Possible Signs of Miscarriage

There are certain common signs that women may experience if they are having a miscarriage. You’ll want to be aware of what these are and should call your doctor immediately.

Vaginal bleeding
Bleeding during pregnancy doesn’t always automatically signify a miscarriage. It’s normal for some women to have bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy. Implantation bleeding or placenta previa (when a low placenta covers the cervix) may cause bleeding, but many women who experience vaginal bleeding for these reasons go on to have healthy babies.

Bleeding should not be written off without worry, however. When there is a miscarriage, it’s likely to be accompanied by bleeding. A miscarriage may involve spotting, light bleeding, heavy bleeding, irregular bleeding, constant bleeding or blood clots. It is not a quick event; a miscarriage is a process that your body goes through that can take days. Any kind of bleeding may be an early sign.

Mild to severe cramping
According to The American Pregnancy Association some cramping during pregnancy is normal, particularly in the first trimester. Light aches, pains and pulling sensations are common as the uterus stretches and the body changes. Cramping can also be because of ligaments in the lower abdomen stretching to support your growing uterus. But sometimes cramping is a sign that something is wrong. Cramps may occur during miscarriages because the uterus contracts to spontaneously abort a bad pregnancy. During a miscarriage, cramping may be severe or may be accompanied by vaginal bleeding.

And if you do expereince a miscarraige, it’s important to get the help you need. Heidi McBain experienced a miscarriage at 12 weeks and six days pregnant. “As much as I loved my doctor, I don’t feel like she addressed the emotional pain of the miscarriage, as well as the guilt surrounding being almost in the ‘safe zone’ of the second trimester,” she told Mom.com. Her therapist helped her work through the grief, trauma, and emotional pain associated with the miscarriage.

Some signs and symptoms of a miscarriage are not as obvious as vaginal bleeding or severe cramping. Some signs are more subtle and may be a symptom of something else but should still be examined by a doctor to confirm what is going on.

Back pain
Backaches can be caused by any number of issues during pregnancy. You might dismiss back pain as nothing more than the result of weight gain, being on your feet too long or a bad mattress. If backaches are persistent you should not ignore them. Sometimes miscarriages are accompanied by a dull ache, pressure or pain in the lower back region.

Vaginal discharge
Normal hormonal changes during pregnancy can result in discharge for a variety of reasons — such as yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis. Sometimes discharge can be a miscarriage warning sign. Beware of discharge that is smelly or that is pinkish or brownish in color.

Material pssing from the vagina
Sometimes when the body begins to spontaneously abort you may not feel anything out of the ordinary, but when you go to the bathroom you might notice that there is grayish tissue or clot-like materials passing from the vagina. This could be caused by a miscarriage. A pelvic exam may reveal that the cervix has effaced (become shorter, thinner or softer) or dilated, and the body is trying to expel the fetus.

The early stages of a pregnancy are important to starting your baby off on the right foot. However, there are some things out of your control that could lead to an early miscarriage. In fact, the loss of a pregnancy prior to 12 weeks happens about 10% of the time.

Here are some of the common reasons for a miscarraige in the first 8 weeks:

• Chromosomal abnormalities that lead to the arrest of embryo growth
• A hyperactive immune system where the embryo is 50% foreign to the mother’s immune system because it contains the father’s genetic makeup
• Infections such as bacterial vaginosis, HIV, gonorrhea, or cytomegalovirus are common culprits of an early miscarriage
• Anatomical abnormalities of the uterus
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Thyroid disease with raised TSH levels increase miscarriage chances
• A predisposition to blood clotting
• Medications such as Misoprostol, Methotrexate, retinoids, and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs may increase chances of a miscarriage
• Food poisoning
• Exposure to harmful chemicals such as lead, arsenic, mercury, and pesticides

If you have experienced a miscarriage, you will need to be on the look out for signs of infection. According to Gracen Lake, MD of EsourceResearch, infection can happen if the uterus doesn’t expel all materials. “After a miscarriage, some pregnancy tissue frequently stays in the uterus. If it isn’t removed by scraping the womb with a curette (a device like a spoon), you might experience prolonged bleeding,” she told Mom.com. The result might be an infection that is accompanies by chills, a high fever, and an unpleasant vaginal discharge.