Bloody boogers early pregnancy
What causes nosebleeds in pregnancy, and tips to manage them | Your Pregnancy Matters
Pregnant women are more likely to get nosebleeds due to increased blood volume, which may cause vessels in the nose to rupture.Pregnancy is full of quirky side effects – including nosebleeds. One in five patients get nosebleeds during pregnancy (epistaxis), compared with 6% of women who get them when not pregnant.
Over the course of pregnancy, your total blood volume doubles to support the growing baby. To accommodate this extra blood, the blood vessels in your body dilate. The pressure of the extra blood can sometimes cause the more fragile vessels to rupture and bleed more easily.
Your nose is rich in tiny blood vessels that can get dried out from normal breathing, which can lead to breakage and bleeding. For most pregnant patients, the occasional minor nosebleed is no cause for alarm. It’s mostly just annoying.
I've invited my colleague, Ashleigh Halderman, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist from UT Southwestern's Otolaryngology Department, to talk about what causes nosebleeds during pregnancy, how women can prevent them, and how to stop them when they do occur.
Colds, medications, and unruly sinuses
Dr. Ashleigh HaldermanEven when you aren't pregnant, you're more likely to get a nosebleed with a cold, sinus infection, or allergies. But approximately 20% of women experience pregnancy rhinitis – inflammation and swelling of the mucous membranes in the nose.
Pregnancy rhinitis causes congestion, postnasal drip, and runny nose. And when you're constantly blowing your nose, you're more susceptible to having a bloody nose.
Certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure or clotting disorders can cause nosebleeds as well.
You may also get a nosebleed if the membranes in your nose dry out and crack due to cold weather, dry air, or intense air conditioning.
Pregnancy tumor: A rare cause of nosebleeds
Also known as a pyogenic granuloma, a pregnancy tumor is a noncancerous, rapidly growing mass of capillary blood vessels that bleeds easily. Research suggests the masses form due to the influx of hormones during pregnancy.
Approximately 5% of pregnant women develop pregnancy tumors, which typically form in the gums between the teeth but can also form in the nose. The masses can appear anywhere on the body and generally disappear after the baby is born.
Treatment usually consists of either a medicated gel or nasal spray, which helps control bleeding. Some women need to have the tumor removed if it is causing breathing problems or excessive nosebleeds. The exact procedure to remove the tumor depends on where the tumor is located. For pregnancy tumors of the nose, most can be removed endoscopically without any external incisions or stitches.
Related reading: 5 weird pregnancy symptoms you might not know about
How can I prevent nosebleeds during pregnancy?
While it’s not possible to prevent all nosebleeds, there are few things you can do to avoid irritating the sensitive blood vessels in your nose.
● Moisturize the inside of your nose: Use a bit of saline nasal gel to lubricate dry or irritated nasal passages.
● Use a humidifier: Because dry air increases the risk of nosebleeds, adding a little moisture to the air can do wonders.
● Drink plenty of fluids: This keeps your mucous membranes well hydrated and less likely to dry out and crack.
● Treat colds and allergies: Talk to your doctor about which over-the-counter medications may be best.
Be especially gentle after a nosebleed. Your nose needs to heal, so don’t blow it too hard or stuff tissues in the nostrils, which can prolong bleeding.
How to stop a nosebleed and when to see your doctor
If you do get a nosebleed during pregnancy (or any other time):
● Sit or stand up to keep your head higher than your heart
● Lean forward slightly to stop the blood from running down the back of your throat into your mouth
● Pinch both nostrils and maintain pressure for 10 to 15 minutes
● To help constrict the blood vessels and slow bleeding, you also can apply a cold pack or ice over the bridge of your nose or use a nasal spray such as Afrin before pinching the nostrils together
Call your health care provider if you experience more than a couple nosebleeds during pregnancy, or if:
● Bleeding doesn’t stop after 30 minutes
● Blood flow is heavy
● You have trouble breathing
● You become lightheaded or disoriented
Pregnancy can cause strange things to happen to your body. While nosebleeds generally are nothing to be overly concerned about, talk to your doctor if you are worried. We're always available to help you feel more comfortable during pregnancy.
To visit with an Ob/Gyn, call 214-645-8300 or request an appointment online.
Nosebleeds during pregnancy | Pregnancy Birth and Baby
Nosebleeds during pregnancy | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content3-minute read
Listen
Nosebleeds during pregnancy are fairly common. Although they can be alarming, in most cases there's no need to worry and you should be able to treat a bleeding nose yourself.
Why are nosebleeds common during pregnancy?
During your first trimester the amount of blood circulating in your body increases and your heart works harder. This means that the lining of your nasal passage (inside your nose) also receives more blood. You have tiny blood vessels inside your nose so the increased blood volume can sometimes damage those blood vessels and cause them to burst, resulting in a nosebleed.
Changes in your hormones during pregnancy can also contribute to nosebleeds.
These changes can make your nose feel congested (stuffy) and it might get more blocked up than usual. Your gums may also feel swollen and may bleed.
A nosebleed may last for a few seconds or a few minutes, and can flow from one or both nostrils. The blood flow can be light or quite heavy. If a nosebleed happens at night, while you’re sleeping, you may wake up feeling the blood going down the back of your throat before you sit up. It will then come out of your nose.
Are nosebleeds during pregnancy a cause for concern?
Nosebleeds can give you a fright or be a nuisance, but as long as you don’t lose a lot of blood, they are generally nothing to be worried about. In most cases, a nosebleed won’t harm you or your baby.
How do I stop a nosebleed if I have one?
- Sitting or standing, keep your head upright. This reduces the pressure in the blood vessels inside your nose and will help to slow down the bleeding.
- Pinch the soft part of your nose, underneath the bony ridge, between your thumb and forefinger. Once you have done this, the two sides of your nose should be pressed together.
- Keep pinching, without releasing, for 10 minutes.
- If your nose is bleeding a lot, you may want to lean slightly forward and breathe through your mouth so the blood runs out of your nose, rather than down the back of your throat.
- Spit out any blood that is in your mouth.
- You may also want to suck an ice cube or put an icepack on the back of your neck or forehead, or the bony part of your nose.
- After 10 minutes, gently release your pinch to see if the bleeding has stopped.
- If your nose is still bleeding, try this procedure again for another 10 minutes.
How can I avoid a nose bleed?
If you are blowing your nose, do so gently and try to avoid large sneezes. You should also avoid picking your nose. You could be more likely to get nosebleeds in winter months when the air is dryer, so you may like to use a dehumidifier in your home to moisten the air.
If you’ve recently had a nosebleed:
- Sneeze with your mouth open.
- Try to avoid bending down or vigorously exercising for at least 12 hours afterwards.
- Avoid hitting your nose on anything.
When should I see a doctor?
Let your doctor know straight away if your nosebleed happens after bumping your head.
You should also contact your doctor if:
- you have high blood pressure
- you have taken the steps above and your nosebleed hasn’t stopped after 20 minutes
- you have trouble breathing through your mouth
- there seems to be a large amount of blood
- you are getting nosebleeds frequently
- you have swallowed a lot of blood and vomited
- you have a fever or chill
For more information, or to discuss any concerns you might have about nosebleeds, call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436.
Sources:
Healthy WA (Healthy WA - Nose bleeds), Mater Mothers Hospital (Pregnancy information for women and families), NHS Choices (Nosebleeds in pregnancy), Raising Children Network (15 weeks pregnant), St John Ambulance Australia (First aid tip: nosebleeds)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: June 2021
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Pregnancy discharge | What are the discharge during pregnancy? | Blog
In the absence of menstruation, girls usually suspect that conception has occurred. However, during pregnancy, the female body may continue to secrete a secret of a different color and character. We recommend that you keep a close eye on everything that happens so as not to miss the development of adverse events. We will talk about how to recognize problem situations during pregnancy in the article.
What discharge can occur during conception
Many women note that immediately after the delay and in the later stages, the nature of the secretion changes. It can be:
- With or without scent.
- Depending on the color - transparent, white, cream, yellow, greenish, bloody.
- By consistency - thick, liquid, cheesy.
- As a symptom for assessing the state of health - threatening, safe.
During ovulation, the egg is released from the ovary, its membrane is deflated, a small amount of fluid is released - so it becomes ready for fertilization. At this time, the thick mucus that fills the cervical canal of the cervix becomes less viscous. This makes it easier for the spermatozoa to penetrate and move further into the tubes for fertilization. At this time, you may notice an abundance of clear mucous secretion. nine0003
After the fusion of the egg with the spermatozoon, movement into the uterus begins, which should end with implantation in the inner layer. During penetration, its slight detachment may occur - this causes damage to the blood vessels that abundantly penetrate the muscular layer of the uterus. You may see light brown discharge, which is common during pregnancy. The color is due to the fact that the blood has time to clot.
Sometimes the discharge is brightly colored and some women mistake it for a period that has started too early. But in this case, a short duration is characteristic, a different shade (dark or scarlet), a slight mark on the linen. nine0003
With some features of the structure of the female genital organs (for example, with a bicornuate uterus), after implantation of the embryo in one part, rejection of the endometrium may begin in the other, as usually occurs during menstruation. This rarely happens.
Characteristics of discharge in the event of a threatened miscarriage
Spontaneous abortion is the rejection of an embryo in the early stages after conception. If at the first signs of pregnancy, you notice spotting, there is a high probability that a miscarriage begins. nine0003
Also, miscarriage symptoms include:
- pulling or pressing on the lower abdomen, sacrum, lower back;
- the muscles of the uterus are tense.
The woman may feel cramps. This continues all the time or intermittently. From the vagina there are scarlet or brown discharge during pregnancy, which was previously confirmed. Sometimes the period may be still small, and the first signs did not have time to appear.
After 22 weeks, this phenomenon is called preterm labor. The child in this case is still weak, the organs are not sufficiently developed, and there is little chance of survival. nine0003
The following factors increase the risk of miscarriage:
- various diseases;
- progesterone deficiency;
- nervous and physical overexertion;
- pathologies in the genitals;
- fetal developmental defects.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound scan. If it shows that the fetal heart rate is disturbed, the tone of the uterus is increased, its size differs from normal for this period, hospitalization will be recommended to maintain pregnancy. nine0003
What discharge during pregnancy is considered normal
This secretion does not pose a threat to health:
- transparent;
- whitish;
- yellowish;
- odor free;
- mucous;
- without itching, burning, redness of the genitals.
Clear fluid on underwear is a symptom of ovulation. During pregnancy, the activity of ongoing processes in the body increases, so the amount of secretion secreted may increase. However, a violation of the norm is the leakage of amniotic fluid. You can determine the problem with the help of special diagnostic tests that the doctor will prescribe if he has suspicions. nine0003
White color, small amount, homogeneous structure should also not cause concern. The increased volume of fluid in this case is associated with increased hormonal activity.
One of the variants of the norm is mucous discharge, which smells of slight sourness. If there is no pain, discomfort, there is nothing to worry about.
Yellow discharge, there are signs of pregnancy, there is no unpleasant odor - you are all right. Some women had this color before conception, only they did not pay attention. Now there are more of them, therefore more noticeable. nine0003
Sometimes a woman observes that the laundry gets wet and there is a smell of urine. This may indicate incontinence due to the constant pressure of the growing uterus. In this case, it is recommended to go to the toilet more often, change underpants twice a day.
What discharge during pregnancy is considered a sign of infection?
White discharge during pregnancy with a cheesy texture is a symptom of thrush (candidiasis). In pregnant women, it is diagnosed quite often - the reason is a change in hormonal levels. The disease is accompanied by itching, redness of the vulva, a strong sour smell. Sometimes external manifestations are not detected, then treatment is not carried out. nine0003
Infection is indicated by pain, pain, skin irritation, ulcers, smell of rot or fish, gray or green color, frothy discharge, increased nervousness, large inguinal lymph nodes. The reason may lie in sexually transmitted infections. This includes syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia and others. They are dangerous because they cause premature birth and fetal developmental defects.
What kind of discharge during pregnancy should I pay special attention to and should I consult a doctor? nine0005
The following indicates that pregnancy is at risk:
- Severe pain in the perineum, bleeding, difficulty defecation, convulsions - these may be injuries to the vaginal mucosa.
- Nausea, profuse vomiting, edema, headaches, cough, hypertension, bright red secretion are symptoms of hydatidiform mole (abnormal development of the embryo).
- A drop in blood pressure, pallor, weakness, sweating, pulling sensations, bleeding during pregnancy against the background of a lack of growth of hCG in the blood - this is how ectopic attachment manifests itself. nine0010
- Isolation of clots, sharp pain, vomiting, diarrhea may indicate a frozen fetus.
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.
It is also necessary to go to the clinic if you have been physically abused, had rough sex, had an accident, fell, hit. The likelihood that the situation will be resolved successfully is much higher if you do not delay the visit, listen to the symptoms and take good care of your health. nine0003
Remember, despite the fact that pregnancy is a normal state of health of the female body, the diagnosis and treatment tactics are still different, due to the many restrictions on manipulations and medications during pregnancy. That is why diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy should take place only under the supervision of a physician. By ignoring the symptoms or self-medicating, a pregnant woman risks not only her health, but also the health of her child.
Doctors of the Leleka maternity hospital manage pregnancies of any complexity, including those aggravated by infections, pathologies, and the threat of miscarriage. Our own diagnostic laboratory allows us to accurately and in the shortest possible time to obtain the results of the tests. Thanks to constant medical supervision throughout the entire period, the chances of a successful birth are greatly increased. nine0003
Trust the life and health of your child to Leleka doctors, and we will make sure that you are satisfied.
Rhinitis in pregnancy
Otorhinolaryngologist, surgeon at GMS Clinic Oleg Abramov talks in his article about rhinitis of pregnancy (hereinafter referred to as RH).
It was no coincidence that I chose this topic after a series of publications on the social network about allergic rhinitis (hereinafter referred to as AR), as recent studies note that although the cause of RB is not completely clear, the combination of AR, which is especially poorly controlled together with RB, can lead to severe nasal congestion, to insufficient oxygen supply, and, as a result, to increased fatigue, irritability, frequent SARS, sleep disturbance, which can certainly affect the development of the fetus. Moreover, the presence of AR is associated with snoring in women during pregnancy, and together they can provoke the development of sleep apnea syndrome (stopping breathing during sleep), which leads to arterial hypertension, preeclampsia, slowed fetal growth and low Apgar scores. Therefore, the relevance of this problem is only growing. nine0003
Definition and concept
Rhinitis of pregnancy is a disease accompanied by nasal congestion and discharge, periodic sneezing without signs of inflammation, allergies, or other causes. This condition can occur in any trimester of pregnancy and usually resolves within two weeks after delivery.
Occurrence
Nasal congestion is a very common problem during pregnancy (occurs in about 65% of cases), which can occur due to various reasons. RB, according to various sources, occurs in 9-40% of cases, and in one of the last observations there is an increasing incidence, that is, most of all RB is observed in the 3rd trimester - 38. 9%, including those who did not have problems in the 1st and 2nd trimesters.
Causes and mechanism of occurrence
The mechanism of occurrence is not fully understood, and it is believed that RB occurs due to hormonal changes, in particular, under the influence of progesterone, estrogen, hCG and other hormones, the concentration of which gradually increases during pregnancy. Some authors believe that the occurrence of RB is associated with the worsening of concomitant AR. Some studies show that hormonal action leads to relaxation of the smooth muscles that make up the vessel wall of the nasal mucosa, resulting in nasal congestion. Such findings are supported by other studies that show that oral contraceptives cause similar effects in the nasal cavity (but not in everyone). Other studies show that elevated body mass index, overweight, multiple pregnancies provoke or aggravate RB. nine0003
Progression and potential risks
RB, in the absence of adequate treatment, has an adverse effect on the course of pregnancy and can lead to the development of rhinosinusitis, which is especially difficult to tolerate in the 3rd trimester. On the other hand, pregnancy is a special period in a woman's life, during which a large number of drugs are prohibited, and ENT pathologies, these restrictions have not been spared either. Very often I hear at the reception: "Doctor, I'm pregnant and I've been suffering with my nose all this time, but the doctors tell me - there's nothing to be done, I need to endure it." On the other hand, the opposite situation is often observed: “Doctor, I am pregnant and I cannot live without vasoconstrictor drops.” These situations, of course, are not correct, since on the one hand there is a way out and optimal treatment, and on the other hand, constant exposure to vasoconstrictor drugs is not a way out of the situation at all. nine0003
Diagnostics
At the moment, there is no specific test to confirm or exclude RB. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the patient's complaints and the exclusion of other pathologies of the nasal cavity.
Choice of therapeutic tactics
Saline solutions
Before considering more serious medications, we should start with our favorite saline solutions. It should be noted that we are not talking about ordinary saline solutions, but hypertonic saline solutions (with an increased salt content, approximately 19-23 g/l). Such sprays are sold in all pharmacies, but they will not be sold to you right away (you need to ask). Several studies have noted significant efficacy in reducing congestion when used in AR, chronic rhinosinusitis. Also, comparative studies show their greater effectiveness compared to conventional isotonic solutions. Examples: Physiomer - hypertonic solution (my favorite), Aqualor-congestion, or Aqualor-severe runny nose, Aquamaris Strong.
nine0094 Doctor, not helping...As is known from past publications, intranasal glucocorticosteroids (iGCS) are the most effective in the treatment of AR today. They have proven efficacy in reducing nasal congestion, as well as nasal itching and watery eyes, and allow adequate control of symptoms. But, given their hormonal effect and possible harmful effects on the fetus, there are certain risks in their use. It should also be noted that at the moment there are no studies that provide reliable data confirming the danger of their use. Modern ICS — mometasone (nasonex, desrinit) and fluticasone (avamys, flixonase) has a very low systemic bioavailability, less than 1% and proven efficacy, thus can be considered as initial therapy for RB. The studies did not reveal a statistically significant relationship between the development of fetal defects and the use of these drugs. nine0003
Who are the US FDA and why is everyone listening to them?
Everything is very simple (it’s a pity that everything is not so simple with us). I copy the explanation from Wikipedia: “An agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, one of the federal executive departments. The department is engaged in quality control of food products, medicines, cosmetics, tobacco products and some other categories of goods, and also monitors compliance with legislation and standards in this area. nine0003
Budesonide (Tafen Nasal) is classified as category B according to the FDA's classification for drug effects on the fetus, which means that there is evidence that the drug is safe to use during pregnancy. The bioavailability of budesonide is 33%. This drug has moved from group C to group B, thanks to several high-quality studies in Sweden since the beginning of the 21st century, proving its safety.
Also, according to the current recommendations of the American Academy of Allergology and Immunology (AAAAI), ICS are considered safe and effective in the treatment of rhinitis and rhinosinusitis during pregnancy. But at the same time, there is no indication of specific drugs. Other competent medical associations also do not give any recommendations in terms of choosing a drug. Therefore, summing up all of the above, and also according to the latest review, mometasone, fluticasone, budesonide can be considered as safe and effective agents in the treatment of RB. It should also be noted that an experienced ENT doctor should be involved in prescribing the drug and managing the patient, since these drugs are sold without a prescription in the Russian Federation; we strongly recommend not to self-medicate.