The Effect of Vaginal Bleeding in Early Pregnancy on the Infant Born After the 28th Week of Pregnancy

Summary A study has been made of 7824 mothers with singleton pregnancies. Of these 1226 had some vaginal bleeding before the 28th week of pregnancy. The mean birthweight of the babies was considerably reduced following bleeding in early pregnancy. The risk of premature labour and congenital abnormalities was greater in the women who bled between the 16th and 28th weeks of pregnancy. There was a significant rise in the proportions of light‐for‐dates babies born to mothers who bled before 28 weeks. The high perinatal mortality rate is discussed.