The gynaecologist stated this during an interview with PUNCH HealthWise, noting that pregnant women experiencing bleeding after sex should be properly evaluated by a maternal health specialist to know exactly where the bleeding is coming from.
For women who may see the bleeding as menstruation, the maternal health expert said it is unusual and uncommon for a woman with a normal womb and normal pregnancy to menstruate.
“Normally, menstruation ceases when there is pregnancy. Menses doesn’t come during pregnancy.
“However, some women may bleed during pregnancy depending on the location of the growing embryo or the location of the placenta.
“The common one is when the woman is already pregnant and she has sex with her husband and then begins to experience bleeding. This usually occurs when the placenta is sited very close to the mouth of the womb. That is what is called abnormally sited placenta or placenta previa,” he explained.
Besides experiencing bleeding during sex, the gynaecologist said placenta previa could impact pregnancy outcomes if not handled by experts.
In a 2011 article published in BMC Public health journal titled, “Risk of placenta previa in second birth after first birth cesarean section: a population-based study and meta-analysis”, the authors said placenta previa could have serious adverse consequences for both mother and baby, including an increased risk of maternal and neonatal mortality, foetal growth restriction and preterm delivery, antenatal and intrapartum hemorrhage.
According to the authors, pregnant women with placenta previa may require a blood transfusion or even an emergency hysterectomy.
The authors say the incidence rates are higher among women with advanced maternal age, multiple gestation, high parity, or who smoke or use illegal drugs[.
“The risk of placenta previa is also reported to be higher among women with previous uterine surgery, including cesarean section.
“It is imperative that senior and experienced doctors are involved in the care of women with placenta previa from the outset.
“Our study has demonstrated that, in addition to women with previous CS, women with advanced maternal age, women with birth intervals of less than one year and women who had a previous placenta previa are at a higher risk of developing placenta previa.
Clinicians should consider and communicate these factors when counseling their patients using appropriate and simplified risk statistics[
“Our study quantifies this risk and provides data that can be used to reassure women, attending for pre-conception counseling clinics or antenatal clinics as well as in pre-operative consent discussions for women undergoing CS”, the authors said.
Other concerning causes of bleed after sex during pregnancy according to experts include miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or early labour.
source: HealthWise
