Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations.

Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

When to see a doctor By Mayo Clinic Staff

It's important to report any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy to your health care provider. Be prepared to describe how much blood you passed, what it looked like, and whether it included any clots or tissue.

1st trimester

During the first trimester (weeks one through 12):

Tell your health care provider at your next prenatal visit if you have spotting or light vaginal bleeding that goes away within a day

Contact your health care provider within 24 hours if you have any amount of vaginal bleeding that lasts longer than a day

Contact your health care provider immediately if you have moderate to heavy vaginal bleeding, pass tissue from your vagina, or experience any amount of vaginal bleeding accompanied by abdominal pain, cramping, fever or chills

Inform your health care provider if your blood type is Rh negative and you experience bleeding because you might need a medication that prevents your body from making antibodies that may be harmful to your future pregnancies

2nd trimester

During the second trimester (weeks 13 through 24):

Contact your health care provider the same day if you have light vaginal bleeding that goes away within a few hours

Contact your health care provider immediately if you have any amount of vaginal bleeding that lasts longer than a few hours or is accompanied by abdominal pain, cramping, fever, chills or contractions

3rd trimester

During the third trimester (weeks 25 through 40):

Contact your health care provider immediately if you have any amount of vaginal bleeding or vaginal bleeding accompanied by abdominal pain

In the final weeks of pregnancy, remember that vaginal discharge that is pink or bloody might be a sign of impending labor. Contact your health care provider and confirm that what you are experiencing is indeed bloody show. Occasionally, it might be a sign of a pregnancy complication.



