Can you be pregnant and still have your periods ?

Written by Marion Goilav Professional proofreading
Reviewed by Charline midwife Professional proofreading

 

When women reach puberty, they begin to menstruate on a regular basis. This continues until the menopause. The only time a woman doesn't have her periods is during pregnancy. Yet many women don't suspect they're pregnant, because they continue to menstruate. So, is it possible to have periods and still be pregnant?

 

Is it possible to have periods while pregnant?

Let's be clear from the outset: being pregnant and having your periods is not possible. On the other hand, many women experience bleeding during pregnancy. As this bleeding is reminiscent of menstruation, the terms periods and pregnant are associated. However, periods pregnant has nothing to do with the process of endometrial elimination at the end of each cycle. There are three possible reasons why a woman may become periods pregnant.

Early pregnancy

When metrorrhagia (bleeding between the periods) occurs in the first trimester, it may be caused by the implantation of the embryo in the uterus. This may result in bleeding similar to periods pregnant. The discharge is generally pink or brown and not very abundant. They are not painful and last 1 to 2 days.

You can also be pregnant and have periods birthdays. This bleeding occurs almost at the same time as the expected periods date. Here again, losses are low.

Bleeding in early pregnancy may be due to detachment of the trophoblast (future placenta). A decidual hematoma is formed, which in most cases resolves spontaneously.

When a woman suffers from benign cervical lesions, sexual intercourse and gynaecological examinations can also cause bleeding.

Even s'it's common to have benign bleeding in early pregnancy, red bleeding should prompt you to seek medical advice, as s'it may be a spontaneous termination of pregnancy (generally referred to as a miscarriage). In addition, if the red bleeding is associated with abdominal pain that does not subside with rest or painkillers, and if you have not had a pregnancy ultrasound, it is essential to go to the emergency room to check that s'it is not an extra-uterine pregnancy.

Mid and late pregnancy

Blood loss during pregnancy is usually contact bleeding. It can be caused by sexual intercourse or a gynaecological examination l. They are more like spotting and are not dangerous for the health of either mother or baby. In this case, the bleeding s'is often light, often brown, and occurs within 48 hours of contact. Some women taking the pill do not realize that they are pregnant s. They continue to take their contraceptive and experience bleeding at the end of each cycle. It's important to remember, however, that these menstrual periods are artificial: they're known as "withdrawal bleeding". For her, being pregnant and having her periods seems perfectly possible.

Bleeding is one of the things we look out for during pregnancy. Unexplained red bleeding, even if it's painless and the baby is moving well, should be reported to a maternity emergency room.

After childbirth, it's normal to experience bleeding for several weeks. This is known as lochia. These lochia are not periods after childbirth, but the physiological bleeding and discharge of the post-partum period. What we call the first periods after childbirth is the return of childbirth. This occurs at the earliest about 6 weeks after delivery (sometimes later if breast-feeding, or never if using progestin-only contraception).

A rarer case: pregnancy denial

Pregnancy denial occurs when a woman is pregnant without srealizing it. Denial of pregnancy can be partial or total. In the first case, a woman swill be aware of her pregnancy before lgiving birth. In the second, she becomes aware of the situation when she gives birth to her child. In both cases, it seems impossible for the woman to be pregnant, often because she's on the pill. Her body shows no symptoms: no nausea or fatigue, and she has her periods pregnant. It's also possible to experience pregnancy denial when you have irregular cycles, or even without contraception. Pregnancy denial can affect any woman in a situation where she has no idea that pregnancy is actually possible.

How can you tell pregnant periods from bleeding?

It's not possible to be pregnant and have periods . Pregnant periods are in fact bleeding that is distinct from menstrual bleeding. "Pregnant periods is even an expression that doesn't exist, because it's contradictory. Three elements will help you distinguish what is best called pregnancy bleeding:

  • The color of "periods ": pregnant "periods" are often less abundant than normal periods . Bright red blood should be investigated. Only lochia can be this color (sometimes darker), but this is not cause for concern.
  • The duration of "periods ": Bleeding that is not a cause for concern during pregnancy is often short-lived. Sometimes just traces over 1 or 2 days, much shorter than periods outside pregnancy. This may be the case for periods anniversaries, egg implantation or contact bleeding. If you experience bleeding as long as periods during pregnancy, you should seek medical advice.
  • Volume: blood loss during pregnancy is very low. When the flow is abundantl a trip to the obstetric gynecological emergency room.

What should I do if I'm pregnant? periods

While bleeding during pregnancy is perfectly normal, it is imperative to consult your gynecologist when accompanied by pain. In fact, these symptoms may be a sign of miscarriage, molar pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy.

If the pain is very intense, you can go directly to the gynecological emergency room. If you're unable to judge the severity of the pain because the bleeding is moderate, you can contact your usual healthcare provider. And if he or she isn't available quickly for an opinion, you can take a teleconsultation to get an expert opinion without having to travel, in the first instance.

Pregnant FAQ periods

How can you tell if you're pregnant even if you have periods ?

The absence of periods is the most common indicator of pregnancy. In the case of a woman who is periods pregnant, other signs may point to pregnancy: extreme fatigue, tender breasts, nausea, headaches and changes in taste and smell. When in doubt about a possible pregnancy, the only way to know is to take a pregnancy test.

Is it possible to be pregnant when you have your periods ?

When asked whether it's possible to have periods and still be pregnant, the answer is "no". However, many circumstances can lead women to believe that they have their periods pregnant. Bleeding can be caused by a number of factors, including periods anniversaries, sexual intercourse or miscarriage.


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