subchorionic hemorrhage

[orthodoxmom]

I'm approximately 6 weeks pregnant and had some light brown discharge yesterday, had an ultrasound and this is what they diagnosed.  Of course all of this was after office hours and my midwife is out of town.  So I haven't really had a good sit down talk with anyone and all I know is what I read online.  My husband (a doctor- but not an OB) and the ultrasound person agreed that the chances are 50/50.  The heartbeat was detected but was only 109-- which is low I guess but could be normal with how early it is.  I read conflicting reports online as to whether rest actually helps.  I feel like it's after I'm up and moving more that I get discharge so I am hesitant to do much but don't want to get behind in work if it isn't really helping anything.  I'm confused, paranoid, worried, etc.  Can anyone give me some sound advice...what to do...what to expect..or some reliable sites online to look at?

By the way...I'm 43 if that matters. One site I read did state that chances are worse the older you are.

[orthodoxmom]

Well, I'm feeling a little more hopeful since it's been almost 24 hours without spotting....but had really hoped I'd get some feedback on here by now....  Anyone have knowledge or experience with this?

[Saasana]

hi there, I had spotting as well with my twins. It started on the 6 week and countinued until 12th wk. We went to the hospital, had untrasound done, babies were fine. Good thing you have heartbeat. Dr. on duty told us that 50% of women had either bleed or spot throughout the pregnancy. She also said that  they was nothing they can do( body will take care of it itself, it can stop anytime, or continue throughout the pregnancy.  You shouldn't be worrying b/c you are getting dark, brownish spotting (old dirt),not fresh blood.

My twins are 8 months now.

take it easy and hope everything goes well

[cryswilkins]

I had a small bleed with this pregnancy at 6 weeks. Everything was fine and it healed by 12 weeks.

[orthodoxmom]

Thank you.  I appreciate your time to respond.  I've read more about this and it does seem to be fairly common.  i guess what worries me is knowing the risk for miscarriage is higher the older you are.  But I am trying to take it easy and just focus on taking care of myself the way I should.  I'm trying to put this into God's hands but never knowing or understanding His will does make that hard sometimes.

[Mamma Mia]

Over in the May 2013 Due Date Club (look on the "Groups" link at the top) we have a few mamas, including me, who have threatened miscarriages or stressful symptoms and we're all teetering on that edge of not knowing how viable our pregnancy is.  I'm sorry you are here in that space with us, but there is support in that group.  I don't know anything about subchorionic hemorrhage besides what you probably know, but I do know what it's like to sit around not knowing if your early pregnancy is going to make it, and you have my support and sympathy.

[orthodoxmom]

Thank you.  I'll check out the group...especially this morning as now I'm having red spotting...  :(

[kat216]

Hang in there! I had a subchorionic bleed at 7.5 weeks, with continued spotting through 10 weeks or so. It is so scary, but from what I've found more than 90% resolve on their own with no further complications. I'm almost 16 weeks right now, and baby is doing great! I know it's hard, but try not to worry...

[Mamma Mia]

Orthodoxmom, can you see a practitioner now that there are office hours and have that sit down talk? I think it would really help. Not knowing is the worst, I'm so sorry.  I'm right there with you today. <3

[at_the_hip]

I just saw this posting or I would have responded sooner.

When I was in 5 1/2 weeks pregnant out of nowhere I had a gush of blood on the toilet (as in, I was thinking wow that seems like a lot of liquid...looked down and realised it was blood pouring out and the toilet water was red!).  I have had 2 m/c and I just figured it was likely another one.

When I went in to see a clinic Dr he said he was concerned that I'd had a miscarriage but that he would send me for an ultrasound.  I went in and had an abdominal ultrasound at what would have been 6w and they saw a subchorionic hemmorrhage, a sac and yolk sac.  There was no heartbeat or fetal pole and my Dr followed up by telling me there was not much hope since they didn't see a hb.  He basically told me to go home and wait to m/c and if I hadn't by 2-3 weeks later he would order a repeat ultrasound and refer me to Gyn if I needed 'help' to end the pregnancy.  I tried to ask if it might have been too early with the abdominal ultrasound and he told me no, they should have seen a heartbeat.

I decided there was no way I could wait that long nor did I think he was right about the ultrasound...so I called a local midwife and they had me do bloodwork and a repeat u/s at 7w.

The bloodwork showed rising and high hcg, and the ultrasound showed an embryo measuring right at 7w, with a hearbeat!  There was still a sch and from my view it looked as big as the sac did.

The midwife gave me every reason to be hopeful and said I might have more bleeding but that everythign should be ok.  I've taken it easy without lifting my 2yo and doing lots of resting, and have taken the homeopathic remedy Arnica 30c every 2nd day for about 2 weeks (for as long as I felt tender).  I have a repeat u/s tomorrow and hopefully the sch will be smaller.  But  i have a doppler and I know my baby has a heartbeat still! 

My point is, you may hear some dismal thoughts on whether your pregnancy will continue or not depending on your Dr. But I am proving the Dr I saw wrong and MOST women with sch go on to have healthy babies.  Right now you have every reason to hope!  Take it easy and I pray all will continue to go well.

[at_the_hip]

PS - I meant to post this above, but on the babycenter forums there is one specifically for those with subchorionic hemmorrhage.  There's a lot of information, support and hope from other pg women going through or made it through pg with sch.

[orthodoxmom]

Thank you.  I've not actually 'seen' a doctor.  My husband is one that works at the hospital where I see a midwife.  The problem here is my midwife whom I trust completely is out of town and out of cell range for another week or so.  So I've had to go by what the docs in her office say which is not much and what I've read.  One doc recommended I come back in a week but we already have an ultrasound scheduled for 2 weeks right before my appointment with my midwife when she comes back to town. My dh is going to take me in to do more bloodwork tomorrow though to be sure the numbers are still going up.  That should be reassurrance as well.  I was really scared when the blood was red this morning but have not had any since (knock on wood )  so I remain hopeful.  I keep reading about people who do fine...some not so fine, but more that do well so that gives me hope.  Then I get this email from my sister today telling me my stepmother is worried because she remembers way back in nursing school hearing of women who bled to death.  What? Did she go to school in the dark ages?  I haven't seen anything about death of the mother here...has anyone else?

[at_the_hip]

NO I have not...in rare cases with severe bleeding (and this would be more about placental abruption later on in pg) sometimes women had transfusions.

That is NOT a worry.  My bleeding while only lasting a day was very heavy.  I have to say that many women have had weeks of bleeding and still have a viable pregnancy.  Sch are very common and most times things are okay, so hang in there!  I know it is really scary but just rest as much as you can and keep up the hope!  <3  If it gets really heavy or you just can't wait you could go to the ER and get another u/s, but resting and taking it easy are the best thing in this situation!

[at_the_hip]

Oh and at 6w 109 is still totally in the range of normal because the heart is just starting to beat.  I didn't even have a heartbeat visible at that stage!!

[APToddlerMama]

I had an SCH last year as well. I no longer have the research but long story short, your odds are VERY good if you're certain the cause of your bleeding is the SCH. Also, I read one study that basically said women who went on bed rest with the SCH had a much higher likelihood of continuing the pregnancy and there was actual evidence of this (unlike some other pregnancy complications in which bed rest is not proven to be effective.). Best of luck. Things turned out well for me and I have a happy, healthy 9 month old.

[orthodoxmom]

Thank you everyone.  Yesterday I had bloodwork and the numbers were around 17500....this was only a little over 500 more than 4 days ago....17002.... I've researched and seen that sometimes at this stage ( 6 weeks/hearbeat) that the numbers are not as much of an indicator of the viability so I am trying hard to stay positive and hopeful...especially since the numbers were a little high on the scale as it was....   There is an ultrasound scheduled for next week.  Prayers are welcome!

[orthodoxmom]

At The Hip--- you mentioned above using Arnica 30C....do you happen to know if Arnica 30x is the same?  That's what they have at the health food store. My dh is getting some in the mornig..

[sewaneecook]

When I was PG with my first I had a gush of blood at 10.5 weeks. I had never heard of a SCH, but that's what I had when I went to the ER. The result for me is my 6-year-old who is quite a vibrant kid! I didn't have any follow-up u/s, so I don't know when it resolved, but the placenta looked healthy at the birth. Prayers being sent your way, I understand the worry!

[APToddlerMama]

How are things going? Did you have the ultrasound?

[orthodoxmom]

Thanks.

I was rushed to the ER last Thursday night.  An ultrasound revealed the heartbeat was no longer there.