The most common symptom of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding or discharge so it is important that you see your doctor immediately if you experience any bleeding while you are pregnant. The amount of blood can vary from light spotting to heavier than a period, and you may pass blood clots or tissue from the vagina. If the bleeding is particularly heavy you should go to A&E in hospital or phone an ambulance.
If you experience vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy, it does not necessarily mean you have had a miscarriage. This is referred to as a 'threatened' miscarriage, and many women proceed to have healthy babies.
Another symptom of a miscarriage is abdominal pain or backache, kind of like period pains. If you have sharp pains on one side of the abdomen you should call am ambulance or go to A&E because this is a sign of an eptopic pregnancy. An eptopic pregnancy is when the baby develops outside the womb, and it is very dangerous for you and your baby.
Some women do not experience any bleeding or aches when they have a miscarriage. Some notice their pregnancy symptoms such as sore breasts and nausea have disappeared. Some don't notice anything at all and only discover they have miscarried during a routine antenatal scan. When this happens it is called a 'missed' or 'delayed' miscarriage.
June 2011 |