QuestionI am 30, and have 3 other children. Those births were all normal, and full term. My last menstral period was 6-23-05. To date, I am 13 weeks pregnant. At 10 weeks by ultrasound I was told I had a large subchoronic hematoma. The ultrasound tech seemed disturbed by it. It was about as large as the baby. My OBGYN scared the crap out of me stating that it could cause miscarriage, infections, and to basically call her when I started to bleed. Previous to the ultrasound I had spotted off and on very lightly for a couple of days. Now at 13 weeks I haven't had any spotting until today. My questions and concerns are this:
1) I have read your other responses to this subject and you say it almost never causes any harm, and does not cause miscarriage. Is this really correct?
2) The spotting I am experienceing is never accompanied by any cramping or pain. Why do I spot? Is the hematoma absorbing? Can it get bigger? Today the spotting was brown.
3) Is there a time, as in number of weeks pregnant, that I can calm down about the hematoma? When should I expect it to disappear? Should I just not be worried about it, as it will go away on it's own?
4) My last question: Are there any real risks I should be concerned about with this hematoma? I feel that everytime I spot, that I am going to miscarry and it is very disheartening. I feel that My OBGYN gave me incorrect information. She is a fairly new and young Doctor that maybe has never studied the subject.
Your answers would be most helpful. Thank You.
~Kristi
AnswerUsually, a subchorionic hamatoma does not involve the fetus and does not cause any harm to the pregnancy or to the baby. It often dissipates on its own. However, there is annoying bleeding for a few weeks. As long as there is no cramping, I doubt that yoo will miscarry. Brownish spotting is often "old blood" that is being extruded from the uterus as the fetus is growing. The only way to follow a subchorionic hematoma is by serial sonography. You will get another sonogram in two weeks and again at around 20 weeks gestation. The sonogram can track the progress of the resorption of the hematoma. It should disappear slowly over time. As I said, most of the time a subchorionic hematoma causes no problem. However, sometimes you may miscarry while the hematoma is resolving. The miscarriage would not have been due to the hematoma. Miscarriages occur in 15-20% of every pregnancy. There is nothing you can do to cause a miscarriage and there is nothing you can do to prevent a miscarriage. I would just suggest repeating the sonogram to track the disappearance of the hematoma. The bleeding should get less and less and the days go on. Try not to worry.
