Throwing up blood while pregnant 3rd trimester

Vomiting Blood During Pregnancy: Causes and Treatment

Vomiting is so common in pregnancy that some women first discover they’re expecting when they suddenly can’t hold down their breakfast.

In fact, up to 90 percent of pregnant women have nausea and vomiting, usually in the first trimester. Fortunately, this so-called “morning sickness” (which can happen at any time of day) typically goes away by week 12 to 14.

So you’re used to the vomiting, but one morning you spot a red to brown tinge in your vomit — blood.

While vomiting blood during pregnancy (or any time) isn’t a good sign, it does happen. It even has a medical name, hematemesis.

There are several common health reasons for why you may be vomiting blood during pregnancy. Most of these will go away on their own after your first trimester or after you’ve had your baby. But all require a check-in with your doctor.

While vomiting is normal during pregnancy, vomiting blood is not. See your doctor right away if you see blood in your vomit.

We’ll give you the bottom line first: See your doctor right away if you have blood in your vomit.

Some of the causes for vomiting blood have to do with the upper part of your digestive tract — your mouth, throat, esophagus (the tube from your mouth to your stomach), and stomach. Your doctor may take a closer look at your esophagus with an endoscopy.

Your doctor might also recommend some other tests and scans, such as:

oxygen readings
blood tests
ultrasounds
an MRI
a CT scan
an X-ray

Is vomiting blood a sign of miscarriage or pregnancy loss?

Vomiting blood on its own is not a sign of a miscarriage. Your pregnancy is likely still fine. However, if you have other specific symptoms along with vomiting blood, there might be cause for concern.

Get urgent medical attention if you also have:

severe nausea and vomiting
severe stomach cramps
mild to severe back pain
dizziness or lightheadedness
a serious headache
heavy spotting
period-like bleeding
vaginal discharge of fluid or tissue

Bleeding gums

Some women get sore, swollen, and bleeding gums while they’re pregnant. This is also called pregnancy gingivitis.

Your gums might be more sensitive and bleed because pregnancy hormones increase the flow of blood to the gums.

You might have other symptoms like:

red gums
swollen or puffy gums
tender or inflamed gums
sensitivity when you eat and drink
receding gums (your teeth look a bit longer)
bad breath

You may not notice it, but all the pregnancy vomiting might make your sensitive gums even more irritated and sore. This can lead to gum bleeding, and the blood can show up when you vomit. Not a pretty mix.

While pregnancy gingivitis can happen even if you have good dental health, brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day can help keep your gums healthy — and prevent the bleeding.

Nosebleeds

Pregnancy increases blood flow everywhere, even in your nose. This can make the blood vessels inside your nose swell up.

More blood and wider blood vessels can make you more likely to have a nosebleed while you’re pregnant — even if you don’t normally get them.

Depending on where in your nose the bleed is, or if you’re lying down, the blood may not trickle out of one or both nostrils. Instead, the blood may flow to the back of your throat or mouth and come out if you happen to throw up shortly after.

Blood from a nosebleed may be bright red to dark red. You’ll likely also have a stuffy nose — another fun part of pregnancy!

Mouth or throat irritation

If you’re seeing small bits of blood, or dark, dried blood in your vomit, it might be from your throat or mouth.

Too much vomiting can irritate the lining and back of your throat. This is because vomit is usually mixed with acidic stomach juices.

You’ve probably felt the acid burn at the back of your throat if you’ve ever had bad heartburn. This can lead to bleeding, or crusting, that’s carried out when you vomit again.

Your throat and mouth might also feel sore, raw, and swollen.

Esophageal irritation or tear

The esophagus tube runs from the mouth and throat down to the stomach. Vomiting a lot can irritate the lining of the esophagus. This can lead to small amounts of blood or dried blood in your vomit.

More serious bleeding might be caused by an esophageal tear. This condition is rare — but serious — and can happen any time during pregnancy. Fortunately, it’s a less common cause of bleeding while vomiting in your first trimester.

An esophageal tear happens when there’s too much pressure inside the stomach or esophagus. In rare cases, this can happen later in the third trimester of pregnancy. This might be because of a combination of carrying more weight and having other health conditions.

More common causes of an esophageal tear include:

alcohol misuse
bulimia
a hernia
high blood pressure
preeclampsia
severe coughing
stomach infections

If you have an esophageal tear, you’ll likely see a lot of bright red blood in your vomit. You might also have other serious symptoms, such as:

dizziness or lightheadedness
difficulty breathing
serious heartburn
severe stomach pain
back pain
abnormal tiredness
dark or tarry poop

Stomach ulcer

Stomach ulcers are open sores in the lining of your stomach. Sometimes, these tiny wounds can bleed and you might see bright red or dark blood in your vomit.

If you’ve had stomach ulcers before, they might cause problems again while you’re pregnant.

Stomach ulcers are usually caused by:

a bacterial infection (called H. pylori)
taking medications like aspirin and ibuprofen
too much stress

A stomach ulcer can worsen nausea and vomiting while you’re pregnant. You might also have symptoms like:

stomach pain or discomfort
heartburn
burping
bloating
feeling full easily
weight loss

Medical treatment for blood in your vomit depends on the cause.

If you have a stomach ulcer, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to clear it up. Changing your diet and avoiding over-the-counter medications like aspirin (unless your OB-GYN advises it as part of your pregnancy regimen) can also help.

Your doctor may recommend medication to help ease the nausea and vomiting. Check with your doctor before taking over-the-counter medication. Some common drugs for nausea might not be right for you during pregnancy.

More serious causes of blood in your vomit — like an esophageal tear — may need medications and even surgery to repair.

Home remedies for vomiting

Until you talk to your doctor about the cause of the blood in your vomit — which you should do right away — don’t pursue home remedies for throwing up blood.

If you get treatment for the cause but are still struggling with difficult morning sickness, again talk to your doctor about solutions.

Remember, even natural remedies and herbs are powerful drugs. Some may even give you more heartburn or stomach irritation, which could worsen the issue!

A tried and tested home remedy for nausea and vomiting is ginger. In fact, a 2016 medical review found that ginger helped improve nausea and vomiting in pregnant women who took 250 milligrams (mg), 4 times a day.

Try adding fresh ginger to tea, water, or juice. You can also use ginger powder, syrup, juice, capsules, or tablets, as well as candied ginger and dried ginger.

Other home and natural remedies for nausea and vomiting include:

vitamin B-6 (likely already in your prenatal vitamin)
peppermint
certain juices, like cranberry or raspberry

Vomiting blood during pregnancy has more to do with you than your baby. But it can cause health concerns for both of you. Tell your doctor if you spot any amount of blood in your vomit. Don’t ignore it.

You may not need any treatment at all. If you do, the right treatment can help prevent complications.

Serious bleeding inside your body can lead to health complications like too much blood loss and shock. Signs and symptoms that something might not be quite right include:

severe nausea and vomiting
fast, shallow breathing
dizziness or lightheadedness
blurred vision
confusion
cold or clammy skin
not peeing enough
dark poop or blood in your poop

Blood in your vomit is definitely not nice to see. However, there are several simple reasons that you might be vomiting blood.

The vomiting and retching itself could be causing it. Other side effects of pregnancy may also be to blame.

Let your doctor know if you see blood in your vomit. A checkup is important, just in case there’s another cause for the blood.

You may need medication or other medical treatments. Treating the cause quickly and properly can help keep you and your baby healthy.

Throwing Up Blood While Pregnant? What to Know

It can be concerning, but throwing up blood while pregnant actually happens more often than you might think.

Very few mamas-to-be escape morning sickness. And many don’t only experience it in the morning.

But in addition to losing your breakfast, lunch or dinner, you might also find yourself throwing up blood while you’re pregnant.

In this article: 📝

Is it normal to throw up blood while pregnant?
Why am I throwing up blood while pregnant?
Why am I throwing up blood while pregnant in my 1st trimester?
What are the treatments for throwing up blood while pregnant?
When should you call a doctor?

Is it normal to throw up blood while pregnant?

While it can be a bit alarming at first, vomiting blood during pregnancy does happen from time to time.

Depending on the cause, it will either go away on its own or will need to be treated.

Because identifying the cause can be a little tricky, we recommend that you speak to your doctor straight away if you notice vomit in your blood.

They’ll be able to assess what’s causing it, make sure that it’s nothing serious, and advise you on the best way forward.

Let’s find out more.

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Why am I throwing up blood while pregnant?

In medical terms, vomiting blood is called hematemesis, and there are quite a few reasons why you might experience it while you’re pregnant.

Some causes are relatively common, but others are more serious and might need medical attention.

Here are some of the possibilities:

Esophageal irritation or tear

Your body isn’t meant to vomit every day, and doing so during pregnancy often puts strain on the lining of your esophagus.

This irritation can cause small amounts of blood or dried blood to appear in your vomit.

A more serious condition is an esophageal tear, which can happen when there is too much pressure inside your stomach or esophagus.

An esophageal tear can occur at any time during your pregnancy, even in your third trimester, and is usually identified by quite a lot of bright red blood.

You might also feel dizzy, have difficulty breathing, or experience heartburn, stomach pain, or unusual fatigue.

If these symptoms sound familiar, be sure to speak to your doctor straight away.

Gastritis

Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach.

It’s often caused by harmful bacteria. If you get gastritis, you might notice that you vomit red blood, sometimes excessively, and you could also feel quite weak.

Again, speak to your midwife or doctor. You need your energy right now, mama.