A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks. It is common — about 1 in every 5 to 7 known pregnancies ends this way, most of them in the first 12 weeks. Most miscarriages happen because the baby was not developing normally and are not caused by anything the mother did. Heavy bleeding or infection after a miscarriage can be dangerous, so medical care is important.
Symptoms
Bleeding from the vagina, from light spotting to heavy bleeding with clots
Cramping pain in the lower belly or lower back
Passing tissue or clots from the vagina
Pregnancy signs such as nausea or sore breasts suddenly stop
Sometimes no symptoms — it is found on an ultrasound
Causes
Most often a chromosome problem in the developing baby that happens by chance
Uncontrolled diabetes or thyroid disease
Severe infections with high fever, such as malaria or brucellosis
Problems with the shape of the womb or a weak cervix (more often in later miscarriages)
Smoking, naswar, alcohol or drugs
Normal work, sex, travel or light exercise do not cause miscarriage
Prevention
Most miscarriages cannot be prevented
Start folic acid before pregnancy and continue in early pregnancy
Talk to a doctor
Get advice by video, voice or chat without leaving home.
Control diabetes and thyroid disease before pregnancy
Avoid smoking, naswar, alcohol and medicines not prescribed by a doctor
Treat fevers and infections quickly
Treatment
An ultrasound and examination to see whether the pregnancy has fully passed
Sometimes the body passes everything naturally with time
Medicine or a small procedure to empty the womb, done by a trained health worker
An anti-D injection if your blood group is Rh-negative
Rest and emotional support — it is normal to feel sad
Do not take medicines to end or "clean out" a pregnancy without a doctor
Common questions
Did I cause the miscarriage?
Almost always, no. Most miscarriages happen because the pregnancy was not developing normally. Work, lifting normal loads, sex or a fright do not cause it.
When can I try to get pregnant again?
Physically you can usually try again after your next normal period, once you feel ready. If you have had two or more miscarriages in a row, see a gynaecologist for tests.
