You may experience bleeding during pregnancy. If they appear on the due date, they can be mistaken for menstruation. However, these are not real rules but "birthday rules". Explanations with Marie-Claude Benattar, gynecologist.
Good news you are pregnant! If this happy event fills you with happiness, it also sows many questions in your mind. Will my pregnancy go well? Will I be able to give birth vaginally? Will I give life to a little girl or a boy? Will my baby be healthy?
Many women also question the transformation of their bodies. It must be said that the change in the hormonal system is responsible for a great internal upheaval. Every pregnancy is different, so it’s important to be aware of all of the ailments you are likely to experience. Know that the "anniversary rules" are a phenomenon that is part of it. What is it and what are the causes? We take stock with Marie-Claude Benattar, gynecologist and author of the book Small manual of intimate care for women, published by Josette Lyon.
What are birthday rules?
One of the benefits of pregnancy is that you don't menstruate for nine months. At least that's what we thought. The future mother may indeed still suffer from bleeding during the nine months of gestation. According to studies, one in four women experience bleeding during the first trimester of pregnancy (also called bleeding). They can have multiple causes and be more or less serious.
If these bleeding periods occur on or around your regular period, and your pregnancy has been confirmed, these may be "birthday rules". This phenomenon is quite rare during pregnancy, but not impossible. It got the name "birthday rules" because of its date of appearance. But rest assured, these are not real periods. As the expert explains, these are in fact "false rules".
They can be abundant or light, and their color varies depending on the patient: they can be light, pink or brown in color. "These birthday rules can appear every month, but it's very rare. Generally, they occur only once, at the end of the first month of pregnancy. In some cases, the pregnant woman may have small, minor bleeding every month ”, adds the specialist. These blood losses, however, take less time than actual periods: about one to two days.
Note that continuing to have a period while pregnant is possible but very rare. This happens especially in the case of a denial of pregnancy. The woman does not know that she is expecting a baby, her menstrual cycle continues, and she does not experience any of the symptoms of pregnancy. Denial remains a very mysterious phenomenon today.
What are they due to?
Unlike conventional rules, they do not depend on your menstrual cycle and are not caused by the expulsion of the uterine lining. So what are they due to? There isn’t really "Scientific explanations" to this phenomenon, concedes the gynecologist.
According to them, several causes can be at the origin of these colored losses. "During a pregnancy, the cervix is weakened. He is somewhat swollen, inflamed, because of the hormones. It is therefore possible that small bleeds may appear, after sexual intercourse for example or a vaginal examination "says Dr. Benattar. Metrorrhagia can also be caused by a small hematoma (called a decidual hematoma) which will resolve itself naturally.
Implantation bleeding – caused by implantation (when the embryo clings to the uterine wall eight to ten days after fertilization) – can often be confused with menstruation. If the pregnancy is not yet confirmed, the pregnant woman might indeed believe that she is settled: this bleeding appears several days after the ovulation period and coincides with the expected date of menstruation. However, there are other symptoms that differentiate them from menstruation (although they are sometimes difficult to detect).
In some women, hormones may be responsible for "birthday rules" during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Is it painful?
Don't worry, since these are not real rules, you will not experience the symptoms that usually accompany your menstrual cycle. If you usually suffer from head words or stomach pains for example, you will not have them during the "birthday period". They may simply be accompanied by nausea since this is one of the frequent symptoms in early pregnancy.
In short, this bleeding is generally not painful and is mild: it has no effect on the pregnancy and the development of the baby.
When to consult ?
"This is a phenomenon that can worry pregnant women. Especially since today, you can know very quickly that you are expecting a baby and each bleeding is scary … we are thinking directly of a miscarriage ", says Marie-Claude Benattar.
So, if you suffer from bleeding, be sure to consult your obstetrician-gynecologist or a midwife. Likewise, if you have stomach pain, or very heavy bleeding, go to a specialist or hospital urgently. Any loss of blood during pregnancy can be worrying and should lead to a gynecological examination.
The doctor may perform a pelvic ultrasound, as well as examine your cervix, to determine the causes of your bleeding. He may also request a blood test to measure the dosage of beta-HGC (the pregnancy hormone), as well as perform pelvic palpation.
Also remember that every pregnancy is different. Just because you have had children and haven't had any bleeding during your previous pregnancies doesn't mean that it won't be. It also does not depend on your age.
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