Nosebleeds during pregnancy 1st trimester. Why does my nose bleed during pregnancy? Nosebleeds during pregnancy

A woman's body goes through many physical changes during pregnancy to provide everything a growing fetus needs. Already in the first trimester, more blood gradually begins to be produced. This means that blood circulation is increased and the mucous membrane of the nasal passages, like every organ in the body future mother gets more blood. This volume can damage the thin blood vessels in the nose and cause them to rupture, leading to bleeding. There is also a medical term for this phenomenon - epistaxis.

In addition, increased levels of hormones contribute to the feeling of nasal congestion (rhinitis of pregnancy) and the occurrence of bleeding from the nasal cavity, along with increased bleeding gums.

Epistaxis can last several seconds or minutes, while blood can flow with varying intensity from one or both nostrils at the same time.

How common is nosebleeds during pregnancy?

Nosebleeds during pregnancy are common. Statistics show that about 20% of pregnant women experience this problem, compared to 6% of non-pregnant women. And if they are ready for, then when they first see blood from the nose, many experience a strong fright.

But despite the anxiety that this phenomenon can bring, if you do not lose a lot of blood, then nosebleeds during pregnancy should not be alarming. It will not harm your unborn baby.

Causes

The following factors can lead to nosebleeds:

How to stop nosebleeds during pregnancy?

If you have a nosebleed, do not panic, just take the following steps:

  1. Prepare a cold compress (a bottle of chilled water, a towel soaked in cold water, or an ice pack, frozen vegetables, etc. will do) and sit with your head above chest level. Do not lie down or tilt your head back so that blood does not drain down the back of your nasal cavity and into your throat.

In order to avoid a relapse, the next 24 hours should follow certain rules:

Prevention

  • Blow your nose very gently. When you sneeze, open your mouth to relieve pressure in your nose.
  • Drink plenty of water to keep the mucous membranes in your body, including your nose, hydrated.
  • Avoid nasal sprays, which dry out the inside of your nose, and humidify the air in the room where you are.
  • Stay away from external irritants such as smoke, smog, perfume and chemical substances, which can not only irritate the mucous membrane, but also cause other harm to pregnancy.
  • Use special moisturizing nasal ointments or oils (but not!) that have an enveloping effect.

Do nosebleeds affect pregnancy?

Despite the noticeable discomfort, nosebleeds in most cases will not harm either you or your child if they happen only from time to time. But with a fairly frequent repetition, especially in the last trimester, this phenomenon may indicate the existence of other problems.

Research shows that there is a relationship between frequent nosebleeds during pregnancy and an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage. If you had severe nosebleeds in the last trimester, your obstetrician may suggest a caesarean section.

If you only experienced epistaxis during pregnancy, it is likely to be temporary and will stop after delivery. But if the problem persists, you need to see a doctor.

When to see a doctor?

Although nosebleeds are common during pregnancy and you can often fix them yourself, there are still some situations where you need to seek medical attention. medical care:

IN similar situations you can go to the emergency room. There, most likely, you will have your nose plugged. Despite the inconvenience, this method usually stops the bleeding. If this does not happen, the doctor may be forced to resort to cauterization of the vessels in the nose. Although this is an operation, it is minimally invasive, effective, and should not harm you or your pregnancy. In the case of very severe nosebleeds that cannot be controlled, hospitalization is possible, but this is a rare occurrence.

FAQ

During pregnancy, a woman is especially sensitive to her body, but do not exaggerate the inconvenience that arises. This is the case with nosebleeds: this is a fairly common occurrence and try not to expose yourself to unnecessary worry because of it, unless there is a good reason for it.

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Almost every pregnant woman at the sight of blood from the nose begins to worry about her health and worry about whether this condition will affect the development of the fetus. What can a woman testify to when carrying a child, and what methods should be used to stop it? Many pregnant women want to know the answer to this question.

Possible causes of nosebleeds in pregnancy

In most cases, nosebleeds in pregnant women are a common physiological feature that occurs during hormonal changes in the female body after conception. These changes include:

  • Increased pressure on blood vessels.
  • Increased blood flow.
  • Thinning and fragility of vascular tissues.

As a result of these factors, the nasal mucosa becomes vulnerable, fragile and prone to damage.

Sometimes a nosebleed can be caused by high blood pressure. In addition, there are other pathologies that provoke the condition:

  • Avitaminosis
  • Diseases in which blood clotting is impaired
  • Mechanical injury
  • Preeclampsia
  • Stagnation of blood in the veins of the brain
  • Diseases of the heart and blood vessels
  • kidney failure
  • Neoplasms
  • Calcium deficiency in the body

Useful video - Causes of nosebleeds:

Among the factors that affect the occurrence of nosebleeds, we can distinguish:

  • Drying out of the nasal mucosa
  • Stressful situation
  • Violations of the optimal parameters of indoor air
  • Bad environmental situation
  • sleep deprivation
  • Hyperthermia with colds
  • Overheating of the body
  • Irritability
  • Using some nasal drops
  • Nosebleeds can develop against the background of blowing your nose.

There are many reasons why nosebleeds can occur. However, this condition is often caused by hormonal changes.

Dangerous signs for which you need to see a specialist

Usually, nosebleeds in a pregnant woman are not a dangerous symptom. Therefore, when bleeding is not periodic, stops quickly, and there are no other signs, then this condition should not disturb the pregnant woman.

When bleeding, not only small vessels (capillaries) are damaged, but also large ones. It is not easy to stop the bleeding from the nose in this case.

In addition, it can lead to a large loss of blood, which is life-threatening. Indicate damage to the veins or arteries can be abundant flow of scarlet fluid from both nostrils.

But you need to know what signs of nosebleeds may indicate the presence of a pathology that can lead to serious consequences for the pregnant woman and the fetus.

Also, a pregnant woman should urgently consult a specialist if nosebleeds are accompanied by the following symptoms:

  • Dizziness
  • Headache of different nature and intensity
  • Blurred eyes
  • Noise in ears
  • Pre-fainting state
  • General weakness
  • Big puffiness
  • Dark circles around the eyes
  • Redness of the skin of the face
  • Dyspnea

A pregnant woman should consult a doctor if nosebleeds become very frequent and cannot be stopped quickly.


When bleeding from the nose, you need to know how to provide first aid yourself. You need to know that all actions are aimed at stopping the flow of blood from the nose.

Therefore, the basic rules for helping with this condition are:

  • Sit in the correct position so that the head is slightly tilted forward. This is necessary so that the blood does not flow into the esophageal passages.
  • Apply an ice compress to the back of the head and bridge of the nose. If it is not available, you can use a cloth that needs to be moistened in cold water.
  • Press the nostrils lightly against the walls of the nasal passages. Breathing is done through the mouth.

If after these steps the bleeding has not stopped, then you can try the following method - the introduction of cotton swabs into the nasal passages (for about half an hour). It can also be soaked in a 3% peroxide solution.

It is not allowed to throw back the head and blow your nose with nosebleeds.

After stopping the bleeding, it is necessary for a pregnant woman to measure the pressure. When it is high (higher than twenty millimeters of mercury and more), then it is necessary to call an ambulance, because not all drugs that normalize pressure can be used during pregnancy.

It is also important to remember that if a woman has a nosebleed, then this may be more of a physiological feature of the hormonal work of the body during pregnancy. Therefore, in no case should you panic, get nervous and immediately call an ambulance in the first minutes. You should call the doctor if there are dangerous signs that accompany nosebleeds, as well as if blood continues to flow for about ten minutes after first aid has been provided.

Is there a danger to the fetus?

The development of the fetus can be affected by some pathological conditions, a symptom of which is bleeding from the nose.

These factors include:

  • Avitaminosis and calcium deficiency. The fetus needs a large amount of nutrients for growth and development. With a lack of calcium or vitamins C and K, the formation of organ systems may not occur correctly.
  • High blood pressure. May indicate the development of preeclampsia, the so-called preeclampsia. This is due to the fact that the increase in pressure negatively affects the uteroplacental circulation.

It is important to say that any disease, the symptom of which is nosebleeds, can be dangerous for the development of the fetus. Therefore, a pregnant woman should not be ignored danger signs and consult a doctor immediately.

The following are considered to be serious consequences of nosebleeds during pregnancy, which are caused by the pathological conditions of a woman:

  • Significant blood loss. This usually happens if large blood vessels are damaged or a woman has a reduced blood clotting index.
  • Complications of the course of pregnancy. With various pathologies, they can be any - up to the loss of a child.
  • Stroke. That is why you should control blood pressure in pregnant women.

These complications can be avoided if you consult a doctor in time if you have dangerous symptoms that indicate possible pathological conditions.

Medical treatment

Treatment in the first place should be aimed at eliminating the underlying causes of nosebleeds. To find out the cause, a pregnant woman needs to undergo a series of studies.

And only after establishing the diagnosis, the specialist prescribes medication:

  • If no deviations were found in the analyzes, then usually vitamin complexes are prescribed in this case, for example, Aevit and Askorutin.
  • High blood pressure that causes nosebleeds is treated during pregnancy in a hospital. Usually, a specialist prescribes drugs to reduce and normalize pressure.
  • When, as a result of tests, hypocalcemia (lack of calcium) is detected in a pregnant woman, the woman will be advised to take drugs that contain this substance.
  • To reduce the vulnerability of the nasal mucosa and strengthen the walls of blood vessels, drugs are prescribed that have the property of protecting blood vessels.

If bleeding does not go away long time, then the pregnant woman will have to be treated in a hospital, where she will be prescribed hemostatic agents.

A pregnant woman needs to be treated with safe, mildly acting and not affecting the fetus. Therefore, it is better to entrust the choice of drugs to a specialist, and not self-medicate.

Folk remedies

At home, you can use alternative medicine. Especially such recipes are suitable for those women who often have nosebleeds.

These prescriptions for bleeding include:

  • Washing the nose with alum powder, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. Half a teaspoon of the product is dissolved in water (a glass) and the nasal passages are washed. This remedy effectively stops the blood and reduces the frequency of bleeding.
  • Nettle juice swab is another method. Nettle is considered a hemostatic and wound healing plant. The tampon is left in the nostril for fifteen minutes.
  • Ingestion of a small piece of leaf. With frequent bleeding, it is recommended to use this method daily before meals for two weeks.
  • Also, to prevent nosebleeds, you can bury the nose with plantain or nettle juice, a few drops in each nostril. In addition, you can drink decoctions of these medicinal herbs.

You can stop bleeding using an ointment of the following ingredients:

  • pepper mountaineer
  • viburnum leaves
  • yarrow
  • Nettle
  • Shepherd's bag

A tablespoon of raw materials is mixed with petroleum jelly. If necessary, lubricate the nasal mucosa.

It is important to remember that pregnant women should before use folk remedies consult with a specialist about the possibility of their use.

Pregnancy is a period of large-scale restructuring of the body, when many organs and systems are subjected to increased stress, a woman becomes especially vulnerable. In this regard, many existing diseases are exacerbated, and some problems arise that a woman has not had to deal with before. In particular, many pregnant women note the appearance or increase in nosebleeds, while complaining that they are quite difficult to stop.

Are nosebleeds dangerous during pregnancy?

Bleeding from the nose, unlike toxicosis, irritability, usually comes as a surprise to a pregnant woman and therefore frightens her, is perceived as a sign of serious abnormalities, diseases.

In fact, such bleeding is a normal physiological phenomenon, and in most cases does not pose a danger to either the health of the mother or her unborn child. An exception is reduced blood clotting, in which even harmless nosebleeds can lead to significant blood loss. Quite rarely, bleeding is associated with damage not to capillaries, but to larger vessels, in these cases it is plentiful, it is difficult to stop it, blood loss can pose a serious threat to health.

It should also be borne in mind that one of the possible causes of nosebleeds is high blood pressure, and this condition has a very negative effect on the course of pregnancy. Therefore, when a woman not only bleeds from her nose, but also has a headache or dizziness, darkens or stars float in her eyes, it is necessary to measure the pressure and consult a doctor if it turns out to be elevated.

Any disease during pregnancy can be dangerous for the child, while the disease should be treated with the most gentle means. Read about herbs for coughing during pregnancy.

Possible causes of the phenomenon

What are the causes of nosebleeds in pregnant women? The degree of danger of nosebleeds is directly related to its cause. Hormonal changes associated with pregnancy cause a number of changes in the body:

  • blood flow increases and the load on the vessels increases;
  • due to a more active blood supply, the nasal mucosa becomes more loose and sensitive, vulnerable;
  • the walls of blood vessels become thinner, their fragility increases.

Therefore, nosebleeds are often one of the characteristic signs of pregnancy.

In this regard, intensive blowing of the nose, attempts to clear the nose of dried crusts, even a simple drying of the mucous membrane is enough to cause bleeding from the nose. These factors cause capillary bleeding, lean and quickly stopping.

But not only capillaries and arterioles, abundantly penetrating the anterior part of the nasal septum, become fragile and vulnerable during pregnancy, but also arteries concentrated in the posterior and upper parts of the nasal cavity. In some diseases of the nose, their damage occurs, accompanied by profuse bleeding in the form of a scarlet jet, with such symptoms, prompt medical attention is needed.

Another cause of nosebleeds is high blood pressure, which often accompanies pregnancy and causes a whole range of symptoms.

What can a warning sign indicate?

In the first trimester of pregnancy, nosebleeds, as a rule, are the result of hormonal changes, and at a later date it can signal blood clotting disorders and vascular vulnerability due to beriberi. In addition, the time of day when bleeding is predominantly observed, their frequency matters.

If the problem occurs at night

Nocturnal bleeding during pregnancy may be a delayed reaction to the fact that the vessels of the nose were injured during the day. So the body can react to heat and stuffiness in the room, an increase in atmospheric pressure. In addition, nosebleeds at night can be a sign of:

  • increased arterial or intracranial pressure;
  • venous congestion in certain parts of the brain;
  • changes in blood composition and vascular permeability;
  • blood clotting disorders.

If the nose bleeds in the morning

During pregnancy, morning nosebleeds are a typical reaction to hormonal changes in the body; they may also indicate beriberi and a lack of calcium (usually bleeding gums are also observed in this case), and impaired blood clotting.

Nosebleeds in pregnant women after sleep may mean that the woman did not get enough sleep due to any discomfort, stress, or poor indoor climate. Sometimes getting out of bed too fast in the morning raises your blood pressure and causes your nose to bleed. Morning nosebleeds are also a sign of cardiovascular disease, but in pregnant women, the causes are usually more innocuous.

If the problem occurs frequently

Even if the nose bleeds no more than once a week, it is worth informing the gynecologist about this and undergoing an additional examination. If bleeding occurs even more often, it is necessary to check the blood for clotting. If the nose bleeds frequently, in the absence of pathological changes, there are enough vitamins to strengthen the vessels, but if clotting is impaired, a hematologist should be consulted and appropriate treatment should be taken, taking into account the woman's condition. Recurrent nosebleeds outside of pregnancy are caused by neoplasms or serious diseases of the kidneys, heart, liver, so it is better to conduct a detailed examination to exclude these factors.

How to Stop a Bleeding Nose: First Aid

What to do if a pregnant woman's nose is bleeding? Standard methods for stopping nosebleeds during pregnancy are not always effective. The easiest way is to pinch your nose with your fingers and wait until the bleeding stops, the blood clot, and then carefully remove the formed clots. But in pregnant women, the mucous membrane is so sensitive that clotted blood clots will irritate it greatly, and their removal usually leads to another damage to the vessels and the resumption of bleeding.

Therefore, you should not immediately try to stop the blood by pinching your nostrils, another one will do. action plan.

  1. Tilt your head over the washbasin (tray) and allow the blood to drain calmly; if small vessels are damaged, bleeding quickly stops.
  2. Apply an ice pack to your nose or just a handkerchief soaked in cold water.
  3. Remove the remnants of blood from the mucosa to prevent its irritation with dried blood. It is best to use a swab dipped in hydrogen peroxide for this purpose.
  4. Lubricate the inside of the nostrils with vaseline gel or any cosmetic vegetable oil to soften the remaining blood clots and facilitate their separation from the mucosa. Saline solutions also moisturize the mucous well and prevent recurrence of bleeding.

Not always the blood stops on its own, without additional measures. At home, in such cases, you need to go to another scheme.

  1. A small swab of dry or peroxide-moistened cotton wool is placed in the nose, and the wing of the nose is pressed with fingers. It is not recommended to use as an impregnation of a tampon a remedy for the treatment of a runny nose during pregnancy. It is better to raise the hand from the side of the bleeding nostril up and hold it for a while.
  2. For an hour, cold should be applied to the back of the head, alternating periods of exposure with breaks of the same duration (4-5 minutes).
  3. When the blood stops, the mucosa is cauterized with a solution of silver nitrate or chromic acid so that the bleeding does not resume.

If these measures do not help, the bleeding does not stop for a quarter of an hour, you must go to the hospital for tamponade. Gauze turundas impregnated with medicine are placed in the anterior nasal cavity for at least a day, and sometimes for 3-4 days, the medicinal impregnation is refreshed every day. This procedure is performed in a hospital, and until the bleeding stops and for some time after the woman is under the supervision of doctors. In difficult cases, a posterior tamponade is also performed, which is longer.

It is impossible to throw back your head and lie on your back with nosebleeds, while you can choke on blood, and its entry into the stomach is fraught with bloody vomiting. You should not blow your nose either, this will only aggravate the situation, the blood will flow even more intensely.

Possible treatment regimens

How to treat a pregnant woman if she often or occasionally bleeds from her nose? With regular nosebleeds, a pregnant woman should be examined to determine their cause, in accordance with which treatment is prescribed.

  • If the bleeding is caused by serious causes - hypertension and other diseases associated with increased pressure, diseases of the nose, leading to damage to large blood vessels, decreased blood clotting, treatment of the underlying disease is prescribed. As a rule, it is carried out in a hospital setting.
  • If epistaxis develops due to runny nose (rhinitis), the underlying disease is treated, and the doctor should prescribe medications, some drugs for the common cold during pregnancy are contraindicated. Drops and sprays should not dry out the mucous membrane, otherwise the risk of bleeding increases. To facilitate the removal of dried crusts after a runny nose and prevent injury to the mucous membrane, it is recommended to put tampons with vaseline oil in the nose.
  • If the reason is increased sensitivity of the mucosa and thinning of the vascular walls, prescribe vitamin-mineral complexes that regulate metabolism in tissues and strengthen blood vessels, as well as having an antioxidant effect. This:
    • Askorutin- a drug to reduce vascular permeability, is also effective in the complex treatment of the common cold.
    • Aevit- a complex of vitamins that enhances immunity, promotes tissue regeneration, renewal of epithelial cells.
    • Preparations calcium.
    • Vitamin K.

Preventive measures are also important:

  • drink more fluids;
  • maintain optimal temperature and humidity in the room;
  • walk more often fresh air;
  • carefully brush your nose.

Nosebleeds often plague expectant mothers throughout pregnancy, but go away on their own shortly after delivery. Often this phenomenon is explained by changes occurring in the body, is not dangerous and is not a cause for concern, but nosebleeds can also be a sign of serious disorders - high blood pressure, reduced blood clotting.

Elena Malysheva will tell about nosebleeds in the video below.

Therefore, it is better to report them to a doctor who can assess the degree of danger. Usually, nosebleeds are quite easy to stop at home, and the prevention of beriberi, healthy lifestyle life, nasal hygiene will help prevent relapses.

Pregnancy is a physiological state of a woman's body, during which significant changes occur: a large load on vital systems, the functioning of organs and hormonal levels change. Blood from the nose during pregnancy (epistaxis) is a fairly common occurrence, observed at any time. The causes are diverse - from traumatic damage to blood vessels to serious problems with health.

Causes of Epistaxis

What causes nosebleeds during pregnancy? The reason may be the following:

  • Traumatic damage to the vessels of the nasal cavity.

Occurs when blowing the nose, damage when extracting dry crusts, bruises or bumps, after examination by an ENT doctor.

  • Hormonal reorganization.

Because of it, there is an increased blood supply to the vessels of the nasal cavity. And the walls and membranes of the nasal cavity themselves become loose, edematous, the vascular wall becomes brittle and blood begins to flow from the nose. For the same reason, nasal congestion occurs in pregnant women.

  • Load on the heart and vascular system.

As a result, blood flow in the body of a pregnant woman increases. The nasal mucosa becomes full-blooded, which causes bleeding.

  • Dryness of the nasal mucosa.

It occurs when there is insufficient humidity in the room where the pregnant woman is located, or with frequent use of vasoconstrictor drops with nasal congestion.

  • Lack of trace elements and vitamins.

Causes increased fragility (fragility) of the capillaries in the nose. Occurs against the background of insufficiency of vikasol (vit.K), ascorbic acid(Vit. C), calcium deficiency and also leads to bleeding gums.

  • Drops in blood pressure.

In this case, a spasm or a sharp expansion of the vessels of the nose occurs. Such drops contribute to the appearance of blood from the nose. This condition is preceded by a symptom such as tinnitus or headache.

  • Violations of the composition of the blood, leading to dysfunction of the coagulation system during pregnancy.
  • Infectious processes in the nose (rhinitis, sinusitis) can cause bleeding, especially if the disease is accompanied by fever.

Nosebleeds during pregnancy

In different periods of pregnancy, the mechanism for the development of nosebleeds has its own characteristics:

  • The first trimester is characterized by the fertilization of the egg, the formation of the fetal egg, its attachment to the endometrium.

During this period, there is an increased formation of estrogen and progesterone. Under their influence, the nasal mucosa becomes edematous due to blood supply. Nosebleeds appear at any time of the day. Nighttime arise due to mechanical damage that occurred during the day. Daytime bleeding occurs more often in the morning after waking up, when a woman is doing hygiene procedures. If your nose bleeds repeatedly in the first trimester, then this may be the most sign of pregnancy.

  • The second and third trimesters are characterized by the formation of the placenta, the active growth of the uterus and the development of the child.

The developing fetus continues to receive nutrients from the mother through the placenta. The reserves of vitamins and minerals in the female body gradually decrease, and if they are not taken additionally, beriberi develops. Against this background, blood from the nose begins to flow. The lack of vitamins and microelements adversely affects not only the female body, but also the unborn child.

During this period, the load increases, blood pressure drops appear, the rheological properties of the blood change, resulting in blood from the nose. Its appearance in the last trimester is often the first sign of late toxicosis, preeclampsia. This can lead to impaired placental circulation and threaten the life of the fetus. You need to contact a specialist immediately.

How to help with a nosebleed

If blood from the nose has gone during pregnancy, you must adhere to the following scheme:

  • Lower your head down over a sink, bathtub, or any container, and allow the blood to flow out quietly. A complete stop of blood from the nose in case of damage to the capillaries occurs in a couple of minutes.
  • Next, you need to apply cold to the nose (pieces of ice or a cold wet cloth).
  • If the bleeding continues, then a cotton-gauze turunda soaked in 3% hydrogen peroxide must be inserted into the nostril from which the blood is coming. It has a good hemostatic effect. It can also be used to remove blood clots from the nasal cavity after stopping the blood.
  • After the blood has stopped and blood clots have been removed, it is necessary to lubricate the nasal cavity with vaseline (sea buckthorn) oil. This will help protect the nasal mucosa from drying out and accelerate the healing of blood vessels.

If you can’t stop the bleeding at home, you need to urgently call an ambulance. As a rule, pregnant women are hospitalized in a hospital, where they are given the following activities:

  • Anterior tamponade of the nasal cavity. Cotton turundas with a medicinal substance are inserted into the anterior parts of the nasal cavity for a long time, the medicine is periodically added.
  • Posterior tamponade. Medicine swabs are inserted into the back of the nose for a long time.
  • Laboratory examination for blood clotting and other tests as indicated.
  • Injection of hemostatic drugs, taking into account the duration of pregnancy, the intensity of bleeding and the risk to the fetus.

When nosebleeds are prohibited:

  • Tilt your head back. If the bleeding is heavy, then the blood can enter the lungs or stomach. In this case, there are signs of respiratory failure and vomiting with blood.
  • Blow your nose. This will increase nosebleeds as a result of mechanical irritation of damaged vessels.

Preventive actions

To prevent the appearance of blood from the nose during any period of pregnancy, you must follow simple rules:

  • Ventilate the room in which the pregnant woman stays. This will prevent drying of the nasal mucosa.
  • Humidify the room using special devices or improvised devices.
  • Hygiene measures must be carried out with care so as not to damage the vessels of the nasal cavity.
  • Drink enough clean water.
  • Humidification of the nasal mucosa with saline solutions(physiological NaCl solution, sea water).
  • As prescribed by the doctor, take an additional special complex of vitamins and minerals for pregnant women.

Nosebleeds during pregnancy is a very unpleasant symptom that goes away with the birth of a child. If the nose bleeds in any trimester of pregnancy, then this is a sign that changes are taking place in the body that require increased attention. You should immediately consult a doctor to determine the cause of this condition and timely treatment.

Due to hereditary and physiological features Each individual organism reacts differently to the same changes. As for the period of pregnancy, then the reactions can be very diverse. Some women observe some manifestations in themselves, others - completely different, and still others do not notice any features at all in connection with their new position. Moreover, a woman who has become pregnant not for the first time often bears a baby in a completely different way than before.

A frequent companion during this period is nosebleeds during pregnancy. And as always, expectant mothers immediately have two main questions: who is to blame and what to do?

Pregnancy and nosebleeds

Nosebleed can go to any person, and most often this phenomenon is temporary and does not bode anything dangerous. As for pregnant women, they are prone to nosebleeds more than others. Such a tendency, which is not at all strange, is explained by the hormonal changes that occur during this period. Mainly by increasing the activity of the hormone progesterone. Under its action, the nasal mucosa changes, becomes edematous and loose: nasal mucus secretion occurs more intensively (which is why women sometimes blow their noses too often, which damages the nasal capillaries), blood circulation throughout the body and in particular in the nose increases (load on the capillaries rises), the walls of blood vessels become thinner and more fragile.

One way or another, and hormonal changes are very often the cause of nosebleeds in pregnant women. But there may be others.

Why does nose bleed during pregnancy: causes

By and large, nosebleeds always come for one reason: due to damage to the blood vessels in the nasal cavity. But many factors can lead to their damage, the main among which are usually:

  • drying out of the nasal mucosa. The lack of hydration of the mucous membrane leads to the fact that the capillaries burst and bleed. Whether it is the dryness of the air in the room, excessive passion for vasoconstrictor nasal agents, heat bodies against the background of colds - any of these factors can cause nosebleeds during pregnancy and not only;
  • jumps in blood pressure. If nosebleeds are preceded by headache and tinnitus, then this cause should be suspected in the first place;
  • nasal passages injuries. Mechanical damage to the blood vessels in the nose can occur under a variety of circumstances: during an ENT examination of the nasal passages, due to a blow or bruise, against the background of frequent and intense blowing your nose, etc .;
  • nutrient deficiency. The fragility and fragility of blood vessels is often due to a lack of certain natural elements. So, with frequently recurring nosebleeds, doctors mainly suspect a deficiency of calcium, as well as vitamins K or C. Incidentally, for this reason (together with a general increase in the amount of circulating blood), blood flows from the nose and gums during pregnancy (in connection with this the oral cavity during this period also requires enhanced and special care).

In addition, if the nose bleeds frequently, and if the nosebleed does not stop for a long time, then it is necessary to consult a hematologist and rule out low blood clotting.

Nosebleed when blowing nose

When a person blows his nose, the pressure in the blood vessels of the nasal cavity rises sharply, and if their walls are very weak and fragile, they burst. For this reason, blood flows from the nose when

blowing your nose. And during pregnancy, this is also facilitated by the overcrowding of blood vessels and the thinning of their walls.

If this happens often, then you should think about the cause of vascular fragility. Obviously, blowing your nose in this situation is best avoided: try to clear your nose by gently rinsing the nasal passages, then blotting out moisture and mucus, rather than blowing your nose.

Nosebleeds in early pregnancy: first trimester

Any of the causes that can lead to nosebleeds can occur at any stage of pregnancy, starting from the first weeks. And yet, if we talk about the first trimester, then hormonal changes certainly come to the fore. The rapid increase in the level of progesterone in the blood of a woman triggers a number of mechanisms in the body, and different pregnant women to varying degrees feel certain consequences of such changes. All processes aimed at attaching the fetal egg, its normal growth and development, as well as the favorable bearing of a child by a woman and its subsequent breast-feeding occur in the body of the future mother thanks to and under the guidance of this hormone.

Such changes can have many side effects”, which, nevertheless, do not pose a danger to either the baby or the mother. Often one of these is nosebleed during pregnancy. It is considered a perfectly normal symptom and may even be considered the first sign.

Nosebleeds in Late Pregnancy: Second and Third Trimester

At a later date, nosebleeds during pregnancy are more likely to occur for other reasons. The most common culprits for such an unpleasant phenomenon in the second trimester are dryness of the mucous membranes (especially if the pregnancy falls on the heating season, and the air in the room where the pregnant woman is located is not humidified), and vitamin and mineral deficiency becomes more relevant.

In the process of laying the main organs and systems in the first trimester, the baby took on a significant part of the nutrient reserves in the mother's body. If these reserves were not available at that time, that is, already with the onset of pregnancy, there was a shortage of them, then the woman's health condition is guaranteed to worsen. Nosebleeds in the second or third trimester are just one of the likely ways this deficiency manifests. If the doctor suspects this particular reason, then he will certainly prescribe an additional intake of vitamin preparations to the woman.

Blood from the nose in the third trimester also often flows against the background of late preeclampsia. In this case, the woman, in addition, complains of headaches, dizziness, darkening and flies before her eyes, severe swelling, a set excess weight. An increase in blood pressure (hypertension) is not only one of the causes of nosebleeds, but also belongs to the main signs of preeclampsia. This condition poses a threat during pregnancy, and therefore requires urgent medical attention and treatment appropriate to the severity of the condition. Women predisposed to hypertension need to keep blood pressure under constant control.

What to do if there is a nosebleed during pregnancy

In general, nosebleeds during pregnancy in most cases are not dangerous. If they do not recur often, do not last long and are not accompanied by large blood loss, then it is hardly worth worrying, although, of course, it will not hurt to tell the doctor about this when the opportunity arises.

However, immediate medical attention should be sought for pregnant women who have regular episodes of nosebleeds and who continue to bleed for more than 10 minutes despite attempts to stop them.

Even those pregnant women who have such a nuisance in very rare cases should know how to behave correctly in such a situation, what to do and what to do in no case if there is blood from the nose during pregnancy:

  1. Open a window if you are indoors to let in fresh air. If necessary, free the neck from the collar, scarf, scarf.
  2. Soak a towel in cold water or wrap ice in a thin cotton cloth and apply to the bridge of your nose.
  3. Take a vertical position of the body, it is best to sit down, because due to blood loss it can spin in the head. You can't go to bed if your nose is bleeding!
  4. Lean forward a little to improve the flow of blood from the nasal cavity - do not interfere with this in any way. You can't tilt your head back!
  5. Don't blow your nose if your nose is bleeding.
  6. If the blood does not stop for a long time, then try applying a cotton swab moistened with hydrogen peroxide to the nostrils.
  7. After stopping the bleeding, the nasal passages should be carefully cleaned and moistened. For the first, you can use ready-made saline solutions, running water dipped in peroxide cotton pad or a tampon, for the second - vegetable oil(regular sunflower, sea buckthorn, calendula or eucalyptus oil).

In a situation where the nose bleeds in the wrong place (for example, when you are not at home, among strangers, in society), you can press the bleeding nostril to the nasal septum with your finger and hold for 5-10 minutes. But if possible, it is better not to prevent the exit of blood through the nostril so that it does not flow down the larynx: this can cause nausea and poor health (due to blood collected in the stomach), and also lead to the formation of a blood clot, the further removal of which can resume nasal bleeding.

If, despite the measures taken, the blood from the nose continues to flow for more than 15 minutes or immediately flows profusely, very strongly, foams, then call an ambulance.

To reduce the risk and frequency of nosebleeds, it is enough to follow simple recommendations:

  1. Avoid overdrying of the nasal mucosa: do not use vasoconstrictor drops without a doctor's prescription and humidify the air in the room during the heating season.
  2. Avoid exposure to polluted air (cigarette smoke, industrial and household (for example, from synthetic detergents) evaporation).
  3. He blows his nose gently, without diligence, and only if necessary - do not abuse this manipulation.
  4. Eat a nutritious and balanced diet, including foods rich in calcium, vitamin C and K.
  5. Check your blood pressure regularly.
  6. Do not abuse (and with the development of preeclampsia - completely exclude them from the diet) salty, smoked, spicy and fried foods.
  7. Drink enough clean water.
  8. Walk in the fresh air, often ventilate the room and carry out wet cleaning.

Finally, we want to reassure you once again: if blood flows from the nose during pregnancy, then first of all this indicates an increase in its quantity and weakening of the walls of blood vessels due to an increase in the concentration of progesterone. But sometimes you need to see a doctor.

Especially for - Larisa Nezabudkina