What should you know about little blood in vomiting during pregnancy?

Repeated retching can irritate the throat or the lining near the stomach, producing a small bright-red streak. Blood that is dark, clotted or mixed through vomit can suggest bleeding farther along the digestive tract. Vomiting itself may occur with Gastroenteritis, Food Poisoning, migraine or other illnesses; pregnancy-related nausea is another possibility. Blood is not something to diagnose from colour alone, and dehydration can develop when fluids cannot stay down.

Contact your maternity team, GP or urgent-care service for advice, and describe the amount, colour and number of episodes. Take small sips of fluid if you can keep them down, rest, and avoid medicines or herbal products unless a pregnancy clinician approves them. Keep any prescribed anti-sickness treatment available as directed. Do not wait for a routine appointment if the bleeding returns or vomiting prevents drinking.

Seek urgent care for more than a trace of blood, dark or coffee-ground vomit, faintness, confusion, severe abdominal pain, chest pain, fever, very little urine, or inability to keep fluids down. Severe headache with fever, stiff neck or a new rash is also urgent. Gallstones and Pancreatitis can cause significant upper abdominal symptoms, so explain pain location and pregnancy stage when seeking help.

Ask whether you need examination or blood tests, which anti-sickness medicines are suitable, how to replace fluids, and what threshold of bleeding should send you to hospital.