Do you bruise easily when pregnant

Is it serious? Causes, treatment, and prevention

Bruising occurs when blood becomes trapped under the skin, usually following an impact injury that damages small blood vessels. However, not all bruising has a simple explanation.

Although random or sudden bruising does not necessarily mean that a person has a medical condition, it may still be worth discussing with a doctor.

This article will expand on factors in and causes of random bruising and accompanying symptoms. It also explains bruising in pregnancy and when to see a doctor.

Share on PinterestRandom bruising may indicate an underlying health problem.

Most bruises are nothing to worry about and will heal within a couple of weeks. They can vary in color, and skin color may affect the appearance of a bruise.

Learn more about what the colors of a bruise mean here.

Learn more about bruises on dark skin here.

However, random, sporadic bruising may be a symptom of something less obvious, especially if there are other symptoms. Bruises on the torso, back, or face could especially be a concern.

Here are some key factors in random bruising:

Age: Older adults are much more susceptible to bruising. The skin becomes thinner and less flexible, especially on the backs of the arms. Blood vessels lose elasticity and break much more easily.
Sex: Females tend to bruise more easily than males. Although there is no conclusive medical evidence as to why, females typically have thinner skin, which makes it easier for bruises to develop.
Genetics: A tendency to bruise easily can run in the family. For example, von Willebrand’s disease is a hereditary bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot properly. This leads to easy bruising or larger bruises. However, it only affects around up to 1% of the population of the United States.

Unexplained bruising is very common and heals relatively quickly. However, if a bruise persists, changes in size, or looks unusual, there may be an underlying condition or other factors.

The following are some possible causes of random bruising.

Medications and supplements

Medications such as anticoagulants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and corticosteroids reduce the blood’s ability to clot. This may result in blood leaking from vessels and accumulating under the skin.

Some studies suggest that certain dietary supplements — such as fish oil, garlic, and ginseng — may also be factors in bleeding and bruising.

Someone who takes medication and has random bruising should speak to a doctor for advice and to discuss their drug and family medical history.

A bleeding or clotting disorder

Underlying bleeding disorders — such as hemophilia, thrombocytopenia, or factor V deficiency — can cause bruising.

Hemophilia is a genetic condition wherein people lack either clotting factor VIII or IX, resulting in excessive bruising. It is a rare condition that mostly affects males.

People with immune thrombocytopenia have a low platelet count, and bruising can also appear for no reason. Platelets are cells that help the blood to clot and stop bleeding.

Factor V deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder wherein people lack the protein coagulation factor V. This prevents the blood from clotting. Symptoms can occur at any age, but most severe cases tend to occur during childhood.

Other common symptoms of a bleeding disorder include:

nosebleeds
blood in the urine or stool
bleeding gums

Infection

Sepsis is an infection that causes a buildup of toxins in the blood or tissues. People with sepsis often develop a cluster of tiny blood spots, resembling pinpricks in the skin (petechiae) or purple areas (purpura). Without treatment, these may increase in size, join together, and form larger bruises.

Also known as blood poisoning, sepsis requires immediate emergency treatment.

Vitamin deficiencies

A poor diet can affect health in a number of negative ways, and vitamin deficiencies can contribute to random bruising.

Some deficiencies include vitamin C deficiency and vitamin K deficiency.

Required for collagen production, boosting the immune system, and maintaining antioxidant activity, vitamin C is versatile and vital to health. It also eliminates harmful free radicals that can lead to tissue degeneration and random bruising.

The result of extreme vitamin C deficiency is scurvy, which also leads to bleeding gums, fingernail and tooth loss, and heart failure.

Meanwhile, vitamin K deficiency can contribute to significant bleeding, poor bone development, and cardiovascular disease. It is rare in adults, generally occurring in the neonatal period.

However, taking anticoagulants and antibiotics that interfere with vitamin K production may cause deficiencies.

People can prevent vitamin deficiencies by making dietary changes and taking supplements.

Liver or kidney disease

When the liver is damaged, it stops producing the proteins required for blood clotting. For example, cirrhosis is the result of continuous long-term damage, and bruising easily is a symptom.

However, it should not appear in isolation and may appear alongside fatigue, appetite loss, abdominal pain, and nausea.

A person with kidney disease bruises easily due to a loss of skin elasticity.

Medications can also hinder the blood clotting process and inhibit platelet function. Ecchymosis, which occurs when blood leaks from a broken capillary into surrounding tissue, is common and requires a preventive treatment plan.

Anyone who suspects liver or kidney disease should consult a doctor.

Other causes

Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and targeted therapy, may also lead to bruising. This is because they lower the amount of platelets in the blood.

Easy bruising and bleeding are common leukemia symptoms. They generally affect the back, legs, and hands. Another indication of possible leukemia is lots of bruises with no indication as to a cause. Bruises that take longer than usual to disappear are another concern.

Bernard-Soulier syndrome is a rare, inherited blood clotting disorder. People with this condition bruise easily, with bleeding from small blood vessels under the skin.

Gardner-Diamond syndrome is a condition wherein painful and unexpected bruising occurs, mainly on the arms, legs, or face. It mostly occurs in females who have a mental health condition or emotional stress. Management typically involves psychiatric treatment.

Doctors will check a woman’s platelet levels throughout a pregnancy term, but bruising could be a symptom of gestational thrombocytopenia, which leads to a low platelet count.

This occurs in 4.4% to 11.6% of pregnancies. This accounts for around 75% of all cases of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.

Always mention any unusual bruising during pregnancy to a doctor or midwife.

It is impossible to completely prevent bruising. Bruises are often harmless, but they can sometimes indicate a medical condition that requires medical treatment.

For example, a person should see a doctor if:

bruising occurs for no apparent reason and does not heal within a few weeks
bruises appear in unusual locations, such as the torso, back, or face
there are a number of bruises in one specific area, or a cluster scattered on different parts of the body
there are recurring bruises
bruising appears with other symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, or a high temperature

Occasional bruising is rarely a cause for concern. However, if the discoloration does not heal within a few weeks, it is worth talking to a doctor. There may be a blood clotting issue or another underlying condition that needs treatment.

Taking certain medications and growing older are often at the root of the problem. However, if a person experiences other symptoms alongside random bruising, further investigation may be necessary.

6 Early Signs of Pregnancy

If you have been trying to make a baby, you might be all too familiar with the “two-week wait” (TWW). That little slice of time in your cycle after you try to get pregnant: you haven’t yet missed your period, but it’s too early to take a pregnancy test. It’s 14 days of emotional ups and downs, wondering, “could I BE pregnant??” and the intense anticipation of finding out! You begin to wonder just exactly what the early signs of pregnancy are?

During our two-week wait, I began noticing little nuances that had me suspecting that I may be pregnant. I feel very in-tune with my body, and being that this is our third pregnancy, I felt hyper-aware of the early pregnancy symptoms I was experiencing. However, during my first and even second pregnancies, these may have been signs that I would have overlooked entirely. So today, I am sharing 6 early signs of pregnancy you may notice even before taking a test!

1. Slight Spotting

Often, women will assume spotting means that their period is inevitably beginning, but that isn’t always the case. A bit of spotting may actually be implantation bleeding!

2.

PMS-like Mood Swings

This early sign of pregnancy is tough to spot if you experience monthly mood changes with your period, but it definitely shouldn’t be ignored. When I am getting ready to start my period, I usually experience increased emotional sensitivity and tear up over the silliest things. My husband is such a good sport. We both have to laugh (I can’t count how many Disney movies have brought me to tears when Aunt Flow’s in town). But during the two-week wait, my emotions ranged from extreme irritation (for no reason) to extreme tears at the drop of a dime, which is not usual for me at all! Something was absolutely up, so don’t dismiss your feelings!

3. Breast Tenderness

Again, it could be your period. But I must say that the tenderness from pregnancy versus a period just *feels* different. You may even experience a change in the shade of your areola, along with swelling and tenderness. My breasts felt like I had just completed an intense pectoral workout, a slightly bruised muscle feeling, which was more of a deep tissue sensation than what my period brings upon.

4. Fatigue

During the second week of the two-week wait, I was dragging myself out of bed in the morning and falling asleep during my kid’s nap times right alongside them. I never can silence my thoughts and mental “to-do” list during the day and take an afternoon nap, never! So this fatigue was a huge indicator that my body must be resting up for big changes that were beginning to occur. If you find yourself exhausted without explanation, you may very well be growing a tiny embryo!

5. Frequent Potty Visits

It’s common knowledge that when baby is much larger later in the pregnancy, your bathroom visits will increase. But it’s often overlooked that frequent urination can also occur in early pregnancy too, as your uterus begins expanding. If you are going pee more times than you can count, you could be pregnant, too!

6. Cramping

Again, this sign of pregnancy is so easy to confuse with a period symptom. So while cramping alone may not be enough of a clue that you are pregnant, combined with these other symptoms, you just might be able to piece the clues together. Cramping in early pregnancy shouldn’t be extremely painful or accompanied by bleeding. You’re more likely to experience a dull discomfort from the uterus expanding if you are, indeed, expecting.

If you’re seeing these six signs of pregnancy, a baby could be in your very near future! Now is a great time to begin taking a prenatal vitamin if you haven’t yet, start hydrating as much as possible, and make the healthiest choices you can when it comes to diet and exercise. Fingers crossed that your bundle of joy is on its way!

Have you experienced any of these early signs of pregnancy? Did you know you were pregnant before taking an at-home pregnancy test? I’d love to know what you experienced!

Important! Why Bruises Easily: 9 Worrisome Reasons

Bruising from time to time is almost inevitable, but if you get bruises often enough that you can't figure out why, then there must be a reason. Maybe you just hit your hand or foot and forgot about it, but it could just as well be something completely different.

Age . With age, the skin loses some of its protective fatty layer, which, like a pillow, protects against bumps and falls. In addition, the skin becomes thinner as collagen production slows down. This means that it usually takes much less force to form a bruise than when you were younger.
Hemorrhagic vasculitis . This vascular disease results in thousands of tiny bruises, most commonly on the shins that look like they've been sprinkled with red pepper. Bruises are the result of blood leaking from small capillaries.
Blood disorders . Blood disorders such as hemophilia and leukemia can cause unexplained bruising, usually because the blood doesn't clot properly. If you frequently develop severe and unexplained bruising, you may want to see a doctor to rule out such disorders, especially if they appear suddenly.
Diabetes . People with diabetes may develop dark pigment spots, often where the skin comes into contact with other parts of the body. These spots may be mistaken for bruises, but they are actually due to insulin resistance.
Excessive training stress . Excessive muscle tension, such as when lifting heavy weights, can lead to rupture of blood vessels and bruising. Bruising can also cause microscopic tears in muscle tissue. In addition, if you play sports or vigorous exercise, you may have bumps and minor injuries that cause bruising, but you do not remember about them.
Certain drugs . Medicines such as aspirin, anticoagulants, and antiplatelet drugs reduce blood clotting and increase the chance of bruising. And drugs like aspirin, prednisone, prednisolone, oral contraceptives, and others can also weaken blood vessels, increasing the chance of bruising.
Heredity . If you have close relatives who bruise easily, then it's entirely possible that you'll be prone to it too (although there are usually steps you can take to avoid succumbing to this potential genetic tendency).
Pale skin . Pale skin doesn't mean you're prone to bruising—it's just that any bruising is more visible than in people with darker skin.
Sun damage . While the body needs sun exposure to produce vitamin D (and get additional benefits), overexposure to the sun, especially when it results in burns, can cause the skin to lose its suppleness and resilience. This, in turn, makes bruising easier and more visible.

Why does a hematoma form during pregnancy?

No one expects a pregnant woman to have a hematoma, and after this is done on a routine ultrasound, anxiety will increase. However, the good news is that it is a fairly common condition that, with proper care, will most likely not lead to long-term complications.

Bruising during pregnancy is more common than you might think, and there are many reasons why it occurs. Usually, if it is present, the doctor recommends rest for a certain period of time and regular monitoring for timely observation. In more delicate cases, treatment includes other measures.

Index

1 Why bruising occurs during pregnancy
2 Risks of bruising during pregnancy
3 Different bruises, different risks

Why bruising occurs during pregnancy

Una a routine ultrasound can lead to extra caution. This is a case of pregnancy bruise , they appear during the study, although blood loss during pregnancy may be a sign that this problem exists. In this case, it is important to immediately consult a doctor for appropriate research. Although this is unlikely to be intimidating, it is recommended that you continue.

Pregnancy bruises are known as intrauterine bruising or interdeciduotrophoblastic hematomas. What do they owe? This is a collection of blood that occurs within the endometrial cavity, exactly between the tissue that forms during pregnancy to house the embryo, and the most superficial layer of the uterus.

Despite the evolution of modern medicine, doctors still have not found the exact reasons why they can appear. bruise during pregnancy . However, it is quite common, especially in the first trimester. The difficulty with this case is that in many cases only an ultrasound can detect the problem because it is not accompanied by other symptoms such as pain.

In many cases, a small amount of bleeding can be an alarm; in others, the bleeding is more important. Be that as it may, this is an indicator that something is happening, so in the case of loss during pregnancy , it is important to immediately make a request.

Risks of bruising during pregnancy

What are the risks of hematoma during pregnancy ? Intrauterine hematomas usually do not lead to pregnancy loss, especially if the baby's heartbeat is recorded during ultrasound. In many cases, bruising resolves naturally, especially during the first trimester. For this reason, doctors recommend resting to ease the process.

When dealing with larger pregnancy bruises care is different because there are greater risks. For this reason, strict control is carried out so that the bruise disappears, which takes more time.

It is known that there are three types of bruises during pregnancy . The most common is subchorionic hematoma, which is located on the outer membrane covering the gestational sac and endometrium. A retroplacental hematoma develops between the wall of the uterus and the placenta. This is more risky because it is associated with possible placental abruption. Finally, there is subamniotic hematoma or preplacental hematoma, which does not affect the placenta and is less common.

Various bruises, various risks

Once a hematoma is detected, its location and size will be assessed (measuring width over length) to indicate treatment, as risks will depend on this.