Spotting Second Trimester – Should You Be Concerned?

As the saying goes, “We are women. We are not afraid of a little blood.”

Once a girl begins to have her period she becomes accustomed to the monthly blood flow. During pregnancy, there still are times when the appearance of blood is not unusual. This is especially true during the early stages of pregnancy, the first trimester. However, when a woman experiences spotting second trimester or heavier bleeding in this period this is reason for concern or at least reason to take precautions.

While in some cases, heavier blood flow beyond the first trimester turns out to be a minor problem, this situation should never be ignored or dismissed as unimportant. It could be a sign of miscarriage or premature labor and a physician should be seen immediately.

While we have said that blood loss second trimester should never be ignored, there are some instances when this occurrence does not represent a serious problem.

When a woman has sexual intercourse while pregnant, there may be some blood released from the small capillaries in the cervix. This blood loss will usually happen immediately after sex and virtually always within 24 hours. The amount of blood released should not be a great amount and will appear more brownish than red—bright red would be reason for concern.

There are many tests that a woman will endure while carrying her baby and some of them can be invasive. One such test is a vaginal exam, which can cause bleeding especially in the second trimester.

Okay, these are just two examples to let you know that this condition in the second trimester can be normal.

Still, do not be complacent. Unless you are 100 percent certain of the cause of the bleeding, play it safe and seek medical attention. Even if the cause is something minor, you can feel more relaxed knowing that everything is progressing normally.