Types of Miscarriages You Can Have

The loss of a baby through a miscarriage can be very distressing. A miscarriage generally occurs for reasons outside your control, and nothing can be done to prevent or stop it from happening. Most women who have had a miscarriage will have a healthy pregnancy.

What is a miscarriage?

A miscarriage is the loss of your baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy. The loss of a baby after 20 weeks is called a stillbirth.

Up to 1 in 5 confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage before 20 weeks, but many other women miscarry without realizing they are pregnant.

Common signs of miscarriage include:

cramping tummy pain, similar to period pain
vaginal bleeding

If you think you are having a miscarriage, see your doctor or go to your local emergency department.

Many women experience vaginal spotting in the first trimester that does not result in pregnancy loss.

What are the types of miscarriages?

There are several types of miscarriage — threatened, inevitable, complete, incomplete, or missed.

Other types of pregnancy loss include ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, and a blighted ovum.

Threatened miscarriage
When your body shows signs that you might miscarry, that is called a 'threatened miscarriage'. You may have light vaginal bleeding or lower abdominal pain. It can last days or weeks, and the cervix is still closed.
The pain and bleeding may resolve, and you can go on to have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Or things may get worse, and you go on to have a miscarriage.
There is rarely anything a doctor, midwife, or you can do to prevent a miscarriage. In the past, bed rest was recommended, but there is no scientiﬁc proof that this helps at this stage.
Inevitable miscarriage
Inevitable miscarriages can come after a threatened miscarriage or without warning. There is usually a lot more vaginal bleeding and strong lower stomach cramps. During the miscarriage, your cervix opens, and the developing fetus will disappear from the bleeding.
Complete miscarriage
A complete miscarriage occurs when all the pregnancy tissue has left your uterus. Vaginal bleeding may continue for several days. Much like labor or strong period pain, cramping pain is common—the uterus is contracting to empty.
If you have miscarried at home or somewhere else with no health workers present, you should have a check-up with a doctor or midwife to ensure the miscarriage is complete.
Incomplete miscarriage
Sometimes, some pregnancy tissue will remain in the uterus. Vaginal bleeding and lower abdominal cramping may continue as the uterus tries to empty itself. This is known as an 'incomplete miscarriage'.
Your doctor or midwife will need to assess whether or not a short procedure called a 'dilatation of the cervix and curettage of the uterus' (often known as a 'D&C') is necessary to remove any remaining pregnancy tissue. This is an important medical procedure done in an operating theatre.
Missed miscarriage
Sometimes, the fetus dies but stays in the uterus. This is known as a 'missed miscarriage.'
If you have a missed miscarriage, you may have a brownish discharge. Some of the pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea and tiredness, may have faded. You might have noticed nothing unusual. You may be shocked to have a scan and find the fetus has died.
If this happens, you should discuss treatment and support options with your doctor.
Recurrent miscarriage
A small number of women have repeated miscarriages. If this is your third or more miscarriage in a row, it's best to discuss this with your doctor, who may investigate the causes, and refer you to a specialist.

What are the signs of a miscarriage?

A miscarriage can occur suddenly or over several weeks. The symptoms are usually vaginal bleeding and lower tummy pain. See your doctor or go to the emergency department if you have signs of a miscarriage.

The most common sign of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding, ranging from light red or brown spotting to heavy bleeding. If it is very early in the pregnancy, you may think you have your period.

Other signs may include:

cramping pain in your lower tummy, which can vary from period-like pain to strong labor-like contractions
passing fluid from your vagina
passing of blood clots or pregnancy tissue from your vagina

If you are concerned that you are having a miscarriage, call your doctor or midwife for advice and support.

Remember that many women experience vaginal spotting in the first trimester of pregnancy that does not result in a miscarriage.

If you are alone, consider calling your partner or a friend for help and support.

If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, or feel unwell, call triple zero (000) or have someone take you to your nearest emergency department.

Unfortunately, nothing can prevent a miscarriage from happening once it has begun. What happens now depends on your health and what is happening to you.

Each approach has benefits and risks. It would help if you discussed these with your doctor. Contact Tamara for the best treatment for miscarriages.