One in four childbearing individuals will experience a miscarriage. There are different causes, but many times there is no clear answer as to why a person miscarried.
We’re here to help navigate potential causes and determine the best next steps for you.
Miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy less than halfway (20 weeks) through a full-term pregnancy. One in four childbearing individuals will experience a miscarriage. There are different causes, but many times there is no clear answer as to why a person miscarried.
Symptoms
Not everyone who has a miscarriage will experience symptoms. But one or more of the following events suggests (yet does NOT prove) that you may miscarry, or have already miscarried.
- Bleeding greater than your menstrual period
- Cramping pain in your pelvis, lower back, or lower abdomen
- A gush of warm liquid from your vagina
- The passage of true tissue (not just blood clots) or of a small recognizable baby from your vagina
- Inability to demonstrate a beating heart on an ultrasound after six or more weeks gestation
These symptoms do not necessarily mean that you are miscarrying, but it is important to seek medical care immediately if you have any of these symptoms.
Diagnosing
Miscarriage may be confirmed in one or more of these ways:
- Pelvic exam showing your cervix has dilated (opened up)
- Examination of any solid tissue (rather than blood or clots) that have passed from your vagina
- Sonogram of your pelvic organs
- Falling pregnancy hormone levels, according to lab tests
Causes
It is rare to be able to discover the cause. The following may be found to cause miscarriage.
- A fetus that is not properly developing or there are abnormal chromosomes present
- Certain infections or immune system abnormalities
- Abnormalities of shape or function of the female organs
Future Pregnancies
When considering getting pregnant again, realize that these factors tend toward repeat miscarriage:
- A prior miscarriage
- A new pregnancy less than three months after a prior birth, miscarriage, or abortion
- Pregnancy in a woman over thirty-five years old
- Using tobacco, alcohol, illegal substances, or even a few specific prescription medications (ask your doctor)
- Certain chronic conditions like diabetes (ask your doctor)
Here are some things, which PROBABLY DO NOT cause miscarriage:
- Emotional stress
- Birth control pills taken accidentally in early pregnancy
- Typical work environments, activities, and reasonable amounts of exercise or sexual intercourse
Treatment of Miscarriage
If you think you may be experiencing a miscarriage seek medical attention immediately. Because continued blood loss could harm you, go immediately to your obstetrician, or if you have none, the emergency room of a nearby hospital. Take the paperwork we provide and any insurance information.
- Miscarriage will either be confirmed or ruled out by one or more of the tests previously listed.
- If all the tissue of the pregnancy has been passed, nothing further may be needed.
- If tissue remains in your uterus you may need a D&C, a minor surgery that removes it to control further blood loss. You will be “put to sleep” (general anesthetic) or will get other effective pain relief for the D&C.
- If your blood is Rh negative you will be given an injection of RhoGam, which prevents Rh problems in future pregnancy.
