Hello, and I hope I can help you today. One of the ways that you can possibly figure out where the bleeding is coming from is by putting a tampon inside. If, while wearing the tampon, you still see blood on your underwear then the bleeding is coming from your rectum. In that case, there is less to worry about as it is most likely from your hemorrhoids. To reduce the chances of your hemorrhoids causing bleeding, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink lots of water, and consider taking a fiber laxative daily. This will not harm the baby, but will rather make your stool softer said it is easier for you to have a bowel movement. If the tampon has blood on it than the bleeding definitely is coming from vagina. A small amount of bleeding can happen during late pregnancy as your cervix starts to soften to eventually prepare for labor. However, this type of blood should be dark brown or purple and mixed with mucus. If you are having bright red blood coming from your vagina, I would call your doctor for advice. If you have any risk factors for bleeding during pregnancy; such as being on blood thinners, having a low-lying or placenta previa, or experiencing any other symptoms like uterine contractions it might be prudent for you to go to an emergency room for evaluation. I hope I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that my advice was helpful. Best wishes for the rest of the pregnancy, Dr. Brown