First Trimester Bleeding: Causes, Concerns & What to Expect

Question
Hi! I am currently 7 weeks pregnant with my first child. I have spotted pretty much the entire time so far. I have had two ultrasounds which show the baby is growing right on schedule. The heart beat was low last week but was at 146 today. Last week the sac was abnormally shaped, or so I was told. Today I was told it is straightening itself out. Last week I was told I had subchorionic hematomas. Today the radiologist says they don't show up that much although she saw several areas where blood vessels were bleeding into the uterus. I can't seem to find any information on this. She thinks that is causing the spotting. I am not scheduled to see an OB for five more weeks. Should I request an ultrasound again before then? Is there anything that can or should be done about these bleeding blood vessesl? Oh..she did say they don't appear to be harming the baby. If I continue to spot for the next five weeks is that ok? I will definitely go in sooner if it gets worse. I greatly appreciate your time and help with these concerns! Thank you!


Answer
It is quite common for a subchorionic hematoma to cause bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy. A subchorionic bleed is caused during the formation of the palcenta within the layers of the placental membranes (betweent the chorion and the amnion). This bleeding does not usually interfere with the pregnancy and does not cause any harm to the fetus. The bleeding is usually self-limited and stops within a few weeks. If the tech did not see any further hematoma but rather merely some blood vessels, and the baby's heartbeat is fine, I would not worry. Certainly, I would repeat the sonogram in two weeks to see if  all is well.