Miscarriage

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy that happens sometime during the first 23 weeks. Around three quarters of miscarriages happen during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (the first trimester).
The main symptom of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding, which may be followed by cramping and pain in your lower abdomen. If you have vaginal bleeding, contact your maternity team or early pregnancy unit at your local hospital straight away.

While a miscarriage does not usually seriously affect a woman’s physical health, it can have a significant emotional impact. Many couples experience feelings of loss and grief.You may also need treatment to remove any tissue that left in your womb. For most women, a miscarriage is a one-off event and they go on to have a successful pregnancy in the future.

What causes a miscarriage?
It is thought that two thirds of early miscarriages are due to abnormal chromosomes in the baby. Chromosomes are genetic "building blocks" that guide the development of a baby. If a baby has too many or not enough chromosomes, the pregnancy can end in miscarriage. In later miscarriages, a problem with the womb or cervix (neck of the womb) may be the cause.

How common are miscarriages?

Miscarriages are much more common than most people realise. This may be because many women who have had a miscarriage prefer not to talk about it.
Among women who know they are pregnant, it is estimated that 12% of these pregnancies will end in miscarriage. This is around one in eight pregnancies. Many more miscarriages occur before a woman is even aware that she has become pregnant.
Losing three or more pregnancies in a row (recurrent miscarriages) is uncommon and affects around 1 in 100 women. Even in cases of recurrent miscarriages, an estimated three quarters of women go on to have a successful pregnancy in the future.
Symptoms of a miscarriage
Light vaginal bleeding is common during the first trimester of pregnancy (the first 12 weeks), so having this symptom does not necessarily mean that you have had a miscarriage. However, if you have vaginal bleeding, contact your maternity team or early pregnancy unit at your local hospital straight away.
Other symptoms
Other symptoms of a miscarriage include:
cramping and pain in your lower abdomen
a discharge of fluid from your vagina
a discharge of tissue from your vagina
no longer experiencing the symptoms of pregnancy, such as feeling sick and breast tenderness
When to seek urgent medical help

On rare occasions, miscarriages happen because the pregnancy develops outside the womb. This is known as an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies are potentially serious because there is a risk that you could experience internal bleeding.
Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include:
heavy vaginal bleeding (soaking more than one sanitary pad every hour)
persistent and severe abdominal pain
pain in your shoulder tip
feeling very faint and light-headed, and possibly fainting
Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy usually appear between weeks 5-14 of the pregnancy.
If you experience any of the symptoms above, visit your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department immediately. If you are unable to travel, you can call up and get advice from NHS Direct on 0845204647
Molar pregnancies

Vaginal bleeding can also be caused by a molar pregnancy. This is a pregnancy that has not developed normally, resulting in a mass of abnormal cells within the womb instead of a baby. A molar pregnancy is usually identified during the first ultrasound scan, at 10-16 weeks of pregnancy.






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