About 10 to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, but what are the signs?
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks.
It generally happens in the first trimester and this is why women usually hold off on announcing their news until the start of the second trimester.
Up to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, but the actual number is likely higher because many miscarriages occur very early in pregnancy - before you might even realise you're pregnant.
The earliest weeks of pregnancy are when a woman is at the highest risk of a miscarriage.
A miscarriage can occur for many different reasons, and often there is no explanation for the loss.
But it's important to remember that most of these reasons aren't within your control.
Signs and symptoms
The signs and symptoms of a miscarriage vary, depending on your stage of pregnancy.
Some women don't even realise they're pregnant before they miscarry, and mistake the miscarriage for their period.
Symptoms of a miscarriage include:
- heavy spotting
- vaginal bleeding
- discharge of tissue or fluid from your vagina
- severe abdominal pain or cramping
- mild to severe back pain
Call your doctor
If you experience any of these symptoms during your pregnancy, call your doctor immediately.
But it's important to highlight that you may experience some of these symptoms without miscarrying.
Miscarriage causes
While there are some things that increase the risk of miscarriage, generally it's down to an unpreventable cause.
If you’re having frequent miscarriages, your doctor may check for some known causes.
Most first trimester miscarriages happen because the fetus hasn’t develop normally.
Risk factors
There are underlying health conditions and lifestyle habits which may also interfere with fetal development.
These include:
- drug and alcohol use
- advanced maternal age
- hormonal issues.
Miscarriage treatment
The treatment you receive depends on the type of miscarriage that you’ve had.
- If there’s no pregnancy tissue left in your body, no treatment is required.
- If there’s still some tissue present in your body, there are several options:
- You wait for the remaining tissue to pass naturally out of your body
- Your ob-gyn prescribes medication to help you pass the rest of the remaining tissue
- You might require surgery to remove the remaining tissue.
Support
A miscarriage, no matter how early in your pregnancy, can be devastating.
Speak to your doctor about support and counselling options and open up to your loved ones.