Q: My 28-year-old wife who is pregnant underwent sonography last week. The report shows some minimal retrochorionic haemorrhage and she has been advised complete bed rest for two weeks. Is this serious?

A:The retro-placental bleed is an early sign that abortion may occur. If it is small, the baby is alive, and chromosomally normal. It can settle with bed rest, and also by taking injection Chorion 5000 units IM every week till the fourth month. If there is an abnormality in the baby, or some other disease like high BP, diabetes or thyroid in the mother, then the bleed can worsen. If all is normal, bed rest usually helps. She also needs to avoid coitus and lifting of heavy weights.