Please note: The information on this page is general and in no way replaces consultation with a health professional. Whereas every effort is made to ensure accuracy and relevance this in no way replaces seeing a Health Professional.
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Confirmed Miscarriage/ Loss
Before discussing the implications of pregnancy loss and miscarriage it is essential to note that this page is associated with information when you are certain you have had a miscarriage. It is advisable to have any concerns in relation to bleeding, cramping or cessation of already identified baby movements with your Doctor. Please be aware that not all bleeding in pregnancy has a negative outcome. Please see the Information page associated with Bleeding in Pregnancy.
Before discussing the implications of pregnancy loss and miscarriage it is essential to note that this page is associated with information when you are certain you have had a miscarriage. It is advisable to have any concerns in relation to bleeding, cramping or cessation of already identified baby movements with your Doctor. Please be aware that not all bleeding in pregnancy has a negative outcome. Please see the Information page associated with Bleeding in Pregnancy.
What is Miscarriage
A miscarriage refers to the loss of your baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
A miscarriage is legally different from a stillbirth. A stillbirth refers to the birth of a baby who has died prior to delivery when the pregnancy has progressed for 20 weeks or more.
If the length of the pregnancy is unknown, a baby born with no signs of life and weighing less than 400 grams is considered a miscarriage.
The physical experience of miscarriage can vary greatly between an early miscarriage and late miscarriage.
An early miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before the 12th week of pregnancy (the first trimester).
A late miscarriage is one that has occurred between 12 to 20 weeks of pregnancy (the second trimester).
Common signs of miscarriage include:
A miscarriage refers to the loss of your baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
A miscarriage is legally different from a stillbirth. A stillbirth refers to the birth of a baby who has died prior to delivery when the pregnancy has progressed for 20 weeks or more.
If the length of the pregnancy is unknown, a baby born with no signs of life and weighing less than 400 grams is considered a miscarriage.
The physical experience of miscarriage can vary greatly between an early miscarriage and late miscarriage.
An early miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before the 12th week of pregnancy (the first trimester).
A late miscarriage is one that has occurred between 12 to 20 weeks of pregnancy (the second trimester).
Common signs of miscarriage include:
- cramping tummy pain, similar to period pain
- vaginal bleeding.
What causes a miscarriage?
Usually no treatable cause is found for a miscarriage. Research tells us that about half of all miscarriages happen because the chromosomes in the embryo are abnormal and the pregnancy doesn’t develop properly from the start. In this case, miscarriage is nature’s
way of dealing with an abnormal embryo and thus protecting the mother. Nothing can be done to prevent miscarriage from occurring if a pregnancy is developing abnormally.
What can you do to prevent miscarriage?
Look after your general health; don’t smoke, modify caffeine
intake, avoid alcohol and where possible avoid contact with
others who have a serious infectious illness. Usually the next
pregnancy will be normal, but if you have three miscarriages
in a row further tests are recommended.
How miscarriage is diagnosed
Women seek medical care at different stages of a miscarriage; sometimes the miscarriage has already happened and sometimes it has only just begun. A combination of symptoms (such as pain and bleeding), examination findings, ultrasound and blood tests will confirm whether you have had, or you are having, a miscarriage
See Bleeding in Pregnancy.
A miscarriage is usually diagnosed as complete, incomplete
or missed:
Usually no treatable cause is found for a miscarriage. Research tells us that about half of all miscarriages happen because the chromosomes in the embryo are abnormal and the pregnancy doesn’t develop properly from the start. In this case, miscarriage is nature’s
way of dealing with an abnormal embryo and thus protecting the mother. Nothing can be done to prevent miscarriage from occurring if a pregnancy is developing abnormally.
- Miscarriages are more common in older women than younger women, largely because chromosomal abnormalities are more common with increasing age.
- Miscarriages are also more common in women who smoke and in women who drink more than three alcoholic drinks per week in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
- Research suggests that miscarriage is also more common in women who drink more than 500mg of caffeine per day; this is about three to five cups of coffee.
- Some medical conditions in the mother, such as uncontrolled diabetes, fibroids or thyroid problems, can lead to miscarriage. Rare medical conditions which affect blood clotting can also cause miscarriage. Women who have three or more miscarriages in a row should be checked for these conditions.
- Early tests in pregnancy, such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis, carry a small risk of miscarriage. These are tests that use a needle inserted into the uterus.
- High fever may lead to miscarriage, but minor infections (such as colds) are not harmful.
What can you do to prevent miscarriage?
Look after your general health; don’t smoke, modify caffeine
intake, avoid alcohol and where possible avoid contact with
others who have a serious infectious illness. Usually the next
pregnancy will be normal, but if you have three miscarriages
in a row further tests are recommended.
How miscarriage is diagnosed
Women seek medical care at different stages of a miscarriage; sometimes the miscarriage has already happened and sometimes it has only just begun. A combination of symptoms (such as pain and bleeding), examination findings, ultrasound and blood tests will confirm whether you have had, or you are having, a miscarriage
See Bleeding in Pregnancy.
A miscarriage is usually diagnosed as complete, incomplete
or missed:
- Complete, a miscarriage is complete when all the pregnancy tissue
- has passed
- Incomplete, a miscarriage is incomplete when some of the pregnancy
- tissue has passed, but some is still inside the uterus
- Missed, a missed miscarriage is when the pregnancy has stopped growing but the tissue has not passed and there is still a sac in the uterus.
Who should I contact for help?
- Dr. Petrina Duncan
- Your GP
- Community health service
- Nearest emergency department
- Nearest early pregnancy assessment service
- Nurse on Call – 1300 60 60 24
