A paediatrician, Ayobola Adebowale, popularly known as Your Baby Doctor, has explained that some newborn baby girls may experience light bleeding shortly after birth, a condition medically called pseudo menstruation or neonatal menstruation.
In a video obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, Adebowale said the condition is caused by hormonal changes following delivery and is generally harmless.
She explained, “Your newborn baby can actually menstruate, and this is what we call pseudo menstruation or neonatal menstruation. It occurs because your baby inside your womb was exposed to a lot of your hormones.
“When you bring them out suddenly at time of delivery, they have what we call withdrawal bleeding, which is basically menstruation, and this happens in newborn babies and it’s essentially normal.”
Adebowale urged parents not to panic when they notice such discharge in their baby girls.
“You have no reason to be scared. You have nothing to be worried about. Just observe the discharge and after a few days it will resolve by itself.
“You really don’t have to do anything and you have no reason to be worried and that child is not a witch,” she said.
She, however, advised that if the bleeding persists, parents should consult a doctor for proper examination.
According to medical research, some newborn girls experience what’s known as “neonatal menstruation” or “pseudomenstruation.”
It typically occurs within the first week after birth and is triggered by a sudden drop in the mother’s oestrogen levels after delivery.
While the baby is still in the womb, she is exposed to high levels of maternal hormones. After birth, the rapid decline of those hormones may cause the baby’s uterus to shed a small amount of blood or mucus, similar to a mini period.
Doctors recommend that parents seek medical attention if the bleeding is heavy, lasts beyond a few days, or occurs after the first week of life, as it could indicate an infection or another medical concern.
