The miscarriage of a pregnancy can be an emotional and difficult time. It is important to be informed on the signs and symptoms that could indicate a potential loss of your pregnancy. While not all miscarriages present with clearly identifiable indicators, understanding the most common signs can help you catch an impending miscarriage early and make informed decisions when it comes to seeking medical advice or treatment options. In this blog post, we will explore some of the key physical and emotional signs which may occur if your pregnancy ends in a miscarriage.
What is a miscarriage?
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation. It is a heartbreaking experience for any parent and signs may include cramping, spotting or bleeding from the vagina, passing tissue from the vagina, back pain or no longer feeling pregnant. A health care provider can confirm a miscarriage and help parents through this difficult time. It is important to consult with a doctor if signs of a miscarriage are present, to make sure that both physical and emotional needs are taken care of.
Types of miscarriage
1- Missed miscarriage
A missed miscarriage, also known as a silent or delayed miscarriage, is when signs of losing a pregnancy are not immediately apparent. If a woman experiences signs such as cramping and bleeding, it’s most likely a typical spontaneous miscarriage; but if there are no signs like this, it can be much harder to detect a missed miscarriage.
Common signs include the lack of fetal heartbeat on an ultrasound scan or smaller than usual uterus size for the gestational age of the pregnancy. Women who experience a missed miscarriage may feel confusion over why their body didn’t give signs that something was wrong. It can be comforting to consult with your doctor and mental health professional to discuss both physical and emotional responses following any kind of miscarriage.
2- Complete miscarriage
A complete miscarriage occurs when a pregnant woman loses the fetus completely, and signs of a miscarriage include heavy bleeding, decreased signs of pregnancy, and cramping in the abdomen. Unfortunately, a complete miscarriage is common among pregnant women and it can be difficult to understand why this has happened.
It is important for any signs or concerns related to a complete miscarriage to be discussed immediately with medical professionals for thorough diagnosis. If signs are ignored, it can affect future pregnancies and/or lead to other health issues.
3- Recurrent miscarriage
Recurrent miscarriage is the unfortunate experience of multiple miscarriages in a row. It can be caused by physical or emotional issues and it’s important to identify signs of a possible miscarriage early on so that medical help can be sought. There are a few signs to watch out for, such as an increase in abdominal pain, vaginal spotting or bleeding, cramping and fluid discharge.
If any of these signs manifest themselves during pregnancy, it’s important to talk with a health practitioner right away. Recurrent miscarriages can be heartbreaking, but finding the root cause may lead to successful future pregnancies.
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4- Threatened miscarriage
A threatened miscarriage is a term used to describe signs of possible miscarriage such as spotting or light bleeding. It's important to keep in mind that a threatened miscarriage can occur without signs and symptoms, but if they appear they may be signs the body is attempting to cope with the threatened loss of a pregnancy.
Women should take extra caution if signs of a threatened miscarriage occur, such as heavy bleeding, severe cramps, back pain or pain radiating down the legs. Consulting with a qualified healthcare professional will ensure potential risk factors are identified and addressed quickly.
5- Inevitable miscarriage
An inevitable miscarriage is one of the most heartbreaking and devastating experiences a woman may face, defined by signs like bleeding, cramps, or even feeling like your baby has "dropped out." In addition to these signs, women who experience an inevitable miscarriage may have unusually tender breasts and pass large clots or tissue.
While difficult to grapple with emotionally, it's important that any signs be taken seriously and discussed with a doctor right away. Tragically, many women miscarry before they even realize they are pregnant—despite the heartache associated with them, such losses can help us better understand our own reproductive health cycles and could potentially help prevent future miscarriages.
What causes miscarriage?
Miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks of gestation, and it affects around 10-20% of pregnancies. In many cases, the cause for miscarriage is not known; however, certain signs and factors may point to potential causes such as infection, hormonal imbalances, chromosomal abnormalities, excessive physical or emotional stress, and age. Infection can be caused by viruses such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV), listeria, toxoplasmosis and rubella.
Hormonal imbalances can occur due to problems with the mother’s thyroid or other hormone producing hormones; atypical placental development can also impact hormone levels. Chromosomal abnormalities are responsible for about half of the cases involvingmiscarriage: either due to abnormalities in a single chromosome or because of an incompatible number among the chromosomes themselves.
Lastly, physical or emotional stress may have a significant effect on an individual's body and its ability to maintain a viable pregnancy. Another factor that is often linked to miscarriages is maternal age; women 35 years of age or over have a higher risk of miscarrying than younger women.
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What happens first during a miscarriage?
Can you recognize signs of a miscarriage? The reality is, signs of a miscarriage vary. During the early stages of pregnancy, signs may include sharp abdominal or lower back pains and spotting. In the event that a woman experiences signs she should immediately speak to her doctor for further advice.
At times, if there is cause for concern and suspicion of a miscarriage, a doctor may order an ultrasound to confirm it. If early signs are observed, this usually signals that a miscarriage has already began and can no longer be prevented.
How long does a miscarriage take?
Miscarriages can be a heartbreaking experience, and with them comes a lot of questions. One of the most common questions is usually how long they take to complete. A miscarriage can range from hours to weeks depending on many factors including the age and health of the mother, as well as how far along she is in her pregnancy.
Generally speaking, if it’s an early miscarriage before 12 weeks, the average length of time that miscarriage takes is around 1-2 weeks but it can vary anywhere from days to a few months. It’s important for anyone who has had a miscarriage to speak with their doctor about the best way forward following their miscarriage.
How many people have miscarriages?
A miscarriage, also known as a miscarriage, is surprisingly common and affects more than 15% of all pregnancies. Most miscarriages happen during the first trimester of pregnancy, but they can occur later in the pregnancy as well. Unfortunately, miscarriage remains shrouded in stigma and there tends to be a lack of discussion around how many people are affected by miscarriage each year.
Awareness is growing, however, and it’s becoming more widely accepted for those who have had miscarriages to share their stories to help spread the message that miscarriage should be taken seriously and not simply brushed away or forgotten.
Please book an appointment with the best Gynecologist in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and all major cities of Pakistan through InstaCare, or call our helpline at 03171777509 to find the verified doctor for your disease.
Source: https://instacare.pk/blog/miscarriage-signs-and-symptoms
