The signs of miscarriage are the only way that a woman could tell if she should be concerned about the state of her pregnancy or not.
A miscarriage, otherwise known as “spontaneous abortion”, is an event that results in the loss of a fetus, usually in the first 13-20 weeks of pregnancy.
Miscarriages can happen for a lot of natural and medical reasons.
Early Signs Of Miscarriage
However, knowing the risk factors, causes, and early signs of miscarriage can help one gain a better understanding of the situation and get the necessary support or treatment.
Generally, common early signs that a person is about to experience a miscarriage include:
- Loss of the common early signs of pregnancy, such as nausea, dizziness, and breast tenderness
- Abdominal cramps
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain, especially in the lower back (mild to severe)
- A heavy discharge of fluid or tissue from the vagina
- Vaginal bleeding
Even so, the presence of these situations is not always a sign that a miscarriage is taking place or about to place.
A woman who is miscarrying may experience some, all, or none of the common signs of miscarriage.
Therefore, a proper diagnostic examination is a sure way to go.
An intending mother should seek medical attention at the earliest sign(s) of a suspected miscarriage.
Again, the diagnostic tests to confirm a miscarriage and possible treatment options will depend on the type of miscarriage a person is having.
Early miscarriages are commonly diagnosed using a combination of tests, including.
· Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) Test
To detect the presence of the pregnancy hormone in the blood and/or urine, your medical doctor will be looking out for low or diminishing levels of HCG compared to the levels of HCG expected for your stage in pregnancy.
· A Pelvic Examination:
Your doctor will examine you to learn whether the cervix is dilated. The doctor will also check for the presence of blood and/or pregnancy tissue in the cervical opening.
Both signs that can indicate a miscarriage.
· Ultrasound Scan:
This is an imaging technique that makes use of sound waves to create images of the pregnancy sac and developing fetus.
Carrying out an ultrasound scan will reveal classic signs of miscarriage, including an empty pregnancy sac in the uterus.
It will also reveal pregnancy tissue but no fetus in the uterus, and/or a fetus or embryo appearing smaller than it should be at that stage of pregnancy.
Other types of miscarriage, according to the nature of the pregnancy, include:
1. Chemical Pregnancy And Miscarriage
This is one of the earliest signs of a miscarriage.
It occurs when the fertilised egg fails to properly and fully implant in the uterine lining.
A chemical miscarriage often takes place before people become aware of their pregnancies.
In miscarriages resulting from chemical pregnancy, the lost fertilised egg and pregnancy tissue may be mistaken for a person’s next menstrual period.
The individual may, therefore, be unaware that a miscarriage just took place.
2. Complete Miscarriage
In this case, the entirety of the fecal matter and pregnancy tissue pass out of the uterus naturally and rapidly through the cervix, the lowest part of the womb, connecting it to the vagina, after the miscarriage begins.
Pain, bleeding, and cramping will most likely be experienced, as the fetus and pregnancy tissue are passed.
A popular marker of this type of pregnancy is the fact that bleeding and pain subside quickly, as the embryo empties out of the uterus.
Usually, there is no need for serious medical treatment afterward.
You will only need to see your doctor for professional advice on the appropriate aftercare.
A doctor may also offer psychological interventions to help the person get through the emotional challenges.
3. Incomplete Miscarriage
In the case of an incomplete miscarriage, only part of the fecal matter and pregnancy tissue exit the womb.
Pain, bleeding, and cramping will be experienced, as this is passed, regardless.
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But as opposed to the case of a complete miscarriage, further medical treatment will be needed to identify the extent of the remaining tissue and possibly remove it.
Its variants are:
- Threatened Miscarriage: This comes with some bleeding in early pregnancy, with lower backache. Cervix stays closed. In this case, the pregnancy continues.
- Recurrent Miscarriage: This is defined as three or more (partial) miscarriages during the first trimester.
- Ectopic Pregnancy And Miscarriage: A pregnancy is considered ectopic when the fertilised egg settles and grows outside the inner lining of the uterus, instead of inside; that is, when the embryo attaches outside the uterus (womb), for example in one of the fallopian tubes.
In the case of ectopic miscarriage, abdominal pain and bleeding or spotting are two major signs.
- Molar pregnancy. This occurs when a lump of abnormal cells grows in the womb, instead of a healthy embryo. In this case, too, vaginal bleeding is a leading sign of occurrence.
4. Missed Miscarriage
The typical case of a missed miscarriage has it that the embryo has died, but there are no other symptoms, such as bleeding, or cramps.
Many miscarriages (especially those past 13 weeks of gestation) are confirmed during a routine scan in the course of pregnancy apparently progressing normally, due to detecting the absence of a fetal heartbeat.
Even before the scan, a likely warning sign of a missed miscarriage may be that the unborn baby or bump is smaller than it should be at that stage.
No pregnancy tissue or fecal matter will pass out of the womb in a case of missed miscarriage, and the physical miscarriage may have to be medically induced.
