October 2016 Moms

Subchorionic Hematoma

CopperBoom86CopperBoom86 member
edited April 2016 in October 2016 Moms
Sorry for the speshul snoflake post, guys. ::hangs head in speshul shame::

After having light brown spotting all weekend, I went in to see my doctor on Tuesday. I was diagnosed with a small subchorionic hematoma. She said it was visible on my first u/s at 8 weeks, but it was so small that she didn't think it was worth mentioning. However, it was still visible at the u/s on Tuesday (13w). She reassured me that she didn't think it would be a problem and I was fine with that... until I started Googling (why do I do this to myself?!). Now I'm confused and concerned that my doctor isn't taking enough steps to monitor it. Here are my questions for anyone who has been diagnosed with this or who knows anything about it...

1. Is bleeding good or bad? My doctor mentioned that she thinks it will dissolve into my system, but I've read a lot of posts online of ladies who were relieved when they finally bled a lot because that meant that the hematoma was "bleeding out." My spotting stopped Tuesday morning and hasn't returned. Should I be hoping for more bleeding or not? 

2. I've seen that a lot of women who've been put on bed or pelvic rest until the hematoma went away. All my doctor told me was "no heavy lifting." I know there are different degrees of severity that would affect suggested activity moderation, but should I be "taking it easy?" 

3. Most everyone I've seen diagnosed with this are having frequent ultrasounds to monitor it. I don't have another appointment scheduled until May 17th and I'm not even sure I'll get an official ultrasound at that time (maybe just on the mobile device). 

Overall, I'm not too worried. I just want to be sure I'm doing everything I can to ensure a positive outcome. 
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Re: Subchorionic Hematoma

  • LGW2015LGW2015 member
    edited April 2016
    Sorry you're going through this! I don't have any knowledge on the topic but I know it's been discussed in a couple threads by some ladies on here who have the same diagnosis. It probably won't answer most of your questions but the previous threads might have some info in the meantime if you haven't read up on them already.
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  • Yeah, I've seen a couple ladies mentioned they've been diagnosed, but not much detail. I guess I'm just hoping to compare circumstances and try to ascertain wether or not I should press my doctor for more information. 
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  • I also have one. I had some pretty serious bleeding around 7 weeks. Had a follow up ultrasound after bleeding a week later, everything looked good. I haven't bled since that initial time. 

    I haven't had an ultrasound since when that occurred (so around 7 weeks). I went for my 12 week appt and we heard the heartbeat, so my doctor said we shouldn't be concerned about the SCH and won't need another ultrasound unless I start bleeding again. 

    I know my experience is different from yours because I have only bled once. However, my husband's cousin is due next week and she bled significantly for the first half of her pregnancy. And her baby is perfectly fine!
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  • I am In a similar situation. I had a U/S on the fourth, and about an hour afterwards they called me to tell me I have a subchorionic hemorrhage that is "larger than they are typically comfortable with", and wanted to continue to moniter me.
    BUT, they scheduled my next U/S for the 22nd (seems like a long time for something you want to moniter?) and gave me zero information other than 'take it easy, see you later'.
    So naturally, I Google and freaked myself out. Then I called my OB office and asked if there was anything else they could tell me, they said not really at this time but to not stress out, don't do any heavy lifting or stressful activities and that they'd have more info after the next U/S.
    I worry now because I have pain in that area, and the technician ask me about spotting and pain there while doing the U/S (didn't elaborate on why he asked). That area HAS been quite tender, and painful if I lay on my stomach or press down on it. I have off and on dark brown spotting fairly regularly, and I can actually feel where the clot is when I run my hand over my lower abdomen. I initially thought it was my left ovary acting a fool and blew it off until I was informed otherwise.
    I don't really have any helpful information for you, but I want you to know that I can totally sympathize and will update you when I hear something!
    I'm hoping my spotting is it bleeding out and shrinking and not growing instead. I just wish I knew how it got there to begin with and how it got to the size it is, it feels just a bit smaller than a golf ball from the surface, so I don't know what it's actual size is or what it means.
    I'm giving my OB practice the benefit of the doubt assuming they would make this seem more urgent if it were in fact urgent. Now we wait! 8 more days.
  • @AllyTheKid - Why must they leave us in the dark about so many things?! I want to know everything. I want to know how big it is- how many centimeters and how that compares to other SCH's. I want to know what exactly it means to "take it easy" and what exactly is considered "heavy lifting." I want to know all the things! Of course, I couldn't think to ask ANY of those questions when I was actually in the office. 

    My doctor did say mine probably formed at implantation, so maybe yours might've, too? 

    I paid for me and DH to run a Color Me Rad 5k this weekend before I ever even knew I was pregnant and I've so been looking forward to it. Now I'm thinking I may need to skip it altogether. But maybe that's overreacting? I don't know...

    And that's the point- There are just so many things I DON'T KNOW. I feel majorly uninformed and I don't want to call my doctors office, because I hate being perceived as that patient. You know, the one who calls in all the damn time for nothing. So frustrating! 
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  • I had no shame in calling them back, don't call ME telling me I have a subchorionic hemorrhage (that's a scary sounding word!), tell me that it's 'larger than you're typically comfortable with', then not offer me any more info for peace of mind! That being said, I wouldn't feel bad about calling to enquire about your 5k if I were you. They can't get irritated by you being cautious, and even if they do, fuck 'em. You NEED peace of mind!
    Unfortunately, there wasn't much they COULD tell me since they were focusing on the baby's measurements and didn't have many pictures to measure the blood clot itself. So that is what my next U/S is dedicated to.
    I think if nothing else, they could at least be more careful with how they choose to word such news, and definitely elaborate on restictions! I'm not supposed lift over 20lbs. I have a 20lb infant so I am glad I know that and can try to keep picking him up to a minimum, though obviously it'll be necessary from time to time and I know to at least be careful doing so. Best of luck to you and anyone else who may be in or end up in the same boat! You can bet I'll be updating as soon as I hear something =)
  • I had one at my 9 week US.  They put me on pelvic rest, which meant no lifting over 20 lbs, no exercise beyond walking, and no sex.  They did not order another US, and just said I would be cleared after the first trimester if there were no symptoms.  I actually signed up for the NT scan after that mainly because I wanted someone to look at the baby and tell me he looked ok.  I asked the NT sonographer whether it was still there, and she said she couldn't see one, but that it might only be visible on a TV US.  

    That at week I had my 13 week appointment, and the dr took me off pelvic rest.

    i never did have any external bleeding.

    I hope everything goes ok @CopperBoom86   !
    If I were you I would call and ask about the race.
  • They first saw that I had one at my 6 week ultrasound. They didn't even mention it, I only knew about it because I get the report in my online chart. When I called they said it was fine, nothing to worry about, very common. I wasn't given any special restrictions for it, though I'm already on a weight lifting restriction. I had some spotting, but it was rare. 

    It bled out last week at 13 weeks. Caused heavy brown spotting that really freaked me out! But it's gone now.

    Most resolve themselves by 20 weeks, although that doesn't necessarily mean it bleeds out. If your doctor isn't concerned, you don't need to be. They're very common. 

    E will be 18 on July 24th
    Z was born October 16, 2016
    #3 Due October 9, 2018

    MC - November 29, 2012
    CP - November 15, 2014
    D&C for MMC - October 13, 2015




  • edited April 2016
    When my sch was discovered by ultrasound after I bled quite a bit, they told me to go on pelvic rest until it stopped bleeding. That basically means no sex. Also I was told not to lift anything heavier than 10(?) Pounds. You can still take baths and most other activities, they just don't want you to insert anything up there that could introduce an infection (tampon,penis,finger, etc). And they don't want you to do anything that could aggravate it or cause it to get worse (heavy lifting). Mine spotted for a couple weeks after the initial bleed, but has been fine since.
  • I had sch. I started bleeding heavily at 6 weeks. The first week there were two small sch. Luckily, I was seeing RE bc we did if so I got weekly scans. The next week, the two merged to one large sch. The next week it was smaller. Then after that it was almost unnoticeable.

    My RE said if I bleed/spot brown that it is a good sign bc it is "old blood". 

    I was on strict bedrest for 3 weeks. No lifting, stay in bed, keep my feet elevated, etc. But each Dr is different. Some don't give you any restrictions! 


    RE DX for me: Anovulatory cycles/Mild PCOS  RE DX for DW: Endometrioma on left Ovary.
    Reciprocal Ivf Feb 2016. DW eggs and I am carrying. EDD: 10/27/16

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  • 2 weeks ago I had a very heavy bright red bleed. The ER diagnosed me with a subchorionic hemorrhage. I bled very heavily for 12 hours and spotted for another day. Then I passed a gross brown mucus discharge. Waited all weekend worrying wether or not I was gonna lose the baby. Went to the Dr the following Monday and they said everything was good. The baby and me were still fine. Had no more problems until the night before last when I started spotting. Spotting turned into bleeding. Went to ER again last night and everyhthing seemed to be ok. Just another SCH flare up..both times they put me on bedrest for the weekend. And told me to follow up with my dr. We are currently waiting til.Monday for my Dr appointment. 

    Best of luck to you
  • Thank you for sharing your expiriences, ladies! I definitely feel more informed now. It sounds like expiriences vary wildly, so there's really no point in comparing one to another. I'm choosing to put weight in what my doctor said- that the bleed will most likely dissolve back into my system on its own. I will be taking it easy until my next appointment and hopefully, it'll have shrunk or disappeared by then. 
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  • Ladies, now I'm bleeding brown, which is old blood and supposed to be good news, with black stringy clots. 15 weeks today. Is this normal? My doctor is not offering me as much information and support as I'd like. 
  • Ladies, now I'm bleeding brown, which is old blood and supposed to be good news, with black stringy clots. 15 weeks today. Is this normal? My doctor is not offering me as much information and support as I'd like. 

    Yes. This is normal (at least that is what happened for me and baby is ok) and hopefully it will be gone in about a week. Keep your spirits high. 
  • I had one at 7.5 weeks. Apparently it was pretty big because I bled red initially and then turned to brown and clots. I clotted for two weeks and my OB, after looking at the ER ultrasounds, wasn't concerned about it at all. No extra ultrasounds, not even an early office visit. The bleeding is fine because it is just being removed from your uterus. As long as it is brown it is old blood. I wasn't put on pelvic rest but I did anyway because of the cramping. 
    I'm sorry you are dealing with this. It is very frightening, isn't it? You will be ok.
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  • I'm going through the stringy clot thing now, this is disgusting! Please, oh please be passing out of my system and let this be the end of it!
    *TMI WARNING*
    FI and I (carefully) did the deed the morning before yesterday, and after we finished up and he pulled out he had a clot stuck on him, So gross and so embarrassing, that poor man... he was so nice about it but it was obvious that he was mortified =/
  • @AllyTheKid - Positive thoughts coming your way!

    I've actually had the sex clot thing happen to me, too. A couple years before DH and I got married, we went on a weekend trip with some friends and the first night we were there, I started my period WHILE we were having sex. When I was younger and before I had my IUD, my periods were horrific- severe cramping, heavy bleeding, and tons of clots for the first couple days. He pulled out and there was a HUGE clot on the tip of his penis. I was so sure he was going to break up with me after that, but he hung in there lol. 
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  • @CopperBoom86 Thank you! 

    And thank goodness for understanding partners haha

    **UPDATE**
    Had my U/S and appointment with my OB today to check on the SCH- The clot is shrinking and as far as can be seen isn't a cause for alarm, but still needs to be monitored until it is under a certain size.
    What I learned today that may answer some questions:
    -The majority of SCHs occur during implantation and cause a blood pocket.
    -The majority of SCHs will reslove on their own and either be pushed out through the cervix (hence the clots and spotting), or absorbed by the surrounding muscles (which can cause a pain similar to that of bruising).
    -SCHs usually aren't a cause for alarm unless they are very large, and are growing in size. When this happens, it can begin to detach the placenta from the lining of the uterus and THAT is when it becomes a risk to the pregnancy.
    -Heavy and strenuous activity can possibly cause the clot to grow so pelvic rest and light activity is recommended until symptoms resolve, and in extreme cases bed rest is required, but rarely.
    -There is no "cure" or treatment for SCHs

    I hope this is helpful to some in the future!



  • Ive had 3 bleeds in 3 weeks. I asked my dr about it. She said a SCH is usually no concern for the baby. She described a SCH in a weird way rhay kinda made sense to me. She said  imagine the placenta as bunch of grapes inside a bowl of jello. And the SCH as the jello itself. She said everything starts off smooth, bit sometimes the jello gets tore up a liitle when shaken. But the grapes are not damaged. 
    Weird but calming in a state of panic. 
  • Everyone has given good info. I have SCH now & had it with DS. They are SO common, and 95% (don't quote me but srsly, almost always) NBD. Almost all resolve by 20 weeks. Most OBs won't give any restrictions- other than to say to take it easy if bleeding re-starts (after stopping) or increases, or some major change happens. 

    Don't ever hesitate to call your OB if you have questions or concerns. But SCH is rarely if ever a serious thing. (The concern btw, is placental abruption in large SCH...SUPER RARE for SCH to cause this).
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