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Information on miscarriage
Something so common that isn't spoken about
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 24 weeks. Unbelievably, miscarriage is a common difficulty, with most happening in the first 3 months of pregnancy. This type of loss of pregnancy is known as an early miscarriage.
Sadly, early miscarriage is very common and sometimes happens before the woman even realises that she is pregnant. In most cases, it is not possible to give a reason why an early miscarriage happens.
A late miscarriage happens after the first 3 months but before 24 weeks. If a baby dies at or after 24 weeks of pregnancy, this is called a stillbirth.
It can be very difficult to accept that a very late loss of pregnancy is called a miscarriage rather than a stillbirth. This is upsetting for some women who suffer a late pregnancy loss as they may give birth to their baby and, understandably, feel that it should be called a stillbirth. From a legal point of view, a baby is thought to have a good chance of surviving if they are born alive at 24 weeks.
Losing a baby is a deeply personal experience that affects people differently. No matter when in your pregnancy you miscarry, you may need support to help you come to terms with what’s happened.
The main symptoms of miscarriage are vaginal bleeding or spotting sometimes abdominal cramps however sometimes there are no symptoms at all.
Bleeding during pregnancy can be light or heavy. There can be clots or stringy bits or you may have spotting on your underwear or when you wipe yourself. Sometimes the bleeding can be continuous or it can be on and off over a few days. It does not always mean that you are having a miscarriage or that you will indeed miscarry but you should always get it checked.
Miscarriage is usually confirmed by an ultrasound scan, you may need more than one scan to confirm if the foetus has died. The wait for this can be very distressing.
Doctors describe miscarriage in different ways. When a baby has died or is still in the uterus and you have no idea that anything is wrong until you go for your scan, you still feel pregnant and have a positive test this is known as a delayed, missed or silent miscarriage.
An early embryo loss or delayed miscarriage is also known as a blighted ovum is when the ultrasound scan shows the pregnancy sac however there is nothing in it. This is usually due to the fertilised egg not developing normally so the sac grows but the baby doesn’t with this again you still feel pregnant. An incomplete miscarriage is when some but not all of the pregnancy tissue has miscarried so you can still suffer from pain and bleeding.
The loss of a pregnancy is an incredibly difficult experience, sometimes there are circumstances around particular types of loss that can make it more difficult.
We have compiled the links below for further information:
After a pregnancy loss, you may find that it can take a few days or a few weeks to recover physically everyone is different. You could feel run down and tired you may feel relieved once the process is complete especially if you had a lack of clarity during the miscarriage.
Afterwards, it can take up to six weeks to take a period and it may be heavier or longer than your usual cycle and it may take a while to become regular. If you miscarry at home you may find that you pass the remains of the pregnancy in the toilet you may want to look at the remains or you may flush the toilet both are completely normal reactions.
Miscarriage can be devastating for some women others can feel really sad and some feel sad at the time but quickly move on. It depends on your circumstances, what the pregnancy meant to you and your experience of the pregnancy. You may worry about the chance of getting pregnant again or miscarrying again. You may feel numb, angry, jealous, empty and lonely, shocked, or confused and these things are all perfectly normal feelings.
You may feel reluctant to discuss your miscarriage with family and friends, particularly if you had not yet told them about the pregnancy. Some people feel that their friends and relatives do not understand the significance of their loss. If you feel this way, professional support services or support organisations may be more helpful for you.
Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland
https://www.miscarriagesupport.org.uk/
https://www.ataloss.org/faqs/scottish-care-and-information-on-miscarriage-scim
https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/
http://www.sad.scot.nhs.uk/bereavement/pregnancy-loss-stillbirth-and-neonatal-death/