While most diagnosed pregnancies proceed with little difficulty and end in the delivery of healthy babies, it’s natural for a newly pregnant mother to worry that she’s going to miscarry. Some of the signs of miscarriage are quite similar to normal pregnancy symptoms, while others are unique and unmistakable, and if a pregnant woman experiences them, it’s worth a visit to the obstetrician.
Time Frame
The vast majority of miscarriages occur before a fertilized egg even implants, explain Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz in their book, “You: Having A Baby.” These miscarriages occur with no signs whatsoever, save a slightly delayed and heavier than usual period. Miscarriage signs that occur after implantation generally happen between seven and 12 weeks of gestational age, or five to 10 weeks after fertilization. After the end of the twelfth week, signs of miscarriages are quite rare, and miscarriage occurs in less than three percent of pregnancies.
Types
There are a few categories into which miscarriage signs can fall. These typically include vaginal bleeding, cramping and falling levels of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG. In his book, “What You Didn’t Think To Ask Your Obstetrician,” Raymond Poliakin, M.D., explains that falling hCG levels signal that a miscarriage is to follow within a matter of days, while vaginal bleeding and severe cramping signals the start of the miscarriage itself.
Significance
Signs of miscarriage, particularly when they occur between seven and 12 weeks of gestational age, are generally an indication that the developing embryo had genetic abnormalities that were inconsistent with life, explains Dr. Poliakin. During this period of embryonic development, the organs form and begin to function. Since pregnancy is quite hard on the mother’s body, it’s evolutionarily beneficial for babies who would not survive to die and be expelled very early, rather than taxing the mother’s body for many months before dying. As emotionally painful as a miscarriage is, Dr. Poliakin reassures women that in most cases, the baby would not have been viable under any circumstances.
Effects
When a woman experiences signs of a miscarriage in early pregnancy, most doctors do very little to interfere. Later on, however, miscarriage signs such as cramping and bleeding may be met with efforts to prevent the miscarriage from occurring, since late miscarriages are not always due to genetic abnormalities. In her book, “Conception, Pregnancy and Birth,” Dr. Miriam Stoppard explains that some women’s bodies threaten miscarriage due to irritable pelvis or incompetent cervix, both of which may be treated to some extent with bed rest.
Expert Insight
Some normal symptoms of pregnancy are easily mistaken for signs of miscarriage, notes Dr. Stoppard. Many women, for instance, experience a small amount of bright red bleeding early in pregnancy, particularly after intercourse. This is normal, and while she recommends mentioning it to an obstetrician, it’s not likely a sign of miscarriage. The uterus, too, commonly cramps and contracts periodically throughout pregnancy. These short-duration, relatively painless cramps are likewise normal, and not signs of miscarriage.
References
- “You: Having A Baby”; Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.; 2009
- “What You Didn’t Think to Ask Your Obstetrician”; Raymond Poliakin, M.D.; 2007
- “Conception, Pregnancy and Birth”; Miriam Stoppard, M.D.; 2008
