Types of Miscarriage

Types of Miscarriage

Miscarriages differ according to 2 main factors: how far the pregnancy has progressed and how much of the fetus and other elements of pregnancy, such as the placenta, have been expelled from the body. To prevent infection, it's important to ensure that all material related to pregnancy has been either expelled naturally or removed from the uterus.

Inevitable Miscarriage

When bleeding and pain are accompanied by the breaking of membranes (the amniotic sac surrounding the fetus) and the widening of the cervix, the pregnancy is viewed as lost (inevitable miscarriage). Uterine contractions to expel the fetus usually begin soon after these symptoms develop.

Incomplete and Missed Miscarriages

In some miscarriages, the body does not expel all the elements of pregnancy. This is called an incomplete miscarriage. At other times—in about 1 percent of pregnancies—the body does not discharge the fetus, the placenta, or any other elements of the pregnancy for several weeks, even though the fetus has died. This is known as a missed miscarriage. It is a possibility when a woman has neither menstrual periods nor any signs of pregnancy. Breasts may return to their prepregnancy state, for example, or the woman may lose a few pounds. Not all missed miscarriages are preceded by warning signs.

An incomplete or missed miscarriage that takes place early in pregnancy is usually removed with either suction or dilation and curettage (D&C), “opening” the uterus and scraping out its contents, through the vagina, with an instrument called a curette. These procedures not only clear the uterus but also prevent infection. When incomplete miscarriage occurs later in pregnancy, the doctor may have to induce labor to remove the fetus.

• Minimizing the Risk of Miscarriage
• After Miscarriage