Q: I just had an ultrasound and the doctor found a blood clot next to the placenta. Is that a problem? Should I be on bed rest?
A: Any time you are having bleeding early on in pregnancy, you are diagnosed with a 'threatened abortion.' The ultrasound finding that you are describing is known as a 'retroplacental hemorrhage' or 'retroplacental clot.' A retroplacental hemorrhage is not so unusual in early pregnancy, and we usually don't know what the cause is. And though it may be associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, the majority of women will go on and deliver a healthy baby. Bed rest may decrease your bleeding, but there is no scientific proof that bed rest will change the outcome.