Treatments for this condition should be discussed with a doctor. Precautionary measures include:
• Wearing cotton underwear
• Cleaning the vaginal area from front to back to avoid contamination
• Not wearing too constrictive clothing around vaginal area
• Not scratching
• Avoiding that which may trigger reaction, vaginal deodorants etc.

Cervical Ectropion (Cervical erosion)

This is a fairly common condition during pregnancy as it is affected by changes in hormones. It involves a shifting of a delicate membrane in the cervix area which contains mucus producing glands. This in turn can lead to vaginal discharge of a mucous like nature and also some light bleeding which is painless.

The Mucus Plug

The mucus plug is like a gel sealant inside the cervix which protects the foetus from infection by sealing the mouth of the uterus. Expulsion of the mucus plug is also sometimes called “bloody show”. The mucous discharge is usually brownish yellow, sometimes pinkish in colour. Along with a general increase and thickening of discharge that may occur as the pregnancy nears labour, there can be quite a lot of mucous when the mucous plug loosens, which can be a sign that labour is imminent. Although it could be a matter of hours, days or even weeks until the cervix becomes fully dilated.

Bleeding in Pregnancy

There are many reasons why vaginal bleeding may happen during pregnancy. Some of these reasons have already been covered. It is not unheard of for women to experience some bleeding during early pregnancy around the time they would normally have their menstrual cycle. In some cases this can continue throughout the pregnancy. There can also be some bleeding in the very early stages of pregnancy at the implantation stage of the fertilized egg. Bleeding can also occur later on due to the placenta embedding itself in the lining of the uterus.

Bleeding in early Pregnancy

Other reasons why bleeding could occur in the first trimester are threatened miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. In the case of threatened miscarriage, bleeding can be brown spotting, blood stained discharge or bright red bleeding. There could also be abdominal pain. A midwife or doctor should be consulted if there is any vaginal bleeding. The highest time of risk for miscarriages is immediately after implantation. It is estimated that 50% of all fertilized eggs fail to remain in place. This results in many unnoticed miscarriages as the eggs simply come away with normal or slightly delayed periods. It is thought that 80% of all miscarriages happen in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, often around the times when the monthly cycle should be.

Ectopic pregnancy is where the embryo is implanted outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tube. This is a potentially very dangerous condition which could lead to haemorrhaging if not diagnosed in time. Abdominal pain, caused as the tube becomes distended, tends to happen around the second month of pregnancy, and vaginal bleeding is often also present. A scan will be taken to confirm any diagnosis of suspected ectopic pregnancy.

Bleeding in later stages of Pregnancy

Any bleeding that takes place after 28 weeks is known as ante-partum haemorrhage and could be caused by one of two potentially serious conditions.

Placenta praevia occurs when a low lying placenta blocks the entrance to the cervix. This complication affects approximately 0.5% of pregnancies. Women who are at greater risk of placenta praevia include those who have had caesarean delivery or an abortion.

Placental abruption occurs when the placenta comes away from the wall of the womb. This occurs in about 1% of pregnant women. A major factor in this complication is maternal hypertension.

If bleeding suddenly occurs in the late stages of pregnancy, the women should lie down and arrangements should be made to immediately get her to hospital.

Zac trained as a sonographer at Leeds in 1996. He worked at Pinderfields hospital Wakefield, Queens Park Hospital Blackburn, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Liverpool Womens Hospital as a sonographer before joining General Elecctric as an ultrasound applications specialist. In this role Zac travelled throughout the north of England demonstrating and teaching the latest ultrasound techniques to sonographers and doctors in obstetrics and general ultrasound. It was with his time at GE healthcare that Zac was introduced to the Voluson 730. It is the class leader in 3d/4d technology and as such the only choice for Inner-Vision. Zac has lectured to ultrasound students at the universities of Liverpool, Leeds and Lancaster

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