What is a miscarriage?
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before the baby could survive outside the uterus: before 20 weeks in the US and 24 weeks in the UK. Most happen in the first 12 weeks, usually because of a chromosome difference that stops development. Miscarriage is common, affecting about 1 in 8 known pregnancies, and is not caused by everyday activity, stress or sex.
Common signs
- Vaginal bleeding, from spotting to heavy bleeding with clots
- Cramping or pain in the lower belly or back
- Passing tissue
- Pregnancy symptoms such as nausea or breast tenderness fading
- Sometimes no signs, found at a scan (a missed miscarriage)
Light bleeding in early pregnancy is common and does not always mean a miscarriage. An ultrasound and hCG tests can show what is happening. A very early loss seen only on tests is called a chemical pregnancy.
Get urgent help for very heavy bleeding (soaking more than one pad an hour for 2 hours), severe pain, pain on one side or in the shoulder tip, dizziness or fainting, or fever and foul-smelling discharge. These can signal an ectopic pregnancy, heavy blood loss or infection.
After a miscarriage
Bleeding usually settles within one to two weeks. Ovulation can return as soon as two to four weeks later, and the first period often comes four to six weeks after the loss. You can estimate timing with the ovulation after miscarriage calculator. Do a pregnancy test about three weeks after, to check hCG has returned to zero.
Your feelings matter
Grief, guilt, anger, relief, numbness or anxiety in a next pregnancy are all normal responses. Partners grieve too. Hormone shifts after loss can deepen low mood for a while. If low mood or anxiety lasts more than a few weeks, talk to your doctor; support from miscarriage charities can help as well.
After three miscarriages in a row (or two in some guidelines), you can ask for tests for recurrent miscarriage.
Frequently asked questions
Did I cause my miscarriage?
Almost certainly not. Most early miscarriages are caused by chromosome differences that nothing could have changed.
When can we try again?
Once you feel ready, physically and emotionally. Most guidelines say there is no need to wait a set number of cycles after an early loss.
Sources
- NHS: Miscarriage
- ACOG: Early pregnancy loss
- Quenby S et al. Miscarriage matters: the epidemiological, physical, psychological, and economic costs of early pregnancy loss. Lancet (2021)
This page is for information only and isn鈥檛 medical advice. If something worries you, please talk to a doctor.
Keep reading
Ovulation after miscarriage calculator: when your cycle comes backA gentle ovulation after miscarriage calculator: see when ovulation and your first period may return after a loss or an abortion, plus signs to call a doctor.What is a chemical pregnancy?A chemical pregnancy is a very early loss after implantation, often seen only as a positive test then a period. What it means, signs, and gentle next steps.
What is an ectopic pregnancy?An ectopic pregnancy grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. The warning signs to know, why it's an emergency, and how it's treated.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG): definitionhCG is the hormone made after implantation that pregnancy tests detect. How fast it rises, what beta hCG numbers mean, and when a test can turn positive.When does your period come back after birth?Your period after birth can return in 6 to 8 weeks if you're not breastfeeding, or months later if you are. Lochia vs a period, and what's normal.