How to Tell if You Are Having a Miscarriage

You may think you are having a miscarriage and are not sure how to tell. A miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a fetus before the 20th week of gestation. Most miscarriages occur during the first weeks of pregnancy. A woman can have a miscarriage before she even knows she is pregnant. Approximately 20% of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage.

Warning Signs of Miscarriage

 Severe cramps
 Worsening back or belly pain
 True contractions about every 5-10 minutes
 Light to heavy bleeding with or without cramps
 Tissue with clot-like material passing from the vagina
 A sudden decrease in symptoms of pregnancy
 White-pink mucus

**It is important to note, most women who experience vaginal spotting or bleeding in
the first trimester goes on to have successful pregnancies.

Ectopic Pregnancy and Miscarriage

An ectopic pregnancy is when the fertilized egg settles and grows outside the uterus, typically in the fallopian tube. The baby cannot live or grow outside the uterus. Around 1–2 % of all pregnancies are ectopic. If left untreated, they can also be dangerous to the mother because of internal bleeding.

Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy are:

 severe abdominal or pelvic pain
 feeling light-headed
 dizziness
 vaginal bleeding

An ultrasound can answer three critical questions:

1. Where is the pregnancy located?
2. Is the pregnancy viable?/Does the baby have a heartbeat?
3. How far along is the pregnancy?

If you think you may be pregnant, we recommend you come to our center first, verify your pregnancy with a free pregnancy test. We may also be able to do an ultrasound.

Schedule an appointment at the link above. Your appointment is always free and confidential!

**If you are pregnant and experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

Links

The Top 5 Super Early Signs of Pregnancy