Patient education: Bleeding in early pregnancy – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What does it mean if I have bleeding in early pregnancy? — Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy is common. You might also have belly pain or cramping. This can be scary. But most of the time, the bleeding will stop on its own and the pregnancy will continue normally.

Sometimes, bleeding does end in pregnancy loss, which is also called "miscarriage." This is when a pregnancy ends before 20 weeks. (A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks.)

Your regular doctor or midwife will follow you closely until they know if your pregnancy is growing normally, if you have a pregnancy loss, or if there is some other concern with the pregnancy. Your doctor or midwife will talk with you about what to do next.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

There is no specific treatment that can prevent a pregnancy loss. Until your pain and bleeding stops, your doctor or midwife might tell you to:

●Avoid heavy lifting.

●Avoid using douches or tampons to reduce the risk of infection.

●Avoid having sex.

●Avoid running and other sports.

What follow-up care do I need? — Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to make a follow-up appointment. If so, make sure that you know when and where to go. Your doctor or nurse might want to do an ultrasound (a type of imaging test) or blood or urine tests.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:

●You are bleeding so much that you feel very weak or like you might pass out.

●You have signs of infection like a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, severe belly or vaginal pain, or bad-smelling vaginal discharge.

Call for advice if:

●You have bleeding that soaks more than 2 sanitary pads in an hour for more than 2 hours.

●You have pain that does not start to improve after you have passed pinkish or grayish solid material.

●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher without other symptoms.

●You are still having some minor vaginal bleeding after 2 weeks, or your vaginal bleeding gets worse.

●You feel very sad, anxious, or depressed.

●You feel like you might not be safe at home.

More on this topic

Patient education: Bleeding in early pregnancy (The Basics)
Patient education: Pregnancy loss (The Basics)
Patient education: Repeat pregnancy loss (The Basics)
Patient education: Amniocentesis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Dilation and curettage (D&C) (The Basics)

Patient education: Pregnancy loss (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Amniocentesis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Dilation and curettage (D&C) (Beyond the Basics)