MISCARRIAGE
Overview
A miscarriage (also called a spontaneous abortion) is the unexpected ending of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks of gestation. Just because it’s called a “miscarriage” doesn’t mean you did something wrong in carrying the pregnancy. Most miscarriages are beyond your control and occur because the fetus stops growing.
Types of miscarriage
Your pregnancy care provider may diagnose you with the following types of miscarriage:
- Missed miscarriage: You’ve lost the pregnancy but are unaware it’s happened. There are no symptoms of miscarriage, but an ultrasound confirms the fetus has no heartbeat.
- Complete miscarriage: You’ve lost the pregnancy and your uterus is empty. You’ve experienced bleeding and passed fetal tissue. Your provider can confirm a complete miscarriage with an ultrasound.
- Recurrent miscarriage: Three consecutive miscarriages. It affects about 1% of couples.
- Threatened miscarriage:Your cervix stays closed, but you’re bleeding and experiencing pelvic cramping. The pregnancy typically continues with no further issues. Your pregnancy care provider may monitor you more closely for the rest of your pregnancy.
- Inevitable miscarriage: You’re bleeding, cramping and your cervix has started to open (dilate). You may leak amniotic fluid. A complete miscarriage is likely.
Procedure
If you experience the loss of a pregnancy, the fetus must be removed from your uterus. If any parts of the pregnancy are left inside your body, you could experience infection, bleeding or other complications.
If the miscarriage is complete and your uterus expels all the fetal tissue, then no further treatment is usually needed. Your pregnancy care provider will conduct an ultrasound to make sure there’s nothing left in your uterus.
If your body doesn’t remove all the tissue on its own or you haven’t started to bleed, your pregnancy care provider will recommend removing the tissue with medication or surgery.
How can One prevent another miscarriage?
It’s usually not possible to prevent a miscarriage. If you have a miscarriage, it’s not because you did something to cause it. Taking care of your body is the best thing you can do. Some examples of ways to care for yourself include:
- Attending all your prenatal care appointments.
- Maintaining a weight that’s healthy for you.
- Avoiding risk factors for miscarriage like drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
- Taking a prenatal vitamin.
- Getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet.