women s health issues
Vaginal Bleeding During Early Pregnancy
Key Points
The most common cause of bleeding during early pregnancy is a miscarriage. The most serious cause of vaginal bleeding is an ectopic pregnancy. A pregnant woman should see a doctor immediately if she has a rapid heart rate, faints, or feels faint. Blood tests to determine whether blood is Rh-negative or Rh-positive are done because if a pregnant woman with Rh-negative blood has vaginal bleeding, she must be given Rho(D) immune globulin to prevent her from producing antibodies that may attack the fetus's red blood cells in subsequent pregnancies. 