The most common symptom of miscarriage is vaginal bleeding. This can range from light spotting to heavy bleeding and may be accompanied by abdominal discomfort.
Miscarriage is a term used for the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks. It is estimated that 15-20% of pregnancies will end in miscarriage. Many women who experience a miscarriage do not even realize they are pregnant. If you are experiencing any signs or symptoms of miscarriage, it is important to see your doctor right away. In this blog post, we will discuss the signs and symptoms of miscarriage, as well as what to do if you think you might be miscarrying.
What is miscarriage?
Miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week.
For many women, miscarrying can be an emotionally devastating experience. If you think you might be miscarrying, it’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms.
Signs and symptoms of miscarriage
The most common symptom of miscarriage is vaginal bleeding. This can range from light spotting to heavy bleeding and may be accompanied by cramping or another abdominal discomfort. If you are experiencing any vaginal bleeding, it is important to see your doctor right away.
Other signs and symptoms of miscarriage include:
- Passing tissue through the vagina
- Severe abdominal pain or cramping
- Back pain
- Fever
- Chills
- Nausea or vomiting
If you are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, it is important to see your doctor right away.
How is miscarriage bleeding different from a heavy menstrual period?
The majority of miscarriage bleeding is heavier and lasts longer than a heavy menstrual flow. In case of miscarriage bleeding, you may notice big clots. It may also be accompanied by cramping and another abdominal discomfort. If you are experiencing any vaginal bleeding, it is important to see your doctor right away.
What causes miscarriage?
In most cases, the cause of miscarriage is unknown. Some of the causes include
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Hormonal problems
- Infections
- Exposure to toxins or chemicals
- Abnormalities of the uterus and cervix, etc
Risk factors:
Some factors can increase your risk of miscarrying, including:
- Being over the age of 35
- Having a history of miscarriages
- Underlying health conditions
- Smoking cigarettes
- Drinking alcohol during pregnancy
- Using illicit drugs during pregnancy
If you have any of these risk factors, it is important to talk to your doctor about how to reduce your risk of miscarrying.
What should you do if you think you are miscarrying?
If you think you might be miscarrying, it is important to see your doctor right away. They will likely do a physical exam and order an ultrasound to confirm the miscarriage. If you have had a confirmed miscarriage, there are several options for how to proceed.
You may choose to wait for the miscarriage to happen naturally, which can take a few days to a week. Alternatively, you may choose to have a surgical procedure called a dilation and curettage (D&C), which is often done in cases of miscarriage. This procedure involves dilating the cervix and removing the tissue from the uterus.
If you have had a miscarriage, it is important to give yourself time to grieve. This is a difficult and often painful experience, and it is normal to feel a sense of loss. There are many resources available to help you through this process.
