old, but I'll give it a good go!!! x

Just checked my pregnancy notes and the size of my haematoma was 98mm x 87mm x 29 mm. So pretty damn big! And all seems to be well!

Wow - that really is quite big. You wouldn't think there would be room for that! Glad all is well with you though. Must have been a real worry. thanks for checking up on that, its good to get some perspective.

I know! and that was after 2 days of really heavy bleeding so it might have started off even bigger. I didn't really think there was any hope that a baby so small could cope with so much bleeding and such a large clot right next to it. It's on all my scan photos and looks really big and forboding.

But that was 23 weeks ago now and fingers crossed I've seen the last of it!

They do look pretty forboding on the scan don't they. Even though its apparently not that big it still looks pretty ominous to me!! You obviously have one strong baby in there. I wish you all the best for the rest of your pregnancy x

Thank you. You too! Here's hoping you have a ridiculously uneventful rest of your pregnancy! x

Never posted before but wanted to share my experience of a subchorionic hematoma (thus far!!)

I started bleeding two weeks ago when I thought I was 6 weeks pregnant... Thought that it was obviously a miscarriage (as have had two previous) but the bleeding was different... It was light for 3 says then stopped and I thought I had had an easy miscarriage but then a week after the initial bleed I had major continuous bleeding filling pads like there was no tomorrow... after 3 days of this I started to feel really faint so took myself to A&E as i thought maybe I need a D&C (Dilation and Curettage) to help the miscarriage along.

They sent me to early pregnancy ward (At this time I was peeing out blood!) and I eventually had a scan where they said that there was a baby with a heartbeat and a very large hematoma blood clot in my womb causing all the bleeding. They said the baby had a strong heartbeat and that I looked around 6-7 weeks.

The advice was to rest up and come back in two weeks for another scan to check on both baby and hematoma.

So its 5 days since the scan and I have on and off heavy bleeding (worse at night) and constant little bleeding but filling pads pretty frequently.

The consultant Gynae is actually a good friend of mine and she said the body will absorb the clot and everything should be fine.

I have two kids already and never experienced any bleeding or anything similar to this with either of them (although they are 8 and 12!!)

Anyway next scan is in 9 says so will update then if not before!