‘Even doctors were confused,’ says Debina Bonnerjee who was ‘bleeding throughout first trimester’

Revealing that she was not able to detect her pregnancy due to lack of symptoms and continuous bleeding, the actor said, “I didn’t have any symptoms. I did not get repelled by any smell; I was able to eat fish. I wasn’t having nausea. I wasn’t having constipation. I wasn’t feeling dizzy. I wasn’t having any cravings, too. All in all, I had zero symptoms and was bleeding throughout. So, I was just not able to understand that I am pregnant.”

But the non-stop bleeding had Debina worried about the health of her baby after her pregnancy was confirmed. “When my pregnancy was confirmed and the heartbeat [of the baby] was also confirmed, I was tensed with the fact that my bleeding isn’t stopping.”

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Like many people, she took to the Internet to understand the possible reason behind the same. Elaborating on her experience, she said, “When I searched pregnancy and bleeding, all results pointed towards a possible miscarriage. However, I used to go for a scan every 2-3 days, and my pregnancy was intact. It was looking good and there was no problem or complication. Even the doctors were confused as to why I am bleeding.”

Finally, a scan detected a clot in her uterus which turned out to be the source. “I was bleeding throughout my first trimester and I was still properly pregnant. There was no problem. After 3-4 scans, we found that till the clot doesn’t come out, it will continue to bleed. At the end of the second month or maybe in the middle of the third month, my bleeding stopped completely,” she said.

Debina’s experience of bleeding during pregnancy resonated with many as they took to the comment section to share their journey.

“I was bleeding throughout my second pregnancy..but in the end when I got a healthy baby I forgot all my trauma and pain,” a user wrote. Another added, “During my first pregnancy, I was also bleeding in the first trimester. I wasn’t having any symptoms.”

As such, is it normal for a woman to bleed during pregnancy since, as we know, the natural menstrual cycle comes to a halt during this time? “Yes, it is relatively common. It is generally seen that 1 out of 5 women has bleeding during pregnancy,” Dr Mannan Gupta, Managing Director and Infertility Specialist, Elantis Healthcare, New Delhi said.

While it’s quite common to bleed during pregnancy, it’s not safe, the expert warned. “It is safe to have an occasional spotting for the patient but it is not safe for the patient to have bleeding in pregnancy.”

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, “Heavy bleeding in the first trimester, particularly when accompanied by pain, is associated with a higher risk of miscarriage. Spotting and light episodes are not, especially if only lasting 1–2 days.”

Causes

Known as ‘Antepartum Haemorrhage (APH)’, bleeding during pregnancy can be due to the following main reasons, according to Dr Gupta.

*Placenta previa: In this, the placenta is partially or completely covering the opening of the uterus (cervix).

*Placental abruption: It means the placenta has separated prematurely from the uterus.

Prevention

The expert said that the best way to prevent these complications is to get timely level 1 and level 2 ultrasounds. “Measure BP and weight at every visit to the doctor. Additionally, avoid trauma and overexertion,” he added.

Treatment

*If the bleeding occurs during the last month, delivery of the baby as soon as possible is the treatment to prevent any further harm to the mother, he said.

*Another treatment is the “timely blood transfusion and baby resuscitation for the safety of the mother and the baby”.

*If the bleeding occurs during the 1st to 5th month, then bed rest and restricted movement are the best answers.

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