Miscarriage Information
If you’ve come to this page because you have experienced a miscarriage, we are very sorry for your loss. You are not alone. If you are looking to support someone who is going through an early pregnancy loss, this information is also relevant for you, and thank you for wanting to learn more about this difficult experience.
Here you can find information, support, and relevant links to services regarding miscarriage.
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Please continue below to find more information, support and relevant links to services regarding miscarriage.
In the UK, the loss of a pregnancy in the first 23 weeks and 6 days’ of gestation is called a miscarriage. However, there are various types of miscarriage which fall under the umbrella term of ‘pregnancy loss’, including:
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Miscarriage (early, late and missed/delayed)
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Chemical pregnancy
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Ectopic pregnancy
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Molar pregnancy
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Anembryonic pregnancy (or blighted ovum)
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Termination for medical reasons (TFMR) before 24 weeks
Sadly, some people experience recurrent miscarriage (multiple pregnancy losses).
Any pregnancy loss which occurs after 24 weeks is referred to as a stillbirth.
What is a miscarriage
In the UK, it is estimated that one in five pregnancies end in loss, which is often extremely surprising because we don’t hear much about it due to the taboo.
Early miscarriages (those which occur within the first 12 weeks), are the most common type.
A late miscarriage (or second-trimester loss) affects 1-2 out of every 100 pregnancies, which is still a significant number. Moreover, losses after 12 weeks can be very shocking as we are often reassured that after this time, we have reached the ‘safety point’.
One in every 80 pregnancies are ectopic.
Most miscarriages are isolated incidents, and there's a good possibility that a person will have a successful pregnancy after a miscarriage.
However, not everyone does, and miscarriage can be a cause of childlessness. Please see our ‘Different pathway’ page for further support with childlessness due to miscarriage.
Prevalence
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Vaginal bleeding is the main sign of miscarriage. Sometimes you may be told that vaginal bleeding - or spotting - can be normal during pregnancy, and this can cause confusion regarding when to be concerned. It is always best to seek medical advice for vaginal bleeding during pregnancy.
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Lower abdominal pain and cramping is another common symptom. The pain can resemble ‘period cramping’ which often becomes more intense. If you experience excruciating pain and/or feel faint or collapse - this may indicate an ectopic pregnancy which requires urgent medical attention.
We know that sadly, healthcare experiences can be difficult, and even exacerbate the symptoms of miscarriage.
The language used and the lack of information provided can make the experience more traumatic. The effects of miscarriage are often minimised, despite many experiencing debilitating symptoms, including severe blood loss and pain, but also anaemia, infection and even haemorrhage. Some require an ambulance for the pain. However, some people experience miscarriage symptoms to be manageable.
Some people are told to manage the physical symptoms at home, however, others require medical care. It can depend on the gestational week of the pregnancy, but not always. It can also depend on the interventions/treatment:
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Expectant management (natural ‘wait and see’ approach, which occurs at home).
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Medical management (medication is given to speed up the physical process).
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Surgical management (surgery involves removing the ‘pregnancy’ and tissue from the uterus).
What are the symptoms of miscarriage?
Most GPs immediately recommend you to the early pregnancy unit at your nearest hospital, and if this is a later stage of your pregnancy, you might be referred to a maternity ward. However, sometimes these units are closed during weekend and/or late hours, and some smaller hospitals do not have an EPU.
In this case, you can contact your GP, midwife, out of hours/111 service and/or visit Accident and Emergency (A&E).
What should I do if I think I am miscarrying?
Often, people describe the psychological effects to be significant and long-lasting following miscarriage, however, it does affect people in different ways. For some, they may experience a miscarriage as a ‘blip’ in their reproductive journey, however for the majority, miscarriage evokes significant life event/bereavement, regardless of the gestational length. Other emotions you may feel include:
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Grief symptoms (intense sadness, shock, despair, anger, guilt etc.)
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Trauma.
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Self-blame.
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Anxiety about potential future pregnancies.
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Insomnia.
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Difficulty focusing.
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Preoccupation with motherhood/parenthood.
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Jealousy.
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Confusion.
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Mental health illnesses, including Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety.
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Suicidal thoughts.
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Struggles with being around babies/children/other pregnant women.
NHS counselling services provide support for miscarriage, however, it is not commonly offered and many have to push to receive it at a time when they are feeling vulnerable. There are often lengthy waiting lists as well.
MISS offer various avenues of support for miscarriage, including group session, 1:1 sessions, a virtual support group and more. (Complete the following form to arrange a 1.1 https://forms.gle/wGPKPuwsNq3HMceq6 or sign up to the next virtual support group through eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/794062300717?aff=oddtdtcreator)
Other sources of support include:
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The Miscarriage Association - https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/
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Petals - https://www.petalscharity.org/
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Sands - https://www.sands.org.uk/
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Tommy’s - https://www.sands.org.uk/
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MIST Workshops Ltd. provide support for workplace issues regarding miscarriage - https://www.mistworkshops.com/
It is very difficult with miscarriage because often there isn’t anything tangible to mourn.
It can be helpful to commemorate your lost baby through keepsakes, planting a memorial tree, jewellery etc.
Psychological effects of miscarriage
Sadly, for most people, the cause of their miscarriage is unknown. This is often due to the lack of testing available for losses before 24 weeks’ gestation. However, even when testing is done, many are left with ‘inconclusive’ results. This can add to the experience, leading to self-blame and the inability to process the loss. While there are some risk factors and known causes, we know that most occur due to chromosomal and/or structural abnormalities, and therefore most have no preventative measures. Chromosomes are genetic “building blocks” that guide the development of a baby. If a baby has too many or not enough chromosomes, it will not develop.
Other reasons for miscarriage include - endometrial problems, blood clotting disorders and infection.
Known risk factors:
The majority of miscarriages cannot be prevented. But there are some factors which increase the risk, and things you can do to reduce the risk of a miscarriage:
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Maternal and paternal age (notably over the age of 40). However, it is important that you don’t blame yourself – it isn’t your fault when you meet a partner, when you’re financially ready to try for a child etc.
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Ethnicity (we have a poor amount of research on this, however, it has been found that Black women are 43% more likely to experience miscarriage). We don’t know whether this is due to a biological reason or racial bias within healthcare.
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Smoking, maternal weight and alcohol use.
Causes and risk factors
If you have experienced two or three miscarriages (depending on where you live in the UK), this is called recurrent miscarriage. This is rare and affects 1% of couples. Having a miscarriage can be devastating, but having one after another is often a very traumatic experience. If you have had two/three miscarriages in row (some Trusts consider recurrent miscarriage as two or three miscarriages not necessarily in a row), you should be referred to a specialist unit dedicated to managing recurrent miscarriage. You can have tests and investigations to find a possible reason. Sometimes no reason is given, however, it may be that you are diagnosed with:
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Blood clotting disorders
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Thyroid problems
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Thyroid antibodies
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Uterine problems
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Genetic cause
Recurrent miscarriage
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