A pregnant woman comes to the emergeny room with with vaginal bleeding, does she get a vaginal exam?

I am doing a presentation in my maternity class (I am a senior nursing student), and I want to know how other RNs or nursing students answer this question. I am almost sure that I know the answer, but I thought I might only THINK I know the answer because of my report. Hard to understand....I know.!! I only hope I make more sense when presenting this to my classmates tomorrow. I am just wondering how other professions would answer this question and WHY? thanks : D

MAYBE a speculum exam, but normally the correct answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT! Not until an ultrasound rules out the possibiltiy of placenta previa. If a woman was bleeding due to placenta previa (placenta growing over cervix) and a vaginal exam was done it could cause a massive hemorrhage.

Claudine Crews CPM, LM

i would say yes. but you would have to get background information first. is she pregnant? was she raped? things like that. doing a pelvic exam could pin point the problem. there's no way you could diagnose without one.

Not a nurse.

But, as a mom and a woman who has been pregnant more than once...

If there is bleeding how could there not be a vaginal exam. You still need to make sure the cervix is at least closed. Otherwise, the woman will risk a miscarriage.

she better. you need to see how the curvex looks.

No check to see if she is first alive,HAHAHAHAHa

It would depend on how far along she was. She would get an ultrasound first to rule out placenta abrupto or miscarriage. Then a vaginal exam to see if she is dilating.

I'm not a nurse or anything...but everytime I've had bleeding and went to a doc they did a vaginal sonogram. That's the only way they can really tell that the baby is okay...so they said.

Not a nurse..but ive been pregnant before..and if there blood coming out you gotta check out why so i would say yeah you need to do a vaginal exam..when iw as pregnant with my daughter i was 5 half months and started bleeding..i went to the hosptial and thats the first thing she did..heeh she told me it was cuase of rough sex and told me to keep it down but still thats what she did!! lol

I would assume yes for sure to see if the cervix is opening or softening. If it were then id say labour has begun to expel the fetus if not then there are probably other reasons for the bleeding.