Pregnancy is a wonderful time of life but can be so dramatic at the same time that it feels like you want to escape from some situations. For example, if your doctor informs you that you have rectal bleeding during pregnancy, this is usually a good sign but then again one may feel anxious about spotting and unless it stops soon, one starts to panic. The best solution is to get checked at the clinic just in case there’s something serious going on.
A fissure is a split or crack in the lining of the rectum canal. Blood loss from anal fissures happens when you are having a bowel movement and try to wipe from front to back. This can cause damage to the lining of your rectum causing a sudden and small amount of blood to appear on the toilet paper or during your bowel movement.
You can tell whether you are experiencing rectal bleeding or not by self-examining the mess. Always make sure blood is definitely coming from a sexual area. A fissure might feel as in case you’d received a sharp, painless cut on the surface of your body therefore a haemorrhoid would likely be a tender spot/ lump protruding from your bottom. Haemorrhoids are referred to as such since they resemble small grapes (grape-like).
Rectal bleeding is common during the third trimester of pregnancy and in the postpartum period due to raised intracavitary pressure on the veins of the pelvis. In fact, women undergoing cesarean section are prone to haemorrhoids throughout their pregnancy and even after delivery of a child.
Some self-care things are there that can prevent you from rectal haemorrhage like:
Cold compress
Heating pad
Ibuprofen or acetaminophen
Witch hazel
Over-the-counter haemorrhoid relief product
If you are bleeding in any way – tell your doctor immediately even if you are convinced it is just something like hemorrhoids. Doctors make sure there isn’t any other type of condition than hemorrhoids causing the bleeding.
One of the worst side-effects of rectal bleeding while pregnant is physical pain and discomfort. The most effective way to prevent or relieve signs associated with bleeding while you are pregnant is to always keep your food intake regular. Simple remedies that can help you do this include drinking at least 12 glasses of water a day or eating plenty fruits and veggies, which includes bran. Simple and easy solutions to do this can consist of:
Drink lots of water. Your brain is made up of about 70% water and it’s very important to stay hydrated. Drinking a glass of water with each meal helps your digestive tract and kidneys too, by circulating more blood through their systems.
Consume fiber-rich vegetables, grains and fruits to ensure your body has the fibre it needs. Nuts, seeds and berries are also great but don’t count toward your daily fiber intake unless you are eating them with a yoghurt or whole grain cereal every day.
Iron is better absorbed through regular food items and food-based dietary supplements rather than medicated ones.
Ice packs are very effective in soothing throbbing hemorrhoids.
To avoid incontinence it’s important to work on your pelvic floor muscles. This can be performed by creating a “diamond” shape with your pelvis and then pulling the muscle downwards for as long as possible – similar to using the bathroom at first. It is best to do this everyday so that you get used to doing it regularly throughout the day. Perform sets of these exercises!
A Sitz bath is a great way to relieve the pain caused by haemorrhoids. It can be done in a bathtub with either hot or cold water, depending on what one feels most comfortable with, and should be done for at least 15 minutes.
Genital hygiene with plain water and keeping it dry with soft toilet papers. The use of chemical products can be harmful in the long run.
If needed, your doctor will recommend a medicated suppository.
Some cases of internal bleeding can be indicative of a serious condition like colon cancer. This kind of cancer is fatal and difficult to treat, but if caught in its early stages then the prognosis is better.
