Newborn baby girls can experience menstruation, it’s normal — Paediatrician

A paediatrician, Ayobola Adebowale, known as Your Baby Doctor, has explained that some newborn girls may experience light bleeding shortly after birth, a condition medically known as pseudo menstruation or neonatal menstruation.

Adebowale in a video obtained by our correspondent on Saturday said the condition occurs due to hormonal changes after delivery and is usually harmless.

She said,”Your newborn baby can actually menstruate and this is what we call pseudo menstruation or neonatal menstruation, and 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 advised parents not to panic when they observe 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, added that if the bleeding persists, parents should consult a doctor for a proper check-up.

According to medical research, some newborn girls experience what’s called “neonatal menstruation” or “pseudomenstruation.”

It usually occurs within the first week after birth and is caused 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, those hormones quickly fall, and the baby’s uterus may respond by shedding a small amount of blood or mucus, just like a mini period.

Doctors advise parents to seek medical attention if the bleeding is heavy, lasts more than a few days, or occurs after the first week of life, as it could signal an infection or another medical issue.(Punch)