Ectropian Cervix...how will I know?!

[leanne963]

I have been reading up about Ectropian Cervix and am 99% sure this is what I have. I have been on 3 different types of contraceptive pill over the past 8 years and have always suffered from unexplained bleeding after sex and lots of light bleeds just before my period was due.

Now I am pregnant I am still suffering from tiny bouts of spotting. I am 17 weeks and every 3 or 4 weeks I will notice very diluted watery pink blood when I wipe, then a few hours later it will just turn brown. So more often than not it is brown spotting. I usually get this after I have had a bad few days with the pregnancy rhinitis so I am sneezing a lot. I haven't had sex so it's not that, I guess I'm just puzzled but the midwife did say 'you could just be one of those people that bleeds.'
I have had more scans than usual due to being overly worried about this pregnancy cause of a pervious MC in June and baby is fine and healthy, found out two days ago the baby is a girl :).
I asked doctors last month to find out why I was bleeding and of course they refused to do an internal, so I was just wondering do I assume I have an ectropian cervix or will they do an internal when I am over 20 weeks pregnant when it is safer to check?
Sorry if any of these questions are silly! Anyone else suffer from an ectropian cervix? How did you find out?!

I have an ectropian. It was diagnosed with ds2 4 year ago after bright red bleeding, by just using a speculum and the doctor looking at my cervix. The patch is still there now but bleeds very rarely. What is causing you to bleed should be checked out as it could be a number of things. I would see your gp and keep pressing

Thanks mumof3 as I have bleeding since I was about 18, I'm 27 now, I have been to the doctors soooo many times and have had so many tests done that come back negative.
I was quite pressing with the doctor last mon th about the spotting and she said she won't do an internal exam incase they 'dislodge something'

When I have had swabs taken in the past I have been told that as soon as they swabbed me I started bleeding so I don't know if this is linked?!

I've had the odd bit of spotting or pink discharge every few weeks since early on but since 25 weeks it has got more frequent (every few days). I told the midwife at my 28 week appointment and she sent me straight to maternity triage where a doctor did an internal and confirmed cervical erosion. He tried to have me admitted for observation but after he saw I didn't want that he allowed me home and said if the bleeding gets heavier I'll need to be put under consultant care.

Thanks dany I'm still only 17 weeks but will keep an eye on the pattern and let my midwife know of any changes

I had the samw sort of bleeding while on the pill (tried all types), but it stopped when I had a copper coil put in (no hormones). When I was pregnant, the bleeding came back as hormonal changes caused cervical erosion There is nothing you can do about it, but I think spotting lessened after about 24 wks. I had another copper coil put in after ds was born and no bleeding since. Not sure this is helpful but if you are like me, bleeding might be linked to hormones and so might continue in pregnancy but will stop afterwards if you don't use hormonal contraception.

Thank you cheese I appreciate any advice. I am not worried as i have had spotting throughout :) It probably is down to hormones! I have never tried the coil so may look into it afterwards!!

I was on the pill for a long time and at my last smear I started bleeding, and the nurse said she could see I had a cervical ectropian. I'd long had bits of spotting mid-cycle so this explained it, and it stopped when I came off the pill. I then had spotting on and off until I was about 9/10 weeks pregnant, and then a little bit again at just before 20 weeks. I'm 26 weeks now and haven't had any since. I had 2 early scans at the EPAU because of the bleeding, and they said it was likely the ectropian that was bleeding. The scans were fine and they couldn't see any other cause for the bleeding.

coaster I ended up stopping taking Cerazette because of the irregular bleeding but then it went back to regular periods. I also bleed at my smear but the doctor just did a 'ooh you're bleeding, must be sensitve' and that was it!

leanne I kind of wish that was what they had said to me! The nurse managed to scare the life out of me. I nearly had to go for a colposcopy but my smear came back completely normal. I had to have it done a week later though because the bleeding ruined the sample the first time. She was really careful the second time and I only bled a little bit, and that was when she saw the ectropian. I can't remember which pill I was on at that point, but I know it was the mini-pill. They took me off the combined one because I have an increased risk of breast cancer. I'm done with the pill! Condoms for me in future, the pill has caused me too many issues and none of the other methods appeal. Apparently ectropians are really common in women who take the pill. If you have one that bleeds during pregnancy though, it's very scary! It also bled occasionally after sex. Joy.

Hi OP I found out at 25 wks a had a cervical Ectropian when I had an internal after some bleeding . Prior to this pregnancy I never had any bleeding .
I had some red spotting at 7 wks then some bleeding at 25 weeks . I never had brown blood just red and not a great deal .
Even if you have got one it wont make any difference to your pregnancy just a bit inconvenient ! The bleeding is triggered by hormones and can be by intercourse which my dp says is a definate no now !

I think my DP has forgotten what intercourse is bless him lol! I'm too scared to cause any more bleeding and he said its just not worth the potential worry!
I'm not overly concerned with the spotting since I've had it all along I'm just one of those people that want to put a name to something....