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Bleeding in early pregnancy Heke toto i te taiawa o te wā āhua moata
Some spotting or light vaginal bleeding is common in the first 3 months of pregnancy. It does not usually mean you are having a miscarriage. Find out what is normal and when to talk to your midwife or doctor.
About bleeding in early pregnancy
About 1 in every 5 women may have some bleeding in their first 14 weeks of pregnancy (first trimester). It is natural to worry, but it does not necessarily mean that you are having a miscarriage.
Most women who have spotting or light bleeding in early pregnancy will go on to have a healthy pregnancy and pēpi. Only 1 or 2 out of 10 women who experience bleeding in early pregnancy will be having a miscarriage.
Bleeding can vary from light bleeding or spotting (dark brown to light pink), to heavier bleeding.
Spotting or light bleeding means you sometimes notice a few drops of blood in your underwear, or you wipe yourself and see a little blood on the paper. You will just need a liner to protect your underwear.
Moderate or heavy bleeding means you need a sanitary pad to keep the blood from soaking through your underwear.
When to see your midwife or doctor
If you have spotting or bleeding, make an appointment to see your midwife or doctor. There is never any cost to see your midwife. There should be no cost to see a doctor about your pregnancy for the first 14 weeks, as care is subsidised.
Light bleeding
If you have spotting or light bleeding (needing a liner but not a sanitary pad), you can wait for a day or two to see your midwife or doctor. You do not need to go to the emergency department.
Waiting might feel stressful, but no treatment can change what will happen. Most often, your pregnancy will be fine, and the bleeding will stop on its own.
Your midwife or doctor may check on your pregnancy by arranging:
- a blood test to see how much hCG hormone (pregnancy hormone) is in your blood
- an ultrasound scan.
They will decide what to do next based on the results.
Moderate bleeding
You should see your midwife or a doctor more urgently if:
- you are bleeding enough to soak through a sanitary pad (not a liner) within 2 to 4 hours
- you have tummy pains that do not get better with pain relief.
Contact your midwife or doctor or go to an after-hours clinic.