13.5 weeks, bleeding, and scared

Hi all,

I'm new here; I've never posted, but I've been reading the expecting forum since I found out I was pregnant with twins about 6 weeks ago.

I've had some spotting off and on in the first trimester, but nothing too bad, and an ultrasound always showed that the babies were ok. Last night, I had a gush of bright red blood. I was so scared, and went to the ER. They did another ultrasound, and both babies still look good with strong heartbeats. But they couldn't find a cause for the bleeding. No SCH, no obvious placenta previa, etc.

I'm still bleeding this morning, though it's maybe slowing down some and a little darker now. I have an appt soon with my OBGYN. I've put myself on bedrest in the meanwhile, only getting up to use the bathroom.

Has anyone had this happen to them? Is bleeding more common in twin pregnancies? I'm just so frightened. My first two pregnancies ended in miscarriage, though much earlier (4.5 weeks and 5.5 weeks). Thanks in advance for any info you can share.

 

I had that happen right around the same time too. I was sleeping and all of a sudden woke up like I had my period. Ran to the bathroom and there was the blood.

Mine was a SCH. My doctor put me on bed rest for the rest of the week. It certainly was scary, but something I was aware of due to this site.

I would rest as long as you can, only to get up to use the bathroom. Hopefully your ob/gyn can let you know what's going on. There are many people on here who bleed all through the first trimester, second, or whole pregnancy. Maybe you will get another u/s to look for a SCH...

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

:welcome: to TS!

I didn't have a gush of blood but bled continuously in my first trimester. I didn't have an SCH, either. Every time we had sex I'd start bleeding afterward. It's so scary (I'd had an early miscarriage before my boys, too and was kind of freaked out) but in my case I didn't have any major problems and delivered 2 healthy babies at almost 38 weeks. My bleeding is actually what got me my early u/s where I found out they were twins. :wub:

The darker colored blood should be old blood just now coming out according to what they told me, so hopefully this is the end of the bleeding. :hug:

 

I had spotting all through my first trimester and then at just over 9 weeks had a big gush of bright red blood. I also have had 2 miscarriages (both at 11 weeks) so assumed the worst, but it did turn out to be an SCH--it wasn't diagnosed until I had a detailed ultrasound at the hospital (as opposed to the ER). sometimes they can't always see them. I continued to spot until about 14 weeks.

From what I understand, general bleeding is more common in twin pregnancies and SCH is also more common. My RE told me about 50% of twin pregnancies will experience bleeding.

I'm glad your babies are doing well. that's a good sign. I hope they can find a reason for the bleeding at your OB follow-up.

 

:welcome: to Twinstuff! I didn't have bleeding, but had spotting with my twins (didn't have any of it with my singleton). I know it's hard not to worry, but try not to. :hug: The u/s showed all was good. That is a good sign.

 

I had that happen around 10 weeks, it was quite a bad bleed. Lots of rest and plenty of water

 

I had that happen with my 3rd son and with my twins. It is scary. I think you have done the right thing by putting yourself on bed rest! With my twins it was a SCH but with my 3rd son we never knew the cause.

 

Thanks for all of your responses, everyone - - I find them very reassuring. My OBGYN couldn't locate a source for the bleeding either. But, it seems to have almost entirely stopped. He did a pelvic, and said that while he could see old blood in the vaginal canal, my cervix looked good and there was no blood that he saw coming through it. He also checked via ultrasound the levels of amniotic fluid for both babies (he was worried that perhaps the "gush" I felt was blood mixed with amniotic fluid) and they both looked great. The babies were active on the ultrasound, and are measuring right around 14 weeks 2 days.

The appointment was as reassuring as it could have been, I suppose. I wish I knew what caused the bleeding, but I'm trying to have faith in the idea that if the bleeding doesn't hurt the babies, we don't need to know what caused it. He told me that while he was definitely worried about the bleeding, based on all he saw in the pelvic and the ultrasound he felt as though there was a 90-95% chance of things turning out just fine. I have another appointment with him just after New Year's, though he said to come in again (or go to the ER) if I had heavy bleeding again.

When I asked him about bed rest, he said that most studies haven't shown it to make a difference at this point in a pregnancy. But, since I'm off work until just after New Year's (so lucky that yesterday was my last day), I'm just putting myself on 2 weeks of bed rest. I'll only get up to use the bathroom, and maybe to go to my parents on Christmas day (they're only a 10 min drive away).

Thanks again for your replies. I'm the first in my family to have twins, and my Mom and sisters never experienced any bleeding with their pregnancies, so they were as freaked out as I am. I feel really lucky to have found this place.

 

You may find that you may have some bleeding, after your pelvic exam. Glad everything is good. They never found the source of my bleeding either.

 

Yes! I mentioned to a nurse one time that I bled after every exam and she said yup, it happens and you did. I'm sensitive, lol.

It's scary but your babies are fine. Just fine. I think bedrest is a good idea, myself- and got the same spiel from my doctors. Just because it hasn't been proven effective doesn't mean it's been proven ineffective, either. :hug:

 

I gushed blood for several weeks starting around week 12. Like you, my OB never could find the source. I ended up in the ER several times only to find that the babies were fine and my cervix was closed. It was a very anxious time for me and I was so relieved when it finally quit. Hang in there!! I know my doc told me absolutely no exercise, no sex, and to stay off my feet as much as possible, and drink lots of water.

 

I've had bleeding since 6 weeks (I am 21w now). It has ranged from severe bleeding (soaking pads in 15min and passing palm-sized clots) to period-like bleeding to spotting and had been mostly red but sometimes brown. I didn't know I could bleed so much and still have blood in my body, lol. I was diagnosed at 6w with a SCH. It has been terrifying--any bleeding is. I remember I had placenta previa with my DD and bled a bit and was soo scared even though that was nothing compared to this pg. Hang in there! I suggest staying away from Google, resting when you can and drinking TONS of water. :hug:

 

Thanks again to everyone for sharing your stories and for your kind words of encouragement. It really is helping. I think I'll take ThankfulMama's advice and avoid google - - the things you read when you google "14 weeks pregnant with twins and bleeding" are terrifying.

Here's a question - - I see a lot of people are mentioning placenta previa as a reason they bled in their pregnancies. Since I had an ultrasound last night and another this morning, they would have been able to see this if it was happening in my pregnancy, right?

 

Yes they should have been able to see it if it were happening.

 

Yes, a good US tech/nurse, etc. should be able to see a previa. And because I mentioned I had that in my pregnancy with DD, I will tell you that the placenta moved in time for delivery. I had a perfect vaginal delivery with her (and praying for the same with the twins!!) Best wishes to you!!!

 

I had that with my first at about 11 weeks (I think). I bled for almost two weeks and they also couldn't find a source for the bleeding. I later realized it coincided with the antibiotics I was taking for a sinus infection, but I didn't make that connection until later. Other than that, exact same situation, I went in for an US and they checked my cervix and everything looked fine. Good luck!!

 

I echo ThankfulMama's advice more strongly - Google is the expectant twin mother's worst nightmare. DON'T GO THERE! My advice to you is this: trust your OBGYN. If you don't, find another. When you have a OBGYN you like and trust, listen to only the words the OBGYN says. Put words like "placenta previa" and other fun scientific words you have learned on-line out of your mind. You can, and will, drive yourself crazy with the parade of horribles that are out there on-line and Google only feeds those fears.

BTW - I also had bleeding like yours. My OBGYN assumed it was a SCH even though she never could find the source. The end result of my pregnancy was that I delivered two beautiful babies - and you will, too. And that is all that matters.