What to do if you have spotting at 37 weeks of pregnancy

Every pregnant woman will have a hard time during pregnancy, especially when approaching the due date. After the late pregnancy, the belly will become particularly large, the body will become more and more clumsy, and some different symptoms will appear in the body during this period. Among them, spotting at 37 weeks of pregnancy is a relatively common phenomenon. However, many inexperienced women often do not know what is going on. Are they about to give birth, or is there something wrong with the fetus? They are always very nervous. Let’s understand what spotting at 37 weeks of pregnancy is?

What is the cause of spotting at 37 weeks of pregnancy?

Seeing blood actually means a small amount of vaginal bleeding, which depends on when you are bleeding during your pregnancy. If it is at full term, the uterine blood vessels may shorten or dilate a little, which may cause some vaginal bleeding, which means that delivery may be imminent.

Because of the contraction of the uterus, the baby's head begins to fall into the pelvis, and the fetal membrane and uterine wall gradually separate and the friction will cause blood vessels to rupture and bleed, which is commonly known as spotting. It is usually a pink or brown viscous liquid, or blood in the secretions. Generally, spotting occurs 24 hours before labor pains, but it may also occur repeatedly a few days before delivery or even a week before delivery. If there is only a light streak of blood and the amount is not large, the pregnant mother can stay at home to observe and pay attention not to overwork and avoid strenuous exercise. If you experience fresh bleeding, the amount of bleeding exceeds that during your menstrual period, or you experience abdominal pain, you should be hospitalized immediately. You can go to the hospital on your own, there is no need to call an ambulance.

What are the signs before childbirth?

①Seeing red

As the fetus descends, the fetal membrane covering the fetus is peeled off from the uterus, and the blood that flows out seeps into the mucous membrane of the cervical canal, so some bloody mucus will be secreted. Note: If the amount of blood exceeds the menstrual volume, it may be an obstetric disease such as placenta previa. It should not be considered as spotting and you need to go to the hospital for treatment.

② Uterine contractions

If you have intermittent abdominal pain accompanied by back pain and a feeling of falling, and if your uterine contractions change from irregular to regular, and if the pain occurs about every 10 minutes, you should go to the hospital for hospitalization. Expectant mothers must remember the start time of contractions, the interval time and the duration of pain.

Note: It should be distinguished from false labor. The characteristics of false labor are that it lasts for a long time, the interval time is long and irregular, the intensity of uterine contraction does not increase progressively, and the slight distension and pain is limited to the lower abdomen. It often occurs at night and disappears in the early morning. It can be suppressed by sedatives.

③ Water breaking

When part of the amniotic membrane surrounding the fetus ruptures and amniotic fluid flows out, it is called rupture of membranes. The normal delivery process is usually that the cervix opens and the water breaks when the fetal head enters the birth canal. If the cervical canal has not yet opened and you can feel warm water flowing out, it is suspected to be premature rupture of membranes. At this time, you cannot handle it yourself and should go to the hospital immediately. Before going to the hospital, the expectant mother should immediately put on clean finger-free cotton, lie flat, and raise her hips as high as possible. The amniotic fluid that flows out when water breaks is lighter in color than urine, it is light yellow and a slippery liquid with a sweet and sour taste, which can be distinguished from urine.

④The feeling of stomach pressure disappears

When the due date arrives, the fetal head enters the pelvis, and the feeling of pressure from the uterus that was blocking the chest disappears. In addition, the area around the stomach feels comfortable, appetite increases, and breathing becomes easier.

The above is an introduction to what is causing spotting at 37 weeks of pregnancy. After understanding it, we know that the baby has reached full term at 37 weeks, and birth may occur at any time during this period. Therefore, pregnant women must be adequately prepared when they encounter symptoms of spotting during this period. It is worth noting that the body will become particularly clumsy in the late pregnancy, so do not do strenuous exercise during this period.