What Does A Miscarriage Look Like? Signs, Symptoms, And Must-Knows

A miscarriage is not the best thing to talk about in the world of pregnancy. But that shouldn’t stop you from being mentally prepared about what the same actually looks like! It can be defined as a spontaneous loss of pregnancy 20 weeks before gestation starts. 

Miscarriages are pretty common, considering eight to twenty percent of pregnancies are likely to end in mishaps, with the majority of miscarriages happening right before the 12th week. The symptoms and signs might vary from individual to individual – it all depends on how old your pregnancy is, the level of complications, and the like.

So, what does a miscarriage look like? Keep reading to find out what a miscarriage looks like while we navigate through the complications of a missed pregnancy.

What Does A Miscarriage Look Like? Signs And Symptoms!

A miscarriage is perhaps one of the saddest experiences that many women undergo during their lifespans and the complications are usually far more dangerous than most people are aware of in-depth! So, it’s best to be aware of the signs and symptoms of a miscarriage.

You might be wondering what a miscarriage looks like, but first, let’s find out the top signs of miscarriage. Then, all you have to do is simply scroll down and check out the symptoms!

1. Bleeding or spotting from your vagina,
2. Abdominal pain or cramping in your lower back,
3. Passage of fluid, tissue, or even other products from your vagina.

As we mentioned in the very beginning, signs of miscarriage vary from one individual to another – moreover, it also depends on how long you have been pregnant. For instance, a fetus of fourteen weeks will definitely be bigger than that of five weeks in the gestation period – as a result, and there will be more tissue loss and bleeding with a longer pregnancy followed by a miscarriage. 

When Should You Seek Help?

Now that you know what a miscarriage looks like, you should understand when to seek help. 

In our opinion, you don’t need to find answers to questions like ‘Does miscarriage hurt?’ or ‘When to seek help?’ – instead, seek help in case you feel there’s something wrong with your body during your pregnancy. 

If you or anyone you know is pregnant and then experiences bleeding, it’s best to consult your doctor. Yes, it’s tragic that you can’t stop an ongoing miscarriage, but your doctor can help you figure out if there’s anything else bothering your body. For diagnosing a miscarriage, the doctor usually does an ultrasound and looks for the heartbeat of the baby. 

At the same time, the doctor might also perform blood tests to check the hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels and find out whether that’s falling or rising. If the miscarriage gets confirmed, then the doctor might recommend expectant management, which basically means the patient has to wait for the miscarriage to end naturally. It takes about two weeks for this to happen. 

Check out the two other types of cases you might come across.

Incomplete Miscarriage:

The thing about such situations is that nobody exactly knows what does a miscarriage look like or what’s an incomplete miscarriage. Yes, there are signs and symptoms for both, but always remember that the symptoms we mention are all common ones. This basically means you can come across uncommon symptoms as well – so it’s best to consult with your doctor in most situations. 

Not all blood is miscarriage blood, there can also be a case of incomplete miscarriage or threatened miscarriage, for that matter. This is called incomplete when,

• You experience particularly heavy bleeding,
• You experience high temperature or fever,
• You still have tissue inside your uterus.

In case of an incomplete miscarriage, your doctor is most likely to recommend ‘D and C’ (dilation and curettage). D and C is basically a type of surgical procedure conducted to get rid of any remaining tissue. The procedure is implemented under regional or general anesthesia, and it is considered to be a safe procedure. 

Threatened Miscarriage:

Just like an incomplete miscarriage, there’s also another situation that you can easily encounter – that of a threatened miscarriage. For people wondering what a miscarriage looks like, it is important to understand that miscarriages are bound to look different at different phases of your pregnancy. For instance, a 6-week miscarriage clot will look very different from a 4-week one. 

As a result, it’s best to understand all the situations you can face instead of focusing on what it looks like. So if you experience any pain or bleeding during your pregnancy, you must seek your doctor’s help. In addition, there’s a possibility that you are experiencing threatened miscarriage – in such cases, there are some treatments you can check out!

1. Hormone supplements, in case your low progesterone count is causing your bleeding. 
2. A cerclage is basically a type of stitch in your cervix in case your cervix keeps opening prematurely.

What Causes Miscarriage? 

One of the major reasons behind miscarriage is because of incomplete development of a baby inside the womb. Usually, half of two-thirds of miscarriages happen because of a missing chromosome or an extra chromosome. 

Chromosomes are structures located inside the cell. These cell structures contain genes ( the instruction of a baby’s appearance and characteristics). 

When the sperm and the egg unite, the chromosomes (two units) connect. But if any of the sets have fewer chromosomes or more than usual, it can lead to miscarriage. 

What Does Not Cause Miscarriage?

Although often mistaken, many things don’t cause a miscarriage. Here is a list of things that certainly aren’t the reasons for miscarriage –

1. Exercising:

Exercising does not cause miscarriage. It’s best to discuss it with your healthcare provider if you choose to do heavy exercise during pregnancy. But, it’s best to avoid activities that could cause injury. For example, intense contact sports are a no-no. 

2. Sex:

Sex during pregnancy does not cause miscarriage. Pregnancy with no complications doesn’t cause miscarriage if you have sex during pregnancy. There is amniotic fluid in the uterus. It protects the baby if you are having sex during pregnancy. 

3. Arguments:

Many couples are under the impression that arguments can cause miscarriage. But it scientifically has no link with miscarriage. 

4. Birth Control Pills:

Women who used to take birth control pills before pregnancy aren’t at risk of miscarriage. 

5. High Does of Chemicals:

Working does not cause miscarriage as well. At the same time, it’s best to avoid heavy work during pregnancy. But if you are not working at any plant that exposes you to toxic chemicals and radiation, you aren’t at risk. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Check out the most frequently asked questions related to the symptoms of miscarriage mentioned below in detail.

And It’s A Wrap!

Now that you know what a miscarriage looks like, it’s best to be careful with your body in case you are planning to get pregnant soon or you are already pregnant. Consult with your doctor at every step because if you aren’t careful at every step of the way during your pregnancy, things can get complicated very easily.

In the meantime, don’t forget to let us know your thoughts and experiences (if you have any) in the comments section below. 

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