For couples expecting a baby, nothing is more heartbreaking than losing the pregnancy. But miscarriage early in pregnancy is common —and sometimes happens even before you know you’re pregnant. It’s not possible to prevent most pregnancy losses, but there are ways to lessen the risk of having one.
At UPMC, we provide compassionate care for those experiencing any form of pregnancy loss. Here’s what you need to know about pregnancy loss, and how to cope with it.
Pregnancy loss is the umbrella term for the death of a fetus at any time during pregnancy. Most pregnancy losses happen in the first three months after conception, but they can occur later as well.
The language surrounding pregnancy loss can be confusing. The following are some common terms and definitions.
Doctors define miscarriage as a pregnancy loss before the 20th week of gestation. They estimate that 10% to 20% of all known pregnancies end in miscarriage. Most happen in the first eight weeks of pregnancy.
Miscarriage is also called spontaneous abortion, but it's not the same as medication abortions or abortion procedures. Miscarriage is a natural occurrence.
Doctors use the following terms to classify miscarriage:
A stillbirth is a pregnancy loss after the 20th week of gestation. It can happen before, during, or right after delivery.
Stillbirth is much less common than miscarriage. About one baby in 100 is stillborn. Each year, about 24,000 babies are stillborn in the U.S. The cause of stillbirth is often unknown.
There are other problems result in an early pregnancy loss.
Most pregnancy losses happen because of chromosome problems that make it impossible for a baby to develop. Chromosomes are the genetic “building blocks” that guide the baby’s development. If the fertilized egg or fetus has an abnormal number of chromosomes, it can’t continue to grow.
Other possible causes of pregnancy loss include:
In most cases, doctors don’t know what causes pregnancy loss. As emotionally difficult as pregnancy loss is, you shouldn’t feel guilty or responsible for it.
Pregnancy loss rarely happens because of something you can control.
These factors don’t cause pregnancy loss:
Certain factors put you at greater risk for having a miscarriage or stillborn baby.
The older you are when you get pregnant, the more likely you are to have a pregnancy loss. The risk of miscarriage is 10% among women 25 to 29, rising to 53% among women 45 and older.
After one miscarriage, the risk of having another increases by half. After two miscarriages, the risk doubles, and after three consecutive miscarriages, the risk is four times greater.
You're at great risk for pregnancy loss if you have a medical condition like diabetes, thyroid disease, PCOS, or immune system problems. However, many people with these conditions have healthy pregnancies. You should talk to your doctor about how your specific condition affects pregnancy.
The most common symptom that you may experience with a pregnancy loss is cramping and bleeding. However, some spotting and bleeding can happen during pregnancy, especially in the first few months. Bleeding doesn’t always mean you’re having a miscarriage.
However, you should call your doctor right away if you have any bleeding during pregnancy.
Also call your doctor immediately if you have any of the following signs of pregnancy loss:
If you’re more than 20 weeks along in the pregnancy, signs of pregnancy loss may be different. The most common sign of a problem at this stage of pregnancy is when you feel the baby's movements slow down or stop.
It’s rare to have complications from a miscarriage, but they can happen. The most common complication is an infection if tissue from the fetus or placenta remains in your uterus.
Symptoms of an infection include:
You should always seek medical attention when you think you’re having a miscarriage or may have had a miscarriage.
Once you get to the doctor, they'll ask you questions about your symptoms, including when they started and ended. If you’re still having symptoms, they’ll want to know how long they’ve been happening.
Your doctor may perform an ultrasound to take a look at what’s happening in your uterus. An ultrasound can show if the fetus is still growing, and if there's a heartbeat.
Your doctor may also do a pelvic exam to see if your cervix has begun to dilate, or open. A dilated cervix means that a miscarriage is more likely.
Your doctor may also order blood tests to reveal your pregnancy hormone levels. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is the substance detected in pregnancy tests. A drop in hCG may show that you’re losing the pregnancy.
If you experience signs of a pregnancy loss, you should seek medical help right away.
Even if you think you’ve passed all of the pregnancy tissue, you should still see a doctor.
The two types of treatment for a miscarriage are surgical and non-surgical.
Your doctor may advise you to let the pregnancy tissue pass naturally, without any extra treatment. That might take a few days or up to a couple weeks. Or, they may give you medicine to help the tissue pass more quickly.
When you pass the tissue, you may have:
If it’s early in the pregnancy, the amount of tissue will be small. It will look more like a blood clot with gray material than a baby. It may also look like a clear, fluid-filled sac.
Your doctor may ask you to keep some of the tissue that passed so they can examine it. They may be able to test it for chromosomal abnormalities.
Your doctor can give you pain medication to ease your symptoms. Once you’ve stopped passing fetal tissue, they'll do an ultrasound and/or blood tests to make sure no tissue remains in the uterus.
If there are any complications with your miscarriage, your doctor may recommend surgical treatment.
Those complications could be:
Surgical miscarriage treatments include:
After surgical treatment, you shouldn’t put anything in your vagina for a few weeks. That includes having sex or using tampons. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on when you can resume normal activities.
You'll probably resume your normal menstrual cycle within four to six weeks. You should wait at least one regular menstrual cycle before trying to become pregnant again.
Your doctor will want to see you for a follow-up visit a few weeks after your miscarriage. But you should call your doctor right away if you experience signs of infection.
Infection signs include:
If you’re well past 20 weeks of pregnancy and your baby dies in the uterus, your doctor may recommend inducing labor and delivery. If the pregnancy is closer to 20 weeks, they may recommend a D&C.
If possible, they'll examine the baby and placenta to help find the cause of death.
You can’t prevent most pregnancy losses. Getting prenatal care early in pregnancy is the best way to minimize your risk of pregnancy loss. But there are other things you can do to reduce your risk factors.
You should:
Pregnancy loss is physically and emotionally traumatic. You should take time to grieve your loss and recover before trying to get pregnant again.
Talk to your ob-gyn about the best time to try conceiving again. At the very least, you should wait at least one full menstrual cycle before trying to get pregnant again.
For most women, pregnancy loss is a one-time event. You may feel apprehensive about trying again, but know that most women who have a pregnancy loss go on to have healthy pregnancies.
Pregnancy loss — whether by miscarriage or stillbirth — can be extremely upsetting. You looked forward to welcoming a new member of the family, and instead you're grieving a loss. Emotional healing may take longer than physical healing.
After a pregnancy loss, you may first feel a sense of shock and disbelief. Sadness, failure, anger, and self-blame often follow. Your partner may cope with their own feelings of loss in different ways.
It’s important to turn to loved ones and friends for support. Take care of yourself by eating healthy foods, getting rest, and staying active. Some people find it helpful to have a memorial for the baby they lost.
Joining a support group or talking to a grief counselor may help. At UPMC, we offer support to you and your loved ones during and after a pregnancy loss. We can also refer you to support services.
Are you interested in a video visit with one of our women's health experts? You can now see a pregnancy loss specialist from anywhere in Pennsylvania through UPMC virtual care.
Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-09-05.
