QuestionI am currently 33 years old and am confirmed to be just over 7 weeks pregnant. Nearly two weeks ago I developed brown spotting. A week and a 1/2 ago we made an emergency appointment with the obstetrician. She did an ultrasound which confirmed that I was six weeks pregnant at the time and she saw the heartbeat. When asked about the spotting, she was very cool and casual about it and didn't really answer any questions. She basically said I might miscarriage or I might not but to stay away from intercourse and exercise for a week. My husband and I were put off by the visit so I contacted my general practitioner who recommended another obstetrician. I met with him two days ago and he said that while he can't be certain what is causing it, he thinks my cervix might be irritated or some capillaries may be broken from increased blood flow. He said it was more like a discharge than an actual blood flow. He gave me permission to return to light exercise and said that such things have not been proven to affect these situations. Yesterday by the early afternoon, I had stopped spotting altogether. I resumed very light exercise on my elliptical machine yesterday. This morning when I woke up, the spotting was back and was as heavy as it had been when it first started.
Tomorrow will be two weeks since it started (with the partial day interruption) and this is really taking an emotional toll on my husband and me. We are completely confused by the information we've been provided. I was thrilled to be able to return to light workouts as I think it is healthy for me and the unborn child. And I was told that it wouldn't be detrimental, yet as soon as I do it, the spotting gets noticably worse. I'm finding it hard to believe that two weeks worth of spotting is nothing to worry about. Now, I don't know if I should work out and am frustrated because if I can't do so for the rest of the pregnancy, that can't be healthy for me or the baby either.
Comments, thoughts, suggestions, any advice would be helpful at this point. I thank you in advance.
AnswerFirst of all, I would follow the instructions of an obstetrician rather than a general practitioner. I would believe that an obstetrician would have much more experience with pregnancy and pregnancy symptoms that a GP. I agree with the gynecologist. The brown spotting is probably "old blood" that is coming from the uterus and being pushed out by the growing fetus. This usually will stop by 8 weeks gestation. It will not cause any problem for the pregnancy or for the baby, unless you start to have heavy vaginal bleeding or cramps. At around 10 weeks gestation, when the placenta will start to form, you may again have some spotting due to a "subchorionic bleed" in the layers of the developing placenta. It is definitely recommended that, if you have any bleeding, you refrain from exercise, heavy lifting, or intercourse until the bleeding has stopped. There is definite evidence in the literature that these measures will help. Bed rest is not necessary. I would follow the directions of your obstetrician. If you do not like or trust your obstetrician, seek another obstetrician. However, an obstetrician is more qualified to recognize the problems of pregnancy and has been trained and is experienced to do so. Good luck.
