Miscarriage

What is a Miscarriage?

A miscarriage is when there is a loss of pregnancy within the first 23 weeks (approximately 6 months). The main sign of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding during pregnancy and if this happens, you should contact a Doctor immediately. Cramping and pain can also accompany this. Vaginal bleeding can occur without a miscarriage (especially in the first few weeks) and your Doctor will perform investigations to identify this. There is no known reason and it doesn’t mean that women will not go on to have successful pregnancies in the future.

What are the causes for a Miscarriage?

Miscarriages can occur randomly, because of abnormalities with the genetics of the baby or because of a health problem with the reproductive system of the women. There are certain risk factors that can increase the likelihood of having a miscarriage; these include substance misuse, smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and excess caffeine consumption. Chronic health conditions (e.g. diabetes), infections, illness, certain medications and reproductive system conditions can also increase the chance of miscarriage. The Doctor’s will fully investigate miscarriages and offer advice for future pregnancies and treatment of any underlying conditions. Most miscarriages are single events, but even if they are recurrent, most women still have a successful pregnancy in the future.

What are the symptoms of a Miscarriage?

The main sign of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding, followed by cramps and pain in the pelvic region. Your Doctor will investigate and this may involve an ultrasound scan and examination. Miscarriages can be very upsetting both emotionally and physically but the medical team is there for every patient and there are many advice and support service available. Miscarriages are quite common, with 1 in 6 pregnancies being affected.

How is a Miscarriage treated?

There are various outcomes during a confirmed miscarriage. If all of the pregnancy tissue has left the body, there is no requirement for treatment. However in some cases, there can be some tissue left behind that needs to be removed. This can be done through certain medications, a surgical procedure or patients can wait to see if the tissue passes naturally. The situation can be understandably very traumatic for patients and their partners and the medical team will offer counselling, advice and support on the situation and the future.