Is bleeding during pregnancy normal?

I never consider bleeding during pregnancy normal. Common? Yes. Main point is to find out why you are bleeding. 30% of people bleed in the first trimester of pregnancy. Sometimes it's the start of a miscarriage, a lot of times not. Sometimes it is from a polyp, or sex or placenta previa. Later in pregnancy it can be from a placental abruption or labor with cervical change. Heavy bleeding always worries me more than spotting.

Bleeding during pregnancy is something that needs to be reported to the healthcare provider, therefore it is not normal. Usually when one thinks of bleeding during pregnancy the complications of placenta preia and placenta abruption come to mind. However there are sometimes that the bleeding is not associated with a complication. For example, a number of women experience some bleeding in the early portion of the first trimester. This is referred to as implantation bleeding and is associated with the fertilized egg burrowing into the lush lining of the uterus. In the second and third trimester of pregnancy there might be bleeding following intercourse or vaginal examinations. During pregnancy there is increased blood flow to the cervix and the tissue is more friable. Therefore pressure and/or manipulation of the cervix may result in bleeding. And finally, in the third trimester the woman may experience bleeding as the mucous plug is expelled as the cervix begins to efface and dilate in preparation for labor.