Extrachorionic haemorrhage

[PB6]

Hi guys,

I am about 5 and half weeks pregnant. I had brown discharge intermittently last week and then had bright red bleeding on the weekend followed by a heavy bleed last night. I've been to EPU and they said I have an extrachorionic haemorrhage, about 30x10x8mm.

I'm worried as my last pregnancy which ended in a miscarriage I also had an extrachorionic haemorrhage.

I have another scan next week. The nurse was a bit vague and just said only do light exercise, rest and avoid heavy lifting.

Are there any other tips or experiences?

Hey lovely. I am in your almost exact position. I'm about 6.5 weeks. Spontaneous gushing bleed on Saturday night at a family wedding of all places. So now half my family know and had to find out in the most traumatising way - seeing me keel over behind the marquee howling my eyes out.

Anyway - like you I've got a 3cm ECH which is worrying but definitely preferable to what I was convinced it was. I've been spotting and bleeding on and off since but it does seem to have tapered today. It's all so new and scary but I've read far more stories of positive outcomes than of bad ones. I'm so sorry to hear of your previous loss. ♥️

I was told at EPU I could do anything but I've put myself on rest and am staying put on sofa for a couple of weeks to let it settle.

There's a couple of really good Facebook groups I've joined. Search subchorionic haemotoma and you'll find them. Absolute wealth of info. Most seem to advocate rest, rest, rest along with vitamin C.

Sending you lots of love. Let's keep in touch - it sounds like our stories are similar. 💐

Is that different to a subchorionic haemotoma?

I'm wondering this. I had a subchorionic hematoma and same experience, initially had a brownish small bleed at 3 weeks and then had regular haemorrhages that soaked through clothes right up to 10 weeks. It was absolutely rough on the head and our families and my work found out much earlier than we'd anticipated because I ended up off work for a while as a result. We were seen at our epau and the staff were just fab and really kind but very clear that there were no guarantees the pregnancy wouldnt come away with the hematoma unfortunately. Bleeding stopped around 10wks for me but due to my pelvis being tilted we didn't have great ultrasounds so they couldn't confirm the hematoma was healed properly until we were scanned at 16 weeks and my pelvis was in a better position to get a good picture. (Hopefully you'll get an all clear well before that) I'm now 35 weeks and baby is doing really well and to be honest after that start I didn't even care about the HG and GD because I took the sickness etc as a sign things were progressing and I was weirdly glad of it.

I'd say take it really easy but don't do complete bed rest as you can have risk of clotting then. I just took it really easy, spent a lot of time on my side on the sofa binge watching TV and reduced any long stands/walks/ housework. Honestly couldn't say if it made a pick of difference but it felt like all I could really try and do to address it. Talk to someone you trust about it who can distract you/ support you. Obviously I spoke to dh about what was happening but I told one of my close friends as well which was great because at times dh was really struggling to keep a brave face himself and in a way it makes it feel real that you're pregnant during a really uncertain time and I knew then that if the worst did happen I would have someone there for me, and who would be happy for me in the meantime because you deserve the pregnancy joy too. All you can do is take it day by day, try to keep your mind occupied and let yourself feel what you're feeling because it is hard with so much uncertainty. I found it hard not socialising for that long or really leaving the house because of how often and how heavy my bleeds were so having a friend able to come visit was lovely and gave a bit of normality. I really hope it works out for you and the pp too. Its not easy so be really gentle with yourselves. Sending lots of love and good wishes.

P.s we had regular internal scans at epau but didn't get a heartbeat until it think it was week 8/9 so if you go and they can't see anything reassuring don't panic straight away like I did because its still so early.

@ladydorito that sounds horrid, must have been so difficult being at the wedding. It was Diwali for us and thankfully we were home but I was crying and convinced it had gone. I wonder if I had done a bit too much running around then.

Don’t know why both my pregnancies have had the same issue. Also worried about the size.

Thanks for tip about the Facebook group, I’ve sent a request now. Same the nurse to an extent was like you can carry on as normal but since yesterday I’ve been trying to take it easy. I had a small amount of bleeding, just hoping it stays like that only.

Keeping my fingers crossed. Do you have more scans coming up?

@Cw112
Congratulations to you! Not long to go. Thanks for such a kind message.
So glad yours resolved.
I am anxious especially with our past experience, that one I didn’t tell anyone at work and carried on at normal and then actually bled out at work which was the miscarriage.
Yeh EPU just said fingers crossed it resolves but obviously no guarantee. They have done me a sick note until next Wednesday and I actually had been off prior to that as was trying to speak to my previous fertility consultant about progesterone etc. I know they’ll be annoyed at work but I work as a GP between 3 clinic sites, you are constantly running around and of course bending/lifting and after the last time I need to put me first. Though let’s see how long they’ll let me, that’s not helping the anxiety.
How did you cope with the work situation?

Thankfully DH is off for a couple of days so helping out around the house a lot. I’m trying to bits where I’m not bending/ lifting and lying down in between, definitely taking it very easy.
Until last week I was doing early pregnancy yoga and 30 min walks every day. A bit worried to go back to that.
I have 2 friends who know but don’t live too close sadly but keeping a check on me which is a god send as I agree, think DH is trying to keep a brave face but stressed too.

Really hoping it’s reduced in size next week.

How long were you going on walks for? Or did you stop completely?
Also did you ask for the scans or they agreed to do it? Just wondering if we should push it as EPU were nearly wanting to discharge us yesterday.

It was a mare with work to be honest because I work in a really busy environment and only myself and one other worker run things but I was honest with my manager about what was happening and she totally understood I couldn't be in due to the heaviness of the bleeding and just the headspace I was in as well. The gp gave me a line right up until I stopped having regular bleeds. You're right in that you need to put yourself first in this scenario especially because you're going to be dealing with people and emotions which I also deal with in work. I'm sure people got annoyed but there was nothing else I could do about it. I think I went back to wfh for a few weeks before I came back completely because at least then if something happened I was at home so perhaps you could do something like that and work from the sofa? To be honest I stopped completely with the walking, the first bleed I had was after a 40 min walk and then the next we were setting up for a family party so I'd been running around town doing messages. But I also had some bleeds after spending the day on the sofa not moving so I really don't know that there's anything to it unfortunately. I just mentally felt a bit better taking it easy as it felt like I was doing something but there's probably no reason why you can't do gentle things and there's probably a balance to be found with your own mental wellbeing too. We went for our first scan at epau and they couldn't really find anything other than the hematoma so they booked us back in for another few weeks time and then discharged us at 9 weeks. It wasn't resolved but heartbeat was good and things were progressing at the point so I think it was as good as we were going to get really. Then we had to go back to them at 13 weeks due to the issue with the ultrasound and pelvis. They did say if anything happened in between to ring them again and they'd have got us in so I'd say ring them when you have a bleed because they'll scan you again even if you've been discharged.

@PB6 I have had this. A haemorrhage refers to ongoing bleeding while the blood in a haematoma has typically already clotted. So you had a haemorrhage as did I but I didn't just spot I gushed bright red blood for hours so mine was a large haematoma to begin with. They couldn't vaginally scan me until the bleeding stopped. I don't know how much information you want but it was confirmed by a consultant that anything I bled out wasn't a miscarriage due to the contents. I was passing very large clots.

2 days later I was scanned and everything was fine with my 7 week baby (now a strapping teenager) however the haematoma was back again and was labelled large. Because of this I was put on complete bed rest until my 20 week scan and told no lifting my toddler, no walking anywhere, no sex and no orgasms either. I was at home and Dh worked from home as I was a SAHM with no help as we lived far from family. I just lived on the sofa in the day with Ds1 puttering about.

There is information out there. NHS stuff is limited, there is more information on the US medical sites which goes into the risks and quite frankly I think it is a good thing to know what the potential issues may be. Most haematomas resolve on their own, stop growing etc and the pregnancy will be fine. A much smaller number go on to cause issues.

Hello, I'm another subchorionic haemorrhage sufferer! Had a six day bleed just after I found out I was pregnant, then two more big gushes of blood including some serious cramping in the following two weeks. One of them was at a motorway service station. Fun times. Each time I was convinced it was the end. But as of yesterday (7 weeks along) the little blob is still there and has a heartbeat. I'm still very anxious about it as well so can't offer much reassurance at this point. I know it's so so worrying! Especially as you've already had a previous loss (I have too). But try and rest as best as you can and take each day at a time. My EPU have been amazing and gave me scans after every bleeding episode so at least I knew it was all still ok.
Hang in there!

@Cw112 I think thats the other thing, being at home is making me less anxious especially after bleeding out at work last time. I think until the bleeds settle, I probably won't be in the right mind space either and want to rest and give myself the best chance. Think i'll hold off the walks for now too.

I had a small amount of bleeding today, but assume I will still have that until it resolves?

@mushroomdecoup Glad it did work out for you. I was terrified when I gushed on Monday night. How big was yours? Think I'm going to stick to rest too. It is surprising how little information is on the NHS links, I was looking at the American ones and it clearly says to rest. Not sure why they don't say the same here

@RaliaMusca that's good your EPU has been helpful. Totally agree its so anxiety provoking. I'm really trying to do one day at a time. Easier said than done.

@PB6 I will be honest and tell you I was really annoyed about how casual they were about the whole thing. But I was in an EPU and most of the poor women there had confirmed miscarriages so I was incredibly grateful that mine was still hanging on. Mine was classed as large which anything over half the size of the uterus is so depending on when you are scanned I think depends on how they classify it. I think if I remember correctly it was 6cm hence the immediate bed rest plus no sex/orgasms as they didn't want any internal contractions. It also matters where the haematoma is too. They actually handed me a sealed envelope for my GP so I opened it immediately upon leaving the hospital to see what they had written!

It depends on how much you want to know, there are official US Gov websites like NCBI but it is cold hard facts. Knowing information doesn't change anything, you are not tempting fate just by understanding what is happening to your body. I should say that I have endometriosis which takes years to get diagnosed so understanding my body is something I have been heavily invested in for over 20 years. If you feel it might make you anxious I wouldn't look. It is a stressful time just being pregnant.

Interestingly with my first born I gushed bright red blood whilst in labour which meant I was monitored from that moment on as they did wonder about placental abruption for him. I could have had a haematoma then too but we will never know. So he had a clip put on his head and he is a fine and healthy 19 year old.

@mushroomdecoup I agree they were very casual and to be honest I don't think the nurse we spoke to in our last appointment had even read our notes and was aware of our history. I'll have a read on the websites as it may just be helpful in advocating for myself with regards to time off work etc.
I am still getting the odd pulling sensation and heavy feeling, don't know if its the SCH or normal pregnancy sensations. Still having some brown spotting in between.

@PB6 the pulling/heavy sensation is a normal thing in pregnancy as everything is moving around. Brown spotting is more positive than bright red and there is usually stuff that hasn't worked its way down yet.

I totally agree with advocating for yourself especially medically. You know how your body feels. And yes, I feel that there are very dismissive medical staff alongside some incredible staff and its pot luck which one you end up with.

Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy.

@mushroomdecoup thanks. It is really not to worry with every sensation :(.
I even realised that I should have been offered a longer course of progesterone from EPU and they didn't even mention it!

@PB6 If you need the progesterone then you need to sort that out immediately. Don't leave it.

@mushroomdecoup thankfully I have enough to 10 weeks, but this was because we asked my old fertility consultant but will now ask the clinic to give us the last 6 weeks. I just feel those who aren't aware of the new guidelines etc will be getting poor care

That's what happened for me, although it did start to get darker etc as the hematoma healed and then the bleeding stopped completely eventually. You could see the difference in the scans as well when it's bled itself out it goes more grey than black on the ultrasound so they'll be able to tell you how it's doing. Yeah the bleeding in work was what really put me off, even after if I'm honest it took a while before I stopped being nervous in work and when going to the toilet. So do just be gentle with yourself because it's not a pleasant or easy start.

@Cw112 It's really unnerving. Spotted for 3 days after the big bleed, then nothing yesterday and today small amount of pink discharge. Since this morning had these intermittent shock like pains which last a second. No pattern and just L to my womb. Just really hoping its just stretching pains or SCH settling and nothing worse.
Hoping the scan next week is ok but feel I'll still want a few more weeks off just to rest and make sure the SCH is settling.