Subchorionic Hemorrhage in the First Trimester

I told myself I would only share my subchorionic hemorrhage story if we got past the point of viability. I’m so relieved to say we made it! I want to make sure I’m only bringing positivity and hope to this space, as there are so many discouraging stories online. A glimmer of hope is what I was desperately searching for as I was going through this experience, and I hope this post gives that to you.

During this pregnancy I saw 6 doctors, one was high risk and the other 5 were from my regular OB office. All of them have unique advice to give regarding how to care for a hemorrhage and hematoma. My best experience was with my high risk doctor who sat down with me for almost an hour going over the nature of a hematoma and hemorrhage and the potential risks involved. Her advice and guidance is still SO helpful and has given me so much peace. I’ll share a picture of her notes within this post and write all of them out below the photo copy.

Before I dive in, I do want to ensure you that you’re not alone. If you’re searching for answers or similarities in experience, I hope this post and the information I’ve gathered from 6 different OB doctors can help answer your questions and maybe even ease some of your fears. You are not alone!

My Subchorionic Hemorraghe Story

Subchorionic Hemorrhage #1

I was 11 weeks pregnant and on the phone with my mom when I felt a big gush of something leave my body. It felt like I just started my period and my heart immediately dropped. I ran to the bathroom and started bawling as I saw period blood fill the toilet. Did I just lose my baby? My mom ran over to watch my 1-year-old daughter, Loretta, and my doctor’s office got me in right away.

I was sobbing in the waiting room and praying so hard everything was going to be ok. I went in for the sonogram and was so relieved the baby’s heartbeat was strong, yet I couldn’t stop staring at this large pool of blood next to the gestational sac. It was a hematoma, and my bleeding was the hemorrhage.

The hematoma was bigger than my baby. It was in the form of a pancake, 8cm x 6cm x 3cm. So many questions came rushing through my mind. Will I lose my baby next week or even in a month? What are the chances of survival with a hematoma this big? Is the hematoma going to squish my baby? How can I protect my baby?!

Frozen in fear, I went back to the waiting room to be seen by the doctor. There is hardly anything positive about this experience online. So many articles describe the risks involved, and so many stories have horrifying endings. Nothing was comforting, and everything made me more afraid of the future.

Doctor’s Opinion

My doctor was comforting and gave me stories of people who’ve been through a similar experience with great outcomes. Yet there was nothing that I did to make this happen, and there’s nothing I can do to solve it. She put me on activity restriction and pelvic rest. I left feeling sad, confused and unsure about what’s to come.

Subchorionic Hemorrhage #2

One week later, at 12 weeks, I started bleeding again. This time the blood started flowing and kept coming. There was enough blood to bleed through my pants and every time I went to the bathroom another gush would be released. I thought for sure baby wasn’t going to survive this one. I was bawling and begging God to keep my baby safe. Every emotion just flooded towards me – Confusion, sadness, anger, fear. You name it.

My mom came to my rescue again to watch Loretta, and I rushed to the doctor’s office to be seen at their earliest time slot. At the ultrasound they found baby’s heartbeat was still strong and I was immediately relieved, yet now I was staring at an even larger pool of blood. The hematoma grew. The pancake was even bigger and starting to wrap around the gestational sac. It was 11cm long at this point.

Doctor’s Opinion

After this scare, I saw a different doctor (they rotate at my OB) and she gave me very straight forward advice. She said at 12 weeks the gestational sac is harder and will continue to get stronger and can withstand the pressure of a hematoma better. Baby’s heartbeat is still strong. Baby doesn’t know this is happening. BUT it’s time to call the troops. It’s time to be on bedrest, laying flat and only getting up to go to the bathroom and to eat. Give your body time to heal. She suggested bedrest for at least a few days, or until the active bleeding (red or pink blood) stops.

I appreciated her advice and her urgency to get this healed. I’m thankful I have family who live so close to me and who were so willing to rearrange their lives to help. So, I went on bedrest and the active bleeding started to slow down.

At My Lowest Point

Mentally, I was at my lowest point here. I felt so depressed and was in a state of mourning. My first trimester symptoms were at an all time high so I was on the verge of getting sick all day, I felt dizzy from the loss of blood, I was doing my best to care for my toddler without much activity while also doing everything I could to protect the baby inside of me. It was hard to not feel helpless, even though I was getting so much help from family.

The “what ifs” were all consuming. I would lay in my closet every night listening to worship music bawling my eyes out and begging God to hear my cries.

I bled brown every single day for over a month after this second hemmorhage.

Follow Up Appointment at 13 Weeks

At my follow up appointment a week later, after seeing the hematoma grew even bigger, I requested to see a high risk doctor. I wanted to talk with a doctor who sees hemorrhages often and has a really good understanding of their nature. Is all of this brown blood normal? Should I be laying a certain way to help it heal faster? Any supplements I should be taking? Do hematomas my size ever heal or will it be around my entire pregnancy? My doctor said they can’t officially tag my account as “High Risk” since baby is still growing on target, yet they can schedule a consultation for me.

High Risk Appointment

At 13 weeks I had a consultation with a high risk doctor. I felt like I was in the best care possible and talking with a doctor who truly had experience in this area. She sat me down after the ultrasound and brought out some paper and answered every single one of my questions in detail and even included drawings. It was so comforting.

Here are her notes/drawings and I’ve typed them out below:

• If you have a subchorionic hemorrhage and baby’s heartbeat is still strong, there’s a 95% chance you’ll go on to have a normal pregnancy.
• After a hemorrhage, the loose blood starts to organize (top of “hill” in drawing) and then your body will either begin to absorb the blood or, depending on where the hematoma is located, a little could release out of the cervix.
  • The timing of the blood organizing is dependent on your body, so there’s no way of predicting how quickly a hematoma will heal.

What are the risks after you have a subchorionic hemorrhage and hematoma?

My doctor made sure I knew that the risks were very small, yet there still are a few.

1. The hematoma could extend under the placenta which could make the placenta detach. For me, my first two hematomas weren’t near the placenta so this risk was only possible with a new bleed (more on that later, because yes.. I hemorrhaged again).
2. Enzymes can weaken the membranes and cause Rupture of Membrane (ROM). This is more likely after 15-16 weeks.
3. “Poor Placentation.” If my placenta isn’t operating as it should due to the dual bleeds, it could lead to poor baby growth and early delivery.

Blood Tests for Underlying Condition after Subchorionic Hemorrhage

Because I bled quite a bit, she told me to get blood drawn to see if I had an underlying blood condition. Here are the things they tested at 20 weeks. All of them came back normal for me, yet I want to share this piece of info in case you’re trying to find answers to your bleeds.

• AFP (screening for open neural tube defects)
• CBC (to check hemoglobin)
• Beta-2 glycoprotein (clotting factor)
• Lupus anticoagulant (clotting factor)

I left the appointment feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and she wanted to see me again for a scan at 15 weeks and again at 20 weeks.

20 Week Anatomy Scan

At 19 weeks my brown bleeding had slowed down quite a bit, and then a few days before the appointment I was hardly bleeding at all. I was really hopeful the hematoma was gone!

At the 20 week scan they measured baby, and everything was on target. I was SO thankful! The last couple of months felt like they were inching along, so to hear this positive news was such a weight lifted. The hematoma was still there, yet it had shrunk and also hardened “like a rock.” So, the doctor cleared me! She said I’m good to slowly start resuming activity. I left beyond happy and although she said I was good to go, I still had that cloud of fear over me and decided to continue my activity restrictions. The main things I changed was lifting my daughter Loretta in her high chair and swing and going on short walks with her.

Mystery Bleed

Less than a week later at almost 21 weeks I go to the bathroom and realize theres a pool of blood sitting at the bottom of the toilet. I immediately start hysterically crying. I thought I was experiencing a placenta abruption and baby wasn’t going to make it. Worried something happened to baby, I rushed to my fetal doppler to try to find the heartbeat. Bawling on my closet floor I finally heard that precious sound and bawled even harder. Thank you, God.

Since I was almost 21 weeks, the protocol is to go in to triage. I grabbed my stuff and rushed over, praying it was just a fluke bleed and that everything is ok.

Since it was evening, they couldn’t do an ultrasound so they just checked baby’s heartbeat (it was still strong) and checked my cervix to make sure I wasn’t going into labor.

Doctor’s Opinion

The doctor on call thought it could’ve been a polyp on my cervix that released. She said I have what they call an “angry cervix” because it’s very sensitive and bleeds easily. Although the amount of blood had me questioning that theory.

The bleeding slowed down, and I was cleared to leave.

The next day I went in to my regular OB for an ultrasound and the doctor (one I had never seen before) told me she thinks the hematoma liquified and released some blood. She told me it was nothing to worry about and to take it easy for a few days, but to not worry.

I left feeling hopeful that all was well. Until a week later..

Subchorionic Hemorrhage #3

At almost 22 weeks, a little over a week later, I woke up to another pool of blood at the bottom of the toilet. I thought it was so strange this bleed was so similar to the last, as it only happened when I went to the bathroom.

I immediately called the birthing center again and went to triage. It was Sunday morning so, again, there wasn’t an ultrasound tech available. Baby’s heartbeat was still strong, yet I was just so confused. On one hand I’m so beyond thankful baby has been ok throughout all of this, and on the other hand I’m worried about baby’s future. Does this mean baby is coming way early? Will baby be able to survive it all?

The doctor on call suggested I stay the night to be monitored, yet ended up releasing me to go home on bedrest and to schedule an appointment with my high risk doctor the next day.

High Risk Doctor’s Opinion

The next day I go in to see my high risk doctor. After the ultrasound at their clinic it was determined that the bleeding was another hemorrhage and a new hematoma had formed. It’s liquid – Not hard like my other one showed weeks prior.

This news was devastating, as I thought we were in the clear and all of this was behind us.

However, we are currently at square one with the activity restrictions and taking it easy. The good news is that this hematoma is smaller than the first two (the first two actually combined into one!) and so hopefully the healing process will be quicker!

Looking Ahead

Today I’m almost 25 weeks pregnant and so thankful to be at the point of viability! This pregnancy has felt like it’s been inching along and I’m just really grateful to be at this point. I will definitely keep you all updated with how the rest of this pregnancy goes. I’m so, so excited to hold this sweet baby in my arms and am praying we make it to full term.

My next appointment is in a few days. We’ll be checking baby’s growth every month and making sure baby is growing on target. My daughter Loretta was in the 9th percentile when I was pregnant with her and now she’s in the 95th percentile, so I’m hanging on to that comforting piece of information as I enter these appointments!

If I Bleed Again

My high risk doctor suggests going to the Labor and Delivery section of Triage and getting a steroid to help develop my baby’s lungs quicker. Bleeding after a certain point in pregnancy could be a sign that your body is preparing to have the baby. This fact, of course, terrifies me. I do have a fetal doppler so if I’m ever worried about baby I can quickly check the heartbeat, which has been helpful! Yet I’m going to continue to limit my activity for as long as possible until I receive reassurance that baby is going to be happy and healthy.

Thank you for your prayers!! They mean so much to me. I’ll be posting updates here as I go to this blog post and more real-time updates on Instagram stories. Would love to connect with you!

Life After the Subchorionic Hemorrhage

I am SO happy to share that my dear Elizabeth (Eliza) Rose was born FULL TERM as healthy as can be on February 8th, 2022! I can’t explain the feeling of getting to finally hold her and e x h a l e. It felt like I was holding my breath the entire pregnancy. I had to pinch myself when I finally got to hold her in my arms. A moment I was longing for for 9 long months. What a journey. God is so good.

The last trimester had its fair share of emotions. My anxiety spiked towards the end because I just wanted to hold Eliza in my arms and was terrified I’d lose her after getting this far. I had more mystery bleeds and more triage visits. The one thing that helped keep me calm was my at-home fetal doppler. I checked on her heartbeat all the time!

Eliza was frank breech so I was scheduled for another C-Section, yet went into labor at 39 weeks exactly. When I went in for labor pains I was only 1cm dilated and an hour later I was 8cm dilated so they hurried along and took Eliza out a few hours later! It felt like a miracle to hear her cry for the first time! SHE’S HERE AND SHE’S HEALTHY!! It was all worth it.

What Caused my Subchorionic Hematoma?

I bled so much this pregnancy – was it a fluke or is there something going on? My doctor inspected my uterus during my C-Section to see if there were any abnormalities or malformations and she reported back that it all looked normal.

I’ve also seen a couple doctors since having Eliza to make sure there’s not an underlying issue I should be concerned about. So far they’ve ordered additional blood tests, urine tests and I’ve gotten an ultrasound of my uterus and ovaries – All have come back normal! I will keep you updated with my findings as I continue to search for answers!

xx, Becca

Q&A with a High Risk Doctor about Subchorionic Hematoma

What is a Subchorionic Hemorrhage?

A subchorionic hematoma or hemorrhage is bleeding under one of the membranes (chorion) that surrounds the baby inside the uterus.

What is the nature of a subchorionic hematoma?

My high risk doctor did an amazing job explaining this to me. First, no hematoma is the same so they aren’t able to give a straight forward answer as to how long it will take to heal. Every body is different and absorbs the blood at different speeds. However, their nature can be similar. After a hemorrhage, the loose blood starts to organize (top of “hill” in drawing under “High Risk” header) and then your body will either begin to absorb the blood or, depending on where the hematoma is located, a little could release out of the cervix.

What should I eat to help the subchorionic hematoma heal?

My high risk doctor suggests eating foods that are high in iron! Your body needs iron to keep your blood cells healthy, which will in turn help you heal.

How should I sleep to help the subchorionic hematoma heal?

She said to sleep on your side, although it doesn’t matter which side you choose. Sleeping on your left will give the baby and you the best oxygen flow. Although there’s not one side that will help the hematoma heal quicker.

How do you know when your subchorionic hematoma is healing?

After my second hemorrhage and hematoma I bled brown for over a month. I knew it was starting to heal when that bleeding stopped, and it was confirmed at my 20 week appointment (which was few days after the bleeding stopped). At that appointment we found that the hematoma was still there, yet it was hard as a rock which is a sure sign it’s healing. My high risk doctor even cleared me to live normally.

What type of activity restriction should I be on after a subchorionic hemorrhage and hematoma?

My high risk doctor was pretty straight forward about limiting my steps and time on my feet. No long walks, no standing for long periods of time, no lifting anything over 30lbs. She said I was allowed one small errand a day, so if I have a doctor’s appt, that’s the errand for the day. No long errands at Costco or anything, she mentioned. Pelvic rest as well!

For me, as a mom of a toddler, I had to say goodbye to our daily walks. If I hired a babysitter or if family came over to help, I requested they play with her outside and lift her into the swing, go on walks, etc. Basically do all the things I can’t! I also got a booster seat for the ground so I didn’t have to lift her into her high chair, and a stepping stool to get in and out of the car.

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