22 weeks and bleeding. **thread contains graphic image**

[handbagsandholidays]

I'm 22 wks + 2 and currently on holiday. I woke up to a pool of blood yesterday and then passed a large clot the size of my palm shortly after. I've been admitted to hospital but still none the wiser as to what is happening and why. My cervix is closed and I've been given medication to help stop the bleeding. It appears to have decreased but I'm still spotting. Has anybody been through anything similar?

Title edited by MNHQ

Hi there
Didnt want to read and run, hope that you are ok, I know this will be a massively scary time for you. Do you have a partner or friend with you?
You say you're on holiday, are you in the UK?
I'd speak to a doctor about the possibility of some progesterone and ask if they will consider a stitch in your cervix. It's good that your cervix is closed though it can look different depending on how they have scanned you. Sometimes it can be funnelling and this can usually only be seen on an ultrasound. Stay on bed rest with your feet elevated as much as you can.
Sending you so much love xx

Thank you for your reply. I'm from the U.K but unfortunately not currently in the U.K... I didn't have a transvaginal scan; it was abdominal. I have my partner and son on holiday with me but as he's having to look after our son, I'm left in the hospital on my own. I feel so stupid and naive to have thought travel before 28 weeks was low risk. 😓 😚

I'm so sorry you are going through this, OP. You were not stupid to go on holiday- this would have happened anywhere and 28 weeks is low risk - I hope you are receiving good care in the hospital. Are you somewhere where you can communicate well with the doctors and nurses?

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I am currently in the UAE. I want nothing more than to just go home but I’m also so scared of flying home and something happening on the way. It makes me worry all the more that there is no explanation for the bleeding and it truly was a significant amount. If it was just a little spotting it would be easier to stay calm and put it down to exertion from the travel or perhaps change in climate etc etc.

@handbagsandholidays How awful for you! That is a truly large clot ! They have no idea where it could've come from ? I would also get them to use the transvaginal wand to check your cervix I think they can measure it that way ? Also I would feel the same about not wanting to fly just yet.
Had the bleeding slowed ? And baby seems okay on the scan ?

All with baby seems ok. I've had movements and on the u/S yesterday all appeared well in terms of fluid etc. i have my next u/s review tomorrow so will ask about a TV scan to measure my cervix. I have also started progesterone pessaries today so I am hoping that will help too! Such a scary time 😓 Xx

@handbagsandholidays Sorry the last part of your comment had been cut off so can't see it. Glad all is okay with baby but a clot that size surely had to come from your uterus... but I'm not a professional but yes push for the wand ! So sorry you're going through this especially while away it's so worrying

I'm away atm but in Spain and had pains the other day so the hotel doctor sent me to the hospital, it was a urine infection! A very expensive one at that !

Oh no! I'm sorry you've had complications whilst abroad too. Are you finding that the antibiotics are helping? I hope that with a combo of meds and fluids to flush it out, you'll be able to enjoy the rest of your holiday xx

@handbagsandholidays to be honest it wasn't a bad one I don't think, I just had the one day of very low down pinching pains that kept coming in waves so obviously I freaked out! Also after that the urge to wee loads came, I was given a one dose antibiotic and it seems to have cleared it! How're you doing today ? Any more news ?

I'm doing ok thank you- still here in the hospital but the bleeding has subsided. It's mostly upon wiping and frequently brown with the odd episode of red now. They notified me this morning that I had signs of bacteria in my urine sample so have taken another sample this morning to send off for cultures. That takes 3 days so I don't know whether that means I have to stay another 3 days or not. 😓

So pleased to hear you're feeling so much better already! ♥️

@handbagsandholidays how are you getting on? I had a very similar thing happen when I was 38 weeks pregnant - meaning my clots looks exactly like yours. I passed 2 or 3, went into hospital for a check and they couldn't work out what they were or where they were from. My cervix was also closed and the bleeding stopped as quickly as it had started. No issues on scan, and no conclusions ever made. As I was that gestation, they went on to induce, but even during the process they had no concerns as such about the clots because baby seemed fine and is now upstairs giving her dad hassle in the bath 😂. Hope all is well xx

@handbagsandholidays Hope you're okay? Have you anymore information yet ? When are you due to fly home ?

Hope you're OK op 💐

Have they started you on antibiotics in the meantime.

This sounds so very stressful OP. Wishing you well.

Hello! I'm still hanging on in there. The blood does not yet have an explanation and I have been on a management plan with blood clotting medication and progesterone. I've also started the antibiotics whilst waiting for the culture to grow. The docs have said that if I can go 24hrs without bleeding I can be discharged but that I shouldn't fly for 4 weeks and should return as an outpatient for weekly clotting injections. I'm currently liaising with a consultant in the U.K for a second opinion on this! 🤞🏽🤞🏽

How scary for you! And to have to stay 4 weeks can you afford that or is your insurance paying? If it’s just Spain any chance you can drive back to U.K? You can drive to France then use the ferry or euro star.

Hi there - I had clots these size in my twins pregnancy. No cause was found - the first was 28 weeks and then again at 32 weeks - ended up with a detached placenta with ie twin and emergency c section at 34 weeks. So I would definitely be preparing for bed rest and for this to happen to again - sorry to scare you. My bleeds would always happen at night in the early hours - I'd go straight in hospital - first time via ambulance but second and third time just got an Uber - after passing the initial clot bleeding would tail off very quickly and just be spotting and then go to nothing until the next episode. I would have your bag packed early and ensure someone at home overnight to care for you son if you have to go in x

@PinkBump2022 unfortunately we are in the UAE so it's not a journey we can take via car. If I am allowed to travel, I am looking at upgrading my flights to business class so that I can take advantage of being able to elevate my legs. They've been quite strict with that and I've only been allowed to leave my bed for use of the bathroom.

@maythe4thbewithme I appreciate your honesty about your experience as I'm definite the type of person that likes to know the reality of a situation. Did you find that something in particular brought it on or was it incredibly random? At what point did they realise your placenta detached and did they ever figure out what caused it? I'm so glad it worked out ok for you in the end but can appreciate how scary it must have been x

There was no reason for the bleeds - the first time I was giving older child a bath so was just sat on loo next to her and felt "something"'come out - no pain at all. That was always the strangest thing. I was 28 weeks so they gave me the intra muscle steroid injections to speed up development of their lungs - I have a high pain threshold and nearly died twice from ruptured ectopics but it was one of the most painful things I've had to have! Second and third time it was around 1am - again no pain. Just woke up and then felt like that feeling you get when you start your period and passed massive clots. The third time I was 34 weeks. Again stayed in 48hours to ensure bleeding had stopped. I woke again around 1am on day due to be discharged and just didn't feel right. Waters broke with twin 1 and then on the heart monitor machines she wouldn't calm down. Twin 2 waters then broke and started contractions. Doctors at the time still not panicked. Then stood up to go to the loo and had massive bleed - no pain! Whipped in for c section and it was found twin 2 placenta had detached. There is some suggestion over a year later that this may have some long term effects on her health and that maybe the bleeds were a sign her placenta was failing but it just couldn't be seen on the scans - I had weekly scans and they never saw anything to suggest what was causing it or why it happened x

Hope you're doing OK @OP

I came to say this almost identical to what happened to me. Heavy bleeding and clots. I carried to full term (induction at 37wks) had a healthy baby. It was diagnosed as a SUBCHORONIC HEAMATOMA. Basically a bleeding episode whilst pregnant. My cervix was closed. That is a really good sign. I'm sending lots of love x

@summerlovinvibes thank you.

@Cakemamma19 Thank you! Everything I have read keeps pointing to placental abruption due to the size of the clots etc and it's terrifying me! Everything I read talked about preterm births and long NICU stays or sad stories. It's so nice to hear that you had a positive outcome and could carry to term. It gives me hope! I have a review with the consultant tonight to find out if I can fly home. X

Glad to hear you have a consultant review @handbagsandholidays and that nothing else has happened in the last few days. Stay positive - you and this baby will be fine, you just have to take good TLC of yourself and follow doctors orders. Really hoping they let you fly home🤞 as long as safe to do so. Keep us updated, thinking of you on this journey x