Abnormal Bleeding

Abnormal vaginal bleeding can be a stressful event for women who suffer with this condition, whether they are pregnant or at any other time in their life. If you are in the early stages of pregnancy, it is natural to be worried about the well-being of your baby.

If you are not pregnant, sudden or gradual changes in bleeding are often a considerable cause for stress. Dr Budden understands that being able to see a gynaecologist and have rapid diagnosis and treatment can make this stressful time a little more manageable. Dr Budden offers a rapid consultation service for women who require specialist review for any obstetric or gynaecologic bleeding issues with urgent appointment times available every weekday to ensure women can be seen quickly, diagnosed promptly, and then managed efficiently to optimise your health. The following information relates to the areas of bleeding during early pregnancy and at other times, so that you have more information to understand the condition of abnormal bleeding.

Bleeding in early pregnancy

Often, once you have become pregnant, all your thoughts are about making sure your new baby is safe and well. Bleeding is often concerning to pregnant women but is in fact very common. With around 1 in 4 women having bleeding in early pregnancy, it is important to keep in mind that this does not necessarily mean you are going to miscarry. If you do suffer from bleeding in early pregnancy and/or have period-like pain, we recommend that you seek advice from your local doctor.

If your GP refers you to Dr Budden, we will see you (within 24 hours), take a history and organise appropriate tests. Dr Budden may organise blood tests to determine your pregnancy hormone level and blood group and will probably perform an internal pelvic ultrasound scan to determine where the pregnancy is located and find out how the pregnancy is progressing. Dr Budden will then be able to provide you with advice about the next steps and the options for ongoing care.

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding when not pregnant

Abnormal bleeding for a woman when she is not pregnant may be just as worrying as bleeding during pregnancy. During your monthly cycle, the lining of the uterus grows in preparation to receive a new baby. If conception hasn’t occurred, then the lining is shed during your period. The duration and heaviness of a period is different for many women. If bleeding is excessively heavy (you can assess this by how often you need to change a pad or tampon – if it is more than every 2 hours or you pass large clots then you should talk to your GP about this) or occurs in between periods , this is considered abnormal uterine bleeding. If a woman has reached menopause and has not had a period for more than 12 months, any bleeding that occurs after this time is considered abnormal and requires an assessment.

Most of the causes of abnormal bleeding are simple and not related to conditions such as cancer although it is important to perform the appropriate tests to exclude more serious causes of abnormal bleeding and direct treatment where necessary. There are many causes of abnormal uterine bleeding with polyps, fibroids, changes in the cervix, and changes in hormones being some of the most common. Dr Budden will see women referred with abnormal bleeding within a week.

The consultation will include a detailed history, physical examination and investigations such as blood tests and an ultrasound. If you experience very heavy bleeding and feel faint or dizzy, we recommend you present to the emergency department for immediate assessment.

Abnormal vaginal bleeding can be a stressful event for women who suffer with this condition, whether they are pregnant or at any other time in their life. If you are in the early stages of pregnancy, it is natural to be worried about the well-being of your baby. If you are not pregnant, sudden or gradual changes in bleeding are often a considerable cause for stress. Dr Budden understands that being able to see a gynaecologist and have rapid diagnosis and treatment can make this stressful time a little more manageable. Dr Budden offers a rapid consultation service for women who require specialist review for any obstetric or gynaecologic bleeding issues with urgent appointment times available every weekday to ensure women can be seen quickly, diagnosed promptly, and then managed efficiently to optimise your health. The following information relates to the areas of bleeding during early pregnancy and at other times, so that you have more information to understand the condition of abnormal bleeding.