This woman never had a baby bump throughout her pregnancy

[u/IshigamiSenku04]

The baby was totally fine

[u/FlippantAnswersOnly]

Some women still bleed throughout their pregnancies.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/FlippantAnswersOnly]

No. This is a myth. And a dangerous one at that. Most women do NOT bleed during pregnancy. In fact, if you know you’re pregnant and are bleeding, you should visit your doctor asap.

This mostly happens to women who already have a history of irregular periods who then mistake any spotting or light bleeding as their period.

Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/22044-bleeding-during-pregnancy

[u/StrangeKittehBoops → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Years ago, a friend of mine gave birth to a healthy baby boy when she was in hospital for something unrelated to pregnancy. She had her period every month, had no bump, the baby wasn't a kicker, and she had absolutely no clue she was pregnant. She had even had blood tests and other treatments during the preceding 9 months. She was 17, and she had been told that she couldn't have children. She had 3 more after that. One of those was similar to the first, bleeding every month, and no bump, born healthy. They're all grown up and parents themselves now.

[u/DPetrilloZbornak → u/StrangeKittehBoops]

She did not have her period. That is medically impossible. You do not have a period when you are pregnant. Menstrual bleeding does not equal a period. Your friend was not ovulating and shedding her uterine lining while maintaining a pregnancy. If she was she is a literal medical miracle.

She experienced vaginal bleeding. She did not have a period. Similar to having breakthrough bleeding when you’re on the pill. That’s not a period either.

[u/StrangeKittehBoops → u/DPetrilloZbornak]

Well, that's obvious. But she didn't know that at the time, did she? She didn't even know she was pregnant. She assumed it was a period.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/StrangeKittehBoops]

At 17, your friend’s body was nowhere ready to carry the load of a healthy pregnancy, hence why the anomaly of her bleeding all throughout.

Our bodies need to be developed adequately to support a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Most doctors thus recommend women to not have babies before age 20.

Statistical anomalies ALWAYS exist; they however, are NOT the norm. They are outliers whose existence strengthens the norm even further.

At 17, your friend didn’t have a “healthy” pregnancy and her symptoms are thus, expected with her age and condition.

Most healthy women, however, do NOT continue to have their periods during their pregnancy and any bleeding is usually indicative of some complications.

[u/StrangeKittehBoops → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Edit. Also, regarding your quotation marks, I never said she had a healthy pregnancy, I said she gave birth to a healthy baby. (Four in total)

Absolutely not true in her case. She was 30 when she had the other one that she bled with.

Plenty of women give birth at that age. It was considered normal to be married and have kids young in the 20th century. My mother was married at 18 in the 1950s. I'm not saying it's right. I think there are still areas in the US that allow it far younger than that today?

This was in the UK in the early 80s. My friend was fit (gymnast), had a flat, and had a full-time job, both since she left school at 16. When she suddenly gave birth (two months before she was 18) her and her boyfriend were shocked but overjoyed because they thought they'd be childless. They were together and happy for nearly 35 years. She worked in healthcare.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/StrangeKittehBoops]

Did she bleed a hearty amount, as in regular, multiple pad filling bleeding, or mild spotting? The latter is common in pregnancy; the former simply isn’t unless there are other complications involved.

[u/StrangeKittehBoops → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Yes, it was the same as her usual period. She always had heavy periods, with very bad cramps. Tampons and pads used. We did gymnastics and swimming a lot, and it was an issue. She was at the hospital for tests when she gave birth. She didn't have a bump either. Baby boy was healthy. He was over 6ft last time I saw him. He's nearly 40, and a dad himself.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/StrangeKittehBoops]

That’s one interesting case then. During a healthy pregnancy you really can’t have periods as the mechanism for both are inherently opposite, but maybe your friend had a different build.

[u/StrangeKittehBoops → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

She had other issues and two pregnancies like this. Before the surprise baby, she was coming to terms with the probability of a hysterectomy within the next year. Her doctor had told her she couldn't get pregnant. Back then, getting any proper diagnosis from a male doctor was hard work. She and I both went through early puberty.

My aunt was a midwife for years, and she said she'd had a few similar cases, but it was rare.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/StrangeKittehBoops]

Yes it makes sense as there must have been a lot happening in her body. But yes, as you said, it is quite rare.

Most healthy women will not have regular period like bleeding every month while they are pregnant, and if they do, it will usually be cause for concern.

That's what I have been trying to point out here in this thread, so far to no avail as people don't seem to understand that rare does not mean common.

[u/TrickGrimes → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Just stop. You have no idea what you’re talking about.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/TrickGrimes]

Sure. And people saying pregnant women can have regular period like bleeding every month know what they’re talking about. I rest my case.

[u/C3ntrick → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Good thing person you responded to said “some “

As in it happens

[u/queenlybearing → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

No one said most women do, but SOME do. I have had 4 children and did have period-like bleeding during all 4 pregnancies and all pregnancies/births were otherwise normal.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/queenlybearing]

“Bleeding or spotting in the first trimester is common. Between 15% and 25% of all pregnant people experience bleeding or spotting in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Even though it’s common, you should still call your healthcare provider to let them know.”

Bleeding in the second or third trimesters is less common and may be a sign of a more serious condition. Contact your healthcare provider immediately so they’re aware of your symptoms.

Some conditions that can cause bleeding in the second and third trimesters are:

Placenta previa: When the placenta covers all or part of your cervix. Placental abruption: A rare condition where the placenta detaches from the wall of your uterus. This can be dangerous for both you and the fetus. Preterm labor: Going into labor earlier than 37 weeks of pregnancy. Other symptoms of preterm labor are contractions, cramping or your water breaking. Labor: Going into labor after 37 weeks can cause you to bleed, too. Incompetent cervix: When the cervix opens (dilates) too early. Bloody show: Light bleeding mixed with mucus that occurs toward the end of your pregnancy. It can be a sign of labor. Miscarriage: A loss of the pregnancy before 20 weeks. A stillbirth occurs when you lose the pregnancy after 20 weeks.“

This is straight from the Mayo Clinic’s website; so point still stands.

“Light bleeding or spotting” is common during early pregnancy; period like bleeding is definitely not. Most doctors would recommend bed rest to a pregnant woman who continues to bleed heavily throughout her pregnancy, and very few among such women will have a healthy, complication-free pregnancy.

Just because you or a few women you know had this and came out fine does NOT mean you can just tell others that it is common, because it is not.

[u/[deleted] → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/[deleted]]

I am a woman who has been pregnant multiple times, thank you.

[u/Travestie616 → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Oof 😬

[u/DPetrilloZbornak → u/[deleted]]

She is correct that you do not have a period while pregnant. You may have vaginal bleeding which mimics a period but it is not a period which means something specific medically. Unless you’re claiming that your friend ovulated and then shed her uterine lining for 9 months while pregnant (she didn’t).

[u/Travestie616 → u/DPetrilloZbornak]

No one said anything about having a period. Bleeding is not the same thing as a period. What is being discussed here is bleeding.

Also I don't know what "friend" you're talking about. Maybe you meant to reply to someone else.

[u/tumericjesus → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Stop arguing you’ve been proven wrong it’s embarrassing

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/tumericjesus]

Actually no, nobody has proven me wrong yet. Because people are simply not understanding my statement. You just can’t have regular periods in pregnancy. Any doctor worth their salt will tell you this.

[u/remarkablejuape → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

That is definitely not a myth at all. I know multiple women who bled through pregnancies that were fine. Anything over filling a pad an hour especially accompanied by pain is when it can possibly become a concern and a doctor should be seen quickly. Subchorionic hemorrhages are common and can cause a lot of bleeding even but more often than not resolve themselves and lead to a normal live birth. While issues should definitely not be ignored and it is better to just see your doctor than not, it is not good to fear monger what can already be very stressful and demanding experience.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/remarkablejuape]

What you’re referring to is known as “spotting”, and yes it is common during early pregnancy. What I am talking about is heavy, period like bleeding, which doesn’t happen in pregnancy.

Because the biological mechanism for periods is completely opposite to what happens during a pregnancy; both can’t be sustained in a healthy pregnancy.

Hence, women “bleeding” throughout pregnancy is NOT a thing.

[u/remarkablejuape → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

I’m aware of what spotting is, and both spotting and bleeding are common. The Cleveland Clinic, which you cited, explicitly says both bleeding and spotting are common, especially in the 1st trimester, and could be from implantation, hormonal changes, changes in the cervix or issues I already mentioned such as subchorionic hemorrhage. Doctors should definitely be made aware of bleeding but it is common and can be normal. There’s obviously a difference between the mechanism of a period and period-like bleeding which can happen during pregnancy.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/remarkablejuape]

Yes, and any “bleeding” thereof wouldn’t be period like, which was my whole point. If you have a regular, healthy period, you wouldn’t mistake implantation bleeding (which is a smidge of blood btw mostly) for actual periods, which last multiple days and are heavier in flow.

[u/remarkablejuape → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

You really do like the cherry pick rather than understand the whole point. Period-like bleeding is common and every person is different and will experience bleeding differently if they do have bleeding. I have witnessed a miscarriage with absolutely no bleeding at all followed by a healthy pregnancy with heavier bleeding than a period. That’s not to say that a doctor shouldn’t be made aware of any bleeding or spotting. Your lack of nuance and inflexibility in your thoughts and commenting only possibly add unnecessary anxiety to an already extremely anxiety inducing process that varies widely in what is “normal” between people.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/remarkablejuape]

Again, I simply need to point out here that regular periods do not happen in pregnancy. If anything, I am alleviating the anxiety of a lot of women here who think they could be somehow pregnant while still having regular periods.

Implanation bleeding and hormonal bleeding is very different from periods, and is common. However, you would need to have lighter and irregular periods to mistake those for that.

Regular, healthy periods are NOT occurring in an uncomplicated pregnancy. As in, there is NO way a pregnant woman will continue to experience 4-5 days of heavy, cramp accompanied bleeding that soaks up pads and tampons, regularly, in a 21-36 day cycle, every month.

As periods only happen to shed uterine lining in case no pregnancy occurs, please tell me HOW is it possible for two completely opposing mechanisms to happen simultaneously in a healthy human body?

Mild bleeding or implanation bleeding does NOT look like regular periods, unless you have irregular and lighter periods to begin with.

This has been my point since the beginning. I really don't know how or why you are arguing against this basic medical fact.

[u/remarkablejuape → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

You are moving the goal posts here and changing the conversation. Your initial comment just referred to bleeding and was in response to someone talking about bleeding. Of course you don’t get a period during pregnancy (I never said that was possible), but, as I have already said, period-like bleeding or even heavier is common and can happen for a number of reasons. Amount of bleeding can vary widely and still be normal. Any bleeding or spotting should be reported to a doctor, but, more often than not, all that will happen is increased monitoring. My comments are based on actual pregnancies and conversations with OBs btw.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/remarkablejuape]

No, my initial comment is stating exactly what I am saying now. You can’t “mistake” implantation bleeding or spotting for periods during pregnancy unless you already have lighter, irregular periods to begin with.

It’s like I am stuck in a repeat loop and everyone else is hearing a different tune. There is no way a pregnant woman can have “regular periods like bleeding”, that is, bleeding every month that soaks up multiple pads and tampons, for 4-5 days, throughout her pregnancy.

In rare cases that absolutely can happen, however, the original commenter said it was “common”. And it’s definitely not common.

[u/mshmama → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

No one said most women. It is not a myth that SOME women still bleed through pregnancy.
And no one said that those SOME women weren't seeking medical care. But medical care can't always stop the bleeding, so it can continue for some women. Unless you'd like to try to tell me that my own personal experience didn't happen.
Also, you have to know you're pregnant to seek medical care for bleeding while pregnant, which is kind of the whole point of a discussion on people not knowing they are pregnant.

[u/toboggan16 → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

I bled at times throughout both my pregnancies, my cervix just gets easily irritated and would cause bleeding if I exercised (even a walk) or had sex. A few times it was heavy enough I had it checked out and every time baby was fine and they told me it was just my cervix again and unless I had cramping or was losing lots of blood like clots I was ok since it was normal for me. With my first I was trying to get pregnant but at 4 weeks I had a negative test and at 5 weeks I had bleeding and my periods are super irregular and vary in how heavy so it wasn’t until I started throwing up nonstop at 6.5 weeks that I found out I was pregnant.

But absolutely you should get checked out if you know you’re pregnant and are bleeding, there’s lots of different reasons for bleeding and your doctor needs to figure out what’s going on.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/toboggan16]

That is the whole point; you knew your bleeding wasn’t heavy and period like. My comment was about women having “regular periods” during pregnancy which is simply not possible.

Light bleeding, cramping and spotting are common in pregnancy, but one can easily tell the difference between those and regular periods.

Unless, ofcourse, you have lighter and irregular periods to begin with, which is what I stated in my comment.

[u/AltairaMorbius2200CE → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Obviously ALWAYS talk to your OB about everything that happens during pregnancy, including special calls for bleeding, but: bleeding is pretty common and doesn’t automatically mean miscarriage.

I had spotting (once that felt like outright bleeding) during both of my pregnancies that worked out and none in the one that miscarried. Drs were unsurprised. All of the women close enough to me to tell me about their periods went through similar things during pregnancy. As the doctors always say, “everything is very…vascular…down there, so mild irritation can make it bleed.”

Implantation bleeding is also very common. So even though you might only bleed a little bit the once during pregnancy, it’s EXACTLY when you’d expect your period after having sex that might make you pregnant. So a person who had sex the once a few months back would be going “I had my period after that unprotected sex, so I must not have been pregnant from that time, and I haven’t had sex since so it must not be pregnancy!”

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/AltairaMorbius2200CE]

Again, mild bleeding and spotting is common; my comment was about women having “regular periods” during pregnancy, which is simply not possible unless you have 2 uteruses or some complications.

Spotting is NOT period bleeding; hence most phantom pregnancies happen in women who already have lighter periods to begin with.

That was my whole point.

[u/Historical-Syrup-652 → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

Wrong. I've known 2 Women in my life that carried a pregnancy to term - and had no idea they were pregnant until it was time to push. Periods and all. Just because you say it isn't the 'norm' doesn't mean its true. This happens a lot more than people think. My father was an ER doctor for 40 years, he can't count how many times women gave birth and had no idea they were pregnant. Anecdotal, but to say what you said so confidently just shows how little you are aware of the situation.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/Historical-Syrup-652]

Those women must have had light periods to begin with, because uterine lining shedding (periods) can NOT happen during a healthy pregnancy, as there is no uterine lining to shed.

Light spotting is NOT period bleeding. I can’t keep making this clear.

[u/NebulaicCaster → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

I'm going to blow your mind rn. My cousin has 2 uteruses and had a baby in each at the same time. Her twins are just brothers that happened to be born on the same day. Not fraternal twins, not twins at all. She got pregnant twice at the same time, carried both to term, and had 2 healthy boys. If someone with 2 uteruses only got pregnant in one, would the other one not continue to shed and cause the woman to have her period while being pregnant?

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/NebulaicCaster]

Having 2 uteruses is definitely NOT a common occurrence and yes, bleeding is possible in such cases.

[u/ABelleWriter → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

How is it a myth that some women bleed during their pregnancies, and then you go on to say that if a pregnant woman is bleeding she should go to the Dr??

Some women bleed during pregnancy. It's not a good sign. But it happens. (My mom had irregular periods and bled 4-5 times during one of her pregnancies, just often enough that she didn't know she was pregnant until she was about 6 months in)

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/ABelleWriter]

Bleeding is NOT light bleeding and spotting. My comment was about somebody stating women can have “regular periods like bleeding” during pregnancy, which is simply not possible as their biological mechanisms are completely opposite.

You can’t shed your uterine lining (periods) while pregnant or you risk harming the fetus; what you can have is mild bleeding or spotting which is nowhere close to what regular periods look like.

The only way you’d mistake that for regular periods is if you have lighter or irregular periods to begin with, which was basically my whole point.

[u/ABelleWriter → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

You CAN have heavy bleeding in pregnancy. You cannot have a period, but you CAN have period like bleeding.

You are running around this post with poor reading comprehension and absolutely contradicting yourself.

Idk what is going on in your life that you feel like you need to talk down to people the way you are when you are incredibly, factually, and scientifically incorrect.

Have a day.

[u/Illustrious_Fix2933 → u/ABelleWriter]

Please tell me you didn’t just say that women can have “heavy bleeding” every month throughout their pregnancy and it be a “common” thing? You do realise periods and pregnancy are two completely opposing mechanisms? How then, pray tell, can these two coexist in one person?

[u/ABelleWriter → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

You CAN have heavy bleeding in a pregnancy. You don't seem to understand that bleeding isn't necessarily a period, and that you can bleed without shedding your lining.

I have NEVER said it was common, but it does happen, and you can deliver a healthy baby after having quite a lot of bleeding.

I don't know exactly what your problem is, but this is tiresome. You have a shocking low level of knowledge of pregnancy for someone screaming as loud as you are.

Let me reiterate a few things:

1. Pregnancy complications happen. They are common.

2. Bleeding is on of many pregnancy complications.

3. Bleeding is not the same as a period. A period is when you shed the lining approximately 2 weeks after ovulation.

4. You can bleed, and bleed quite a bit, pregnant or not, and it not be a period.

5. Your experience with pregnancy is not universal. Many women deal with trying to stop their bodies from rejecting their pregnancy. It's awful and stressful and often includes blood and other fluids.

6. Many doesn't mean common, most, normal, healthy, etc.

7. You are spreading misinformation. You should stop.

[u/TrickGrimes → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

No one said “most women”, only you did. SOME women do experience bleeding during pregnancy.

[u/soursheep → u/Illustrious_Fix2933]

what are your qualifications here...?

[u/kaijubait000 → u/FlippantAnswersOnly]

Don't spread things like this. Bleeding during pregnancy is ALWAYS bad

[u/nkdeck07 → u/kaijubait000]

That's not true. I had cervical ectropian off and on with my first kid for months and no danger to me or baby. That particular one is actually really common

[u/jingleheimerstick → u/nkdeck07]

My best friend bled her entire pregnancy and had a healthy 10 lb baby.

[u/fun_boat → u/jingleheimerstick]

that is a fuckin' giant baby

[u/jingleheimerstick → u/fun_boat]

She had a second that weighed 12 pounds!

[u/kaijubait000 → u/nkdeck07]

When you noticed it did you get it checked out? You know, because doctors tell us to report any bleeding during pregnancy. Point stands if so.

[u/nkdeck07 → u/kaijubait000]

Yes I did , that's how I knew it wasn't a big deal. My bigger point is that bleeding through out a pregnancy with out it being problematic is pretty common and makes sense in the context of a cryptic pregnancy. They want you to get looked at cause they won't know until they do. You aren't making the point you think you are. Bleeding during pregnancy isn't always bad, it just always needs to be checked out

[u/tl_west → u/kaijubait000]

“Should be checked out” =/= “is always bad”

You would have come across much better if you had accepted the correction gracefully.

[u/MissAuroraRed → u/kaijubait000]

You can easily look this up online. Some light spotting is common, especially in the first trimester. It happened to my mother and that's why she didn't know she was pregnant for 4 months.

[u/kaijubait000 → u/MissAuroraRed]

Implantation spotting isn't bleeding. That's why it's referred to as spotting. There is very much a difference.

[u/MissAuroraRed → u/kaijubait000]

If you normally have light periods, it can be hard to tell the difference. I'm not gonna go question my mother about it right now, but she said it happened several times and it seemed like a light period to her. It's not only implantation bleeding that causes this. It could also just be that the cervix is sensitive, or a number of other benign things.

"Small amounts of bleeding during the second trimester are typical and may not signal a problem." -source

ETA I agreed that of course you should ask your doctor if you're bleeding while pregnant and don't know why. I'm just making this argument because we were discussing how someone could not know that they're pregnant.

[u/kaijubait000 → u/MissAuroraRed]

No yeah absolutely. I'm just of the opinion that you should always get bleeding checked out because it could be bad and a lot of times it is. It seems like the examples being stated are you know not the norm. I fully know that people cannot know they're pregnant. I'm just saying: bleeding. Check it out

[u/MissAuroraRed → u/kaijubait000]

Well you started with "Bleeding during pregnancy is ALWAYS bad" so excuse me for misunderstanding you lol

[u/kaijubait000 → u/MissAuroraRed]

I really forgot how pedantic Reddit can be

[u/dream-smasher → u/kaijubait000]

Yo. Pot, meet kettle.

[u/SibylUnrest → u/kaijubait000]

Spotting is light bleeding from the vagina that is noticeable but not substantial enough to soak a pad or liner. The blood is typically brown or dark red.

-Medical News Today

edit: lol they deleted their account over this comment chain? Farewell, kaijubait000, we hardly knew ye.

[u/dream-smasher → u/SibylUnrest]

Nope, they didn't delete their account..... They blocked you!!

Hahahah. They took their ball and went home because everyone was proving their bullshit wrong.

[u/queenlybearing → u/kaijubait000]

No, it’s not. Please listen to mothers who have been through it. Many of us, and our children, are fine.

[u/leveeOHsuh → u/kaijubait000]

I bled a few times during my second pregnancy. Freaked out every time, went to the ER. Everything was fine, can't remember the reason for bleeding. Baby was born between the two due dates they expected, perfectly healthy 7lb 4oz baby girl! She's almost 10 now 🥹