# Bloody nipple discharge in pregnancy



## joannejoanne (Mar 16, 2007)

Has anyone here ever had bloody nipple discharge during pregnancy?

I am just past 33 weeks.

I had some blood come out of my left nipple last week. It was a small amount. I blotted at it, it beaded up again, and I blotted and watched it bead up several times before it ebbed off. This only happened once.

I called my midwives right away and they said bloody nipple discharge is never normal and sent me in for an ultrasound of my left breast thinking the most likely cause was a intraductal papilloma.

However, no papillomas were found. They did see a solid mass that they are almost sure is a benign fibroadenoma (based on shape and other characteristics). The ultrasound person at the time did not think this mass would have been a cause of the bleeding. She said I would probably need to get a mammogram next to see if there was any signs of other things (like calcifications).

Then my midwife called me after the imaging and said she is setting me up to see a breast specialist and they will probably want to biopsy the mass to make sure it is benign.

In some online sleuthing I have found several documents (one from a Dept of Surgery in Iowa and one from the CDC) that say third trimester bloody nipple discharge can happen from duct irritation and usually resolves itself after the baby is born.

But then my midwives said it is never normal and seem to be freaked out about it.

So I am wondering if anyone else has ever had any experience with this?

My pregnancy has been very challenging so far and I am so tired, I do not know how much more of this I can deal with.


----------



## Mamato3wild ponnie (Jan 6, 2007)

It's called rusty pipe syndrome....check it out on kellymom.com....i'm in a hurry or i would post more about it...sorry.


----------



## joannejoanne (Mar 16, 2007)

Thanks for the info. I am not sure if the rusty pipe syndrome is exactly what I am experiencing as I am still pregnant and haven't started breasfeeding at all. I did not have rusty color milk come out. It was pure, bright red blood.

Could that still be the same thing?


----------

