Q: Is spotting at 35 pregnancy dangerous? And will my baby be okay? I’m very scared and worried

A: Bleeding in late pregnancy may be due to a variety of issues ranging from infections to the ‘show’ that heralds the start of labour.

Causes of bleeding at this time include:

• Cervical changes which can lead to bleeding after sexual intercourse
• Infection of the cervix
• Infection of the vagina

Other causes include:

• Placenta previa.
• Placental abruption.

These are two conditions that affect the placenta.

The placenta is created during pregnancy and is attached to the wall of the uterus (the womb) by blood vessels. It is through the placenta that the baby receives vital nutrients and oxygen and also through this that it excretes waste products. The baby is connected to the placenta through the umbilical cord. So this is a pretty important organ in the general scheme of things. The…