Who should I speak to about anxiety around subchorionic haematoma?

[stompinthewoods]

I am 13 weeks pregnant and since 4 weeks have had 3 bleeds due to a subchorionic hematoma, most recently at 11+5. Every time I bleed I obviously fear the worst, the EPU have seen and scanned me every time but basically have just said I will either continue to bleed until it’s all gone, or it will reabsorb. They also said there can be increased likelihood of a MC which has absolutely terrified me, but then just brushed over it and said to call whenever I bleed.

At my 12 week scan the sonographer was lovely and pointed out that the hematoma hasn’t really shrunk but does look like it’s solidifying. She also said it’s on the opposite side of my uterus to the placenta which she said is reassuring.

I am just wondering whether I should reach out to my midwife or GP because I am absolutely riddled with anxiety, I am having nightmares about waking up covered in blood again, every time I go to the bathroom I’m bracing myself to see blood and wear sanitary pads constantly just in case I bleed again. We have announced we’re expecting to friends and family but I am so worried that something might go wrong. I never felt like this when I was pregnant with DC1 once I got past 12 weeks. I feel really anxious and often tearful about it.

I’m just not sure to reach out to. If anyone has any positive stories from similar experiences I’d be really really grateful.

Are you on bed rest? I had a SC with DD. I was put on bed rest for months. She is a healthy 13 year old now.

Definitely speak to your midwife or GP, they can talk through your worries and options to help.

@FiveMetresUp my midwife said they don’t recommend bed rest as there’s no evidence that it helps. I have been advised to go on pelvic rest so no intercourse, no heavy lifting, no strenuous exercise but that’s about it.
@Peonies12 I spoke to my midwife today and said how worried I was and she basically said there’s nothing I can do but wait it out… not super reassuring. Still feeling very down about it today.

I had a SCH with my second and literally did nothing - no heavy lifting, no sex, tried to rest as much as possible. I bled from 13 weeks to about 18 weeks. I drunk lots of water and orange juice and it was gone by my 20 week scan.

It really is scary but most of the time they do go and baby is well. I joined a Facebook group which reassured me a lot 😊

@laesosalt thank you so much for your lovely reassuring message! I’m hoping mine will reabsorb but just feel like I am in a bit of a limbo waiting for another bleed at any time!
Is orange juice supposed to help them heal? X

Vitamin C can strengthen the gestational sac, is the reason why people recommend orange juice.

I had a huge SCH earlier this year, between around 9 and 16 weeks. It was honestly horrific. I’d get scanned at EPU and the conversation would be about how the hematoma had almost completely surrounded the gestational sac and that the whole baby could easily detach. I’ve got 2 young children so the don’t move much or lift things advice was very difficult for us all.

I would bleed through clothes, pads, everything.

Between about 14 and 16 weeks it shrunk significantly and by the 20 week scan it was gone. Feels like a fucking miracle tbh.

I asked my midwife for a referral to the perinatal mental health team which she made. It took a few weeks to have a screening appointment, another month or so to get a fully psychological assessment and now they’ve approved me for talking therapy to get over the trauma and depression the whole ordeal caused. That’ll start when I’m around 24 weeks.

So the support is there but it takes a long time to arrange but still faster than support when you aren’t pregnant. Your midwife should make the referral.

I’ve been annoyed by how little integration there is between EPU and the mental heath services tbh. I always thought they needed a room on EPU with someone to talk to about the whole situation because to be told scan after scan your baby is still there this time but it doesn’t look very favourable going forwards is incredibly difficult.

It sounds like EPU have been fairly positive about the pregnancy overall for you so maybe you don’t need to worry so much? What size is the hematoma?

@Crumpetring oh my goodness that sounds so scary and traumatic. I’m so glad to hear that it resolved and that you’ve been referred to the perinatal mental health team!

I actually self referred to my local talking therapies today as that was all that came up on my Trust’s PMH page - it does say there are PMH midwives but at 13 weeks I can’t imagine they would accept me yet. I will tell my midwife next time I see her.

The sonographer was positive and said the hematoma has shrunk slightly because it looks like baby has squashed it as they’ve grown - and apparently it’s a bit like a thumb shape/size. They said it is quite big but didn’t seem overly concerned and said it’s nowhere near the placenta which is good. I haven’t seen any doctors from EPU since my first bleed at 4 weeks, last time I saw a nurse who just said she’d imagine I will continue to bleed.

thank you for the tip about the orange juice, I will stock up! X