An incomplete miscarriage is when a person experiences bleeding and severe cramping and may pass some pregnancy tissue at home. When an ultrasound is done, the gestational sac may not be visible, but there may remain pregnancy tissue. In that case, treatment options to remove the remaining tissue will be discussed. A complete miscarriage means all of the tissue has been passed and an ultrasound reveals no tissue remains in the uterus. This scenario would not require additional medical treatment because the uterus has fully released all pregnancy tissue.

After 20 weeks, pregnancy loss is no longer officially considered a miscarriage. But White believes that stillbirth, ectopic pregnancies, and molar pregnancies belong in the discussion.

Stillbirth is the birth of an infant who has died in the womb after surviving at least 20 to 28 weeks. Ectopic pregnancy is when an egg implants outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. Molar pregnancy is when the fetus never grows and theres hypergrowth of the placenta. In all of these cases, the pregnancy ends before term, often risking the mothers health.

The first signs of miscarriage are spotting and cramps. Anytime you experience spotting, especially if youre spotting before your first ob-gyn appointment, its important to call your doctor. I would never tell a patient bleeding or spotting in pregnancy is normal. Its not uncommon, but its not normal, says McConnell. You may notice that any symptoms you might have had with pregnancylike exhaustion, tender breasts, and nauseadisappear.

If your pregnancy hasnt been confirmed by an ultrasound, a doctor will take one to ensure the bleeding doesnt indicate an ectopic pregnancy. If you dont yet have an ob-gyn or your doctors office is closed, go to the emergency room to have an ultrasound done. Its possible that at some point you will miscarry on your own [before an appointment], says White. Thats the hard thing. Sometimes youll be in a position to know its happening, and other times it starts on its own and you end up passing tissue before you can even get in to see your doctor.

Miscarriages dont always happen on their ownmost of the time they require medical treatment. Depending on timing, necessity, and cost, youll have one of three treatment options: expected management, medication, or a surgical procedure.

Opting for expected management is essentially letting nature run its course, giving your body the space to expel the fetal tissue on its own. This can take weeks80% of people will pass the pregnancy tissue within eight weeks of the cervix's being open, according to White.

With this method you will most likely experience heavy bleeding and severe cramping; your doctor may recommend ibuprofen or acetaminophen to mitigate the pain. (In pregnancy, acetaminophen is typically the only medication approved, but if youre miscarrying, its safe to take other pain-relieving medications.) Expected management means you can miscarry at home, which may make it more comfortable.

If you decide to have your miscarriage at home but dont want the limbo of waiting for your body to miscarry naturally, your doctor may prescribe you a medication called misoprostol, one of the medications commonly referred to as the abortion pill. You will still experience bleeding and cramping, but the miscarriage would take place within one to two weeks.

The third option is the quickest: a dilation and curettage procedure, also called a D&C. In this procedure the doctor will dilate the cervix to manually remove the tissue from the uterus. General or local anesthesia is given for the procedure, and spotting and light cramping may persist for a few days after.

The physical side of recovery can take up to three weeks. After a treatment its common to bleed for two to three weeks and experience cramping over the first 48 hours, with it calming down in the following days. Your doctor may say the pregnancy is over, but when youre still managing symptoms for two to three weeks, it may not feel like it, White says. I tell people if you push it too hard [with work or exercise], you may increase your bleeding. Its okay, but it might make you uncomfortable and want to slow it down. See how your body reacts and then slowly ramp it up.

In general, your menstrual cycle should return within six weeks, and hormonal changes, like pregnancy acne, should balance out within three months. If you experience ongoing heavy bleeding or severe cramping, you should contact your doctor immediately.

As far as trying to conceive again, White recommends waiting two weeks, to be on the conservative side. You dont always feel like having sex, but at the same time having sex can also be really life-affirming, she says.

The aftermath of miscarriage, like grief itself, is different for everyone. Some people are ready to try again soon after, and others, like me, bury their grief for months. The absolute last thing a person experiencing miscarriage needs is someone telling them how to feel. Theres no right or wrong way to move forward.

Rachel Wells is a writer based in Nashville, covering the intersection of reproductive rights, mental health, and sexual violence. Follow her on Twitter @rachelwells and on Instagram @rachelwells1.

Visit link:
Miscarriage Signs, Causes & Treatment: What to Expect - Glamour

Comments are closed.