Miscarriage In Pregnancy

A miscarriages the loss of a pregnancy that happens sometime during the first 24 weeks. The majority of miscarriages happen during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, which is often referred to as the first trimester, or early miscarriage. Miscarriage in after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is called a late miscarriage. One of the main symptoms of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding. A woman can go on to have a successful pregnancy after miscarriage.
Prior to a positive pregnancy test, as much as 75 per cent fertilised eggs are lost in early pregnancy. After a positive pregnancy test there is an estimated 20 per cent chance of a pregnancy ending in a miscarriage. Miscarriages are much more common than most people realise. The actual figure is much higher than these published figures because many miscarriages are thought to occur before a woman realises that she is pregnant. In addition, it is difficult to determine the actual percentage of miscarriage in pregnancy because many women who have had a miscarriage prefer not to talk about it.
Some women know pregnancy signs and would know if they have had a miscarriage in the early stages. Early pregnancy miscarriage is more common than the later miscarriage. This may explain why many women prefer to wait for the first three months before they announce to friends and family that they are pregnant.
It is thought that most miscarriages are the result of random variations in the chromosomes of 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.

Pregnancy miscarriage symptoms

The most common symptom of miscarriage is vaginal bleeding, which can vary from light spotting to heavy bleeding. It is important to realise that light vaginal bleeding is common during the first trimester of pregnancy, so having this symptom does not necessarily mean that you have had a miscarriage.
Other symptoms of a miscarriage include:

• cramping and pain in your lower abdomen,
• a discharge of fluid and/or tissue from your vagina, and
• no longer experiencing the symptoms of pregnancy, such as nausea and breast tenderness.

It is advised that you see your doctor if you experience vaginal bleeding and/or discharge. These symptoms do not automatically mean that you have had a miscarriage, but they should always be investigated.
On rare occasions, miscarriages happen because the pregnancy develops outside the womb. This is known as an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is potentially serious because there is a risk that the woman 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, and
• feeling very faint and light-headed.

If you experience any of the symptoms above, visit your local accident and emergency (A&E) department immediately

Pregnancy after miscarriage

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.
For most women, a miscarriage is a one-off event, known as a sporadic miscarriage,  and they go on to have a successful pregnancy in the future.
Recurrent miscarriages (the loss of three or more pregnancies in a row) are uncommon and affect 1% of all couples. Even in the case of recurrent miscarriages, an estimated 75% of women go on to have a successful pregnancy after miscarriage in the future.