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What causes nosebleeds in pregnancy, and tips to manage them | Your Pregnancy Matters

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

Even 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.

unusual symptoms in pregnant women

Pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue, morning sickness and frequent urination are known to almost everyone. But there are other strange signs of early pregnancy that your body sends to announce the birth of a new life - you definitely don’t know anything about them.

Ksenia Ilchenko

Signs of early pregnancy

Despite the knowledge of physiological processes, each woman's pregnancy is unique. There is a difference in everything - starting from what first signs of pregnancy the expectant mother will notice, and ending with how her state of health will change by the time of childbirth. Even the same woman who has given birth to several children can have different symptoms and signs of pregnancy each time.

In addition, the first signs of pregnancy in the early stages may feel similar to the sensations before and during menstruation, so the woman does not immediately understand that conception has occurred.

Reliable signs of pregnancy in the early stages can be observed no earlier than 8-10 days from the moment of fertilization of the egg, when the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus and the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), begins to be produced in the mother's body. But it must be borne in mind that this is the approximate time of implantation of the embryo, for each woman this period is individual.

The most common presumptive signs of early pregnancy:

• Delayed menstruation. However, it is worth remembering that there can be many reasons for a violation of the cycle, and in order to accurately determine the first signs of pregnancy, it is necessary to exclude possible causes of delay, such as stress, menopause, excessive physical activity, lack or vice versa, excess weight and others.
• Toxicosis. Morning sickness and malaise are the most common first sign of pregnancy before menstruation.
• Changes in appetite and eating habits. An aversion to certain foods may appear, a desire to eat spicy, sour, inedible appears.
• Unstable emotional state.
• Change in sexual desire. This happens due to a change in the sensitivity of many receptors in the body of a pregnant woman.
• Fatigue and drowsiness.
• Frequent urination.
• High or low blood pressure and dizziness.
• Soreness of the mammary glands.
• Cramping and pain in the lower abdomen.
• The appearance of spider veins not only on the legs, but also on the face, neck, chest.
• Weight gain.

Important! Some symptoms and signs are not exclusive to pregnant women. They can be a manifestation of diseases. We recommend that you consult a doctor if you feel any changes.

The most important and reliable signs of early pregnancy will be:

• detection of a high concentration of the hCG hormone in the blood and urine;
• changes in the internal genital organs and the presence of an embryo (detected using ultrasound diagnostics).

The strangest signs of pregnancy

Stuffy nose

Do you wake up with a blocked nose? Or do you have to clean it more often than usual? This may be a sign of early pregnancy. The reason for this is the increased production of mucous secretions during pregnancy. And by the way, it's not just in your nose!

Metallic taste

Taste bud changes, also known as dysgeusia, usually resolve after the first trimester but may persist throughout pregnancy. One of the strangest symptoms of early pregnancy is described by women as “mouth full of change” or “as if I’m licking the railing.”

Flatulence

The increase in progesterone during pregnancy slows down the digestion process - as a result, gases now form longer. Women in the early stages of pregnancy are often in a state of "balloon".

Bleeding from the gums and nose

This is another common sign of early pregnancy. Due to the increase in the level of female sex hormones, the gums become inflamed and may start to bleed while brushing or flossing. Pregnancy also provokes vasodilation in the nose, which can cause bleeding.

Constipation

Since we are talking about the functions of the body, it is worth mentioning one more sign of early pregnancy. Disturbances in the work of the intestines are caused by the same hormonal changes. You may have to put a book in the toilet!

Vivid dreams and nightmares

Expectant mothers often have vivid dreams and nightmares. One of the reasons for this strangest sign of pregnancy is all the same notorious hormonal changes. But there is another explanation: the sleep of a pregnant woman is often interrupted due to going to the toilet, the movements of the child or convulsions, and the fresher the dream, the higher the likelihood of remembering its content.

Dizziness

A woman's body often reacts to the birth of a new life with one of the signs of early pregnancy - a decrease in blood pressure. In addition, as the abdomen grows, the center of gravity changes. All this leads to the fact that a pregnant woman begins to unsteadily stand on her own feet.

Veins

Unfortunately, there are more unpleasant signs of pregnancy. As the fetus grows, the uterus increasingly compresses the inferior vena cava, a large blood vessel that runs in the right side of the body. An increase in pressure in the pelvic area leads to a reduction in blood flow to the legs - and, as a result, such an unpleasant disease as varicose veins develops.

Alas, this is not the end! Stagnant processes can spread throughout the body. It is not uncommon for pregnant women to compare their body to a road map because of the web of blue veins protruding from it.

Outward signs of pregnancy: unusual behavior of older children

Changes in the body are felt not only by the expectant mother. Pregnant women who already have children say that a very strange sign of pregnancy appears in the early stages - already existing children become more capricious and require more attention. And in any case, do not panic - children need time to adapt to a change in status, becoming older, and they feel the changes long before the birth of a sister or brother, because the mother begins to behave at least not much, but in a different way. And it’s not for nothing that children are called “locators”, capturing the slightest fluctuations in their mother’s state and mood. Hugs, spending time together and a psychologist will help gently prepare children for the birth of a new family member.

Source: kidspot.com.au

Have you had strange pregnancy symptoms?

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Early signs of pregnancy | Medical Note blog about health and digital medicine

Pregnancy changes the body and causes unusual sensations. But when do they appear? It turns out that the first symptoms occur in many even before the delay in menstruation. Medical Note talks about the most reliable early signs of pregnancy.

Breast tenderness

This sign usually indicates the approach of menstruation. Many people know how the breasts swell, and the nipples become especially sensitive, up to soreness.

But when pregnancy occurs, such symptoms can appear even in those who did not know such problems. And a week earlier.

The reason is increased blood flow in the breast area due to changes in the amount of hormones.

If your favorite underwear suddenly becomes uncomfortable, and touching and rubbing your nipples against your clothes suddenly start to irritate you, this is one of the early signs of pregnancy.

Darkening of the areolas

Another early sign of pregnancy before a missed period, associated with the breast: the areolas darken and even increase in size.

The “pimples” on the areolas become clearly visible. These are the tubercles of Montgomery. They are an important part of lactation and help keep the nipple hydrated so it doesn't dry out and get injured.

The skin of the areolas and nipples does not always darken in the first weeks after conception. But it is not so rare that this happens even before the delay of menstruation.

But it is impossible to predict whether the color and size will change back after childbirth and the end of breastfeeding.

Important: if the areolas not only darken and enlarge, but start to redden or itch, a therapist and/or a dermatologist is needed. This is not the norm!

Menstrual-like discharge

Premature bleeding is one of the brightest early signs of pregnancy.

Implantation bleeding is what this phenomenon is called. The discharge is more scanty than during menstruation, lasts much shorter and can be both bloody and brownish.

Implantation bleeding occurs in every fourth expectant mother.

This bleeding is caused by the implantation of the embryo into the endometrial layer. It occurs on average 6-10 days after unprotected sexual contact.

The fertilized ovum descends from the fallopian tube - that is where conception takes place. All pregnancies at the first stage are ectopic, tubal.

In the uterine cavity, the embryo “chooses” a suitable place and starts attachment. If there is a sufficiently large blood vessel at the implantation site, its integrity is broken, and blood is released.

Constant need to go to the toilet

Increasing daily levels of the hormone hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin, can cause an increased urge to urinate.

This usually happens 2-3 weeks after conception, but it can start earlier.

The frequency of trips to the toilet in the early stages can be every 30 minutes - until the body adapts to new conditions.

Fatigue and colds

This is also one of the early signs of pregnancy.

The reason is in changes in the body.

Immediately after the fusion of the egg and sperm, the fetal egg begins to secrete a special protein EPF, early pregnancy factor or early pregnancy factor.

This protein appears in the blood of the mother's body just a few hours after conception!

But to confirm pregnancy, an EPF test is performed in very rare cases, mainly if an immune miscarriage factor is suspected.

EPF slightly reduces maternal immunity. This is necessary so that the embryo does not attack its defense system.

Due to a decrease in immune defense, existing diseases may worsen, opportunistic bacterial flora may begin to multiply actively.

This is expressed in various ailments - from colds to thrush, vaginal candidiasis.

Fatigue and drowsiness are explained by a sharp restructuring of the body - it requires more resources, it is preparing to grow a whole person inside.

First morning sickness

Although most women experience morning sickness on average a month after conception, some women experience it much earlier.

Experts say that this may be due to a deficiency of folic acid and B vitamins.

Toxicosis also includes increased sensitivity to odors. Unlike nausea and morning vomiting, most of them start earlier - and may indicate pregnancy even before the delay.

Gas and fullness in the abdomen

Although most believe that digestive disorders - from flatulence to constipation - are a feature of the second and third trimesters, they begin earlier.

Due to the increase in the level of the hormone progesterone, smooth muscle relaxation begins.

The main purpose of this relaxation is to prevent the walls of the uterus from resisting implantation and fetal growth.

But the hormone affects all smooth muscles, and the intestinal walls too.

This effect has a plus for gestation: nutrients stay longer in the intestinal cavity, are better absorbed, and there is less likelihood of deficiencies of various nutrients.

And in the minuses - faster and more voluminous formation of intestinal gases in the very first stages of pregnancy, and a tendency to constipation for longer periods.

Cravings for salty

Appetite perversions are the "classics" of pregnancy. You may want anything, but usually after 6-8 weeks of pregnancy.

But cravings for salt can be justified even earlier. Although not everyone’s body is able to suggest this way of dealing with low blood pressure.

Blood pressure decreases under the influence of hormones. This can cause dizziness, especially when getting out of bed.

Salt in moderation can help maintain blood pressure levels.

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds by themselves do not indicate pregnancy - they have many causes.

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