What happens during a miscarriage?

Miscarriage is a very terrible and sad result of pregnancy that has a substantial negative impact on a women's mental health and physical health. Additionally, it occurs more frequently than most people realise. It's critical to understand there are no right or wrong emotions to have in the wake of loss. 

Every miscarriage is unique, but there are certain universal signs and symptoms.

Though not everyone who miscarries experiences physical discomfort, most have cramps. Some people experience quite severe cramps, while others just experience mild ones (like a period or less).

Vaginal bleeding and huge blood clots up to the size of lemon are also frequent occurrences. Although heavy miscarriage bleeding can be alarming or unexpected, it is most common.

The cramping and bleeding may stop right away or they may continue for several hours. Your doctor can prescribe you medication and offer you advice on how to deal with cramps and agony when you're miscarrying.

Regardless of how quickly it occurs or whether it pains, miscarriage can be painful. Talk to your doctor frequently about what is happening and how you are feeling. Your doctor can inform you of what is and isn't normal and, if necessary, provide you with resources for emotional support.

What miscarriage looks like

A pregnancy is referred to as a chemical pregnancy if it terminates before five weeks of gestational age (the number of weeks following the first day of the last period). An early miscarriage's tissue, including the foetus, gestational sac, and placenta, could not be visible to the human eye. Early miscarriages may resemble painful menstrual cycles.

A miscarriage that lasts longer than six weeks will result in the expulsion of more tissue. Large blood clots frequently resemble the ejected tissue. The size of the ejected tissue could range from that of a pea to that of an orange, depending on the moment at which the pregnancy ceased growing. Additionally, the gestational sac may be seen.

However, there might not always be visible tissue in a subsequent first-trimester miscarriage if the foetus began to deteriorate before the onset of the loss bleeding.

What could I experience if I had a miscarriage?

Many pregnant women miscarry early on without even being aware of it. They might merely believe they are experiencing a heavy menstruation. If this occurs to you, you can have cramps, heavier-than-normal bleeding, abdominal, pelvic, or back pain, as well as a feeling of weakness.

To be safe and for your own peace of mind, go to your doctor or midwife if you have started spotting. Spotting is common in many pregnancies.

You may experience symptoms such as cramping pain, bleeding, or passing fluid and blood clots from your vagina later in your pregnancy. Depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy, you can pass tissue that resembles either a fully grown baby or a foetus.

Some miscarriages may cause no symptoms at all, and you may not know you have one until your subsequent ultrasound. The morning sickness and breast pain may have simply disappeared.

When you learn you're experiencing a miscarriage, it's normal to feel quite upset and distraught. To fully comprehend what is happening, it may take some time. Make sure you have a support system with you and try to be gentle with yourself.

What does miscarriage tissue look like?

The developing embryo is exceedingly difficult to notice during the first month of pregnancy since it is just the size of a rice grain. You might pass one or more blood clots from your vagina, and the clots might contain some white or grey tissue. While it could take up to two weeks, the bleeding will stop in a few days.

At six weeks

When a miscarriage occurs at this point, most women are unable to see anything recognisable. You can notice clots with a little fluid-filled sac during the bleeding. A placenta and the embryo, which is about the size of your little fingernail, may be visible inside the sac. Additionally, you might see anything that resembles an umbilical cord.

At eight weeks

The tissue you pass may be glossy and dark crimson; some women have said it resembles liver. An embryo the size of a small bean may be found inside a sac. You might be able to see the areas where the eyes, arms, and legs formed if you look attentively.

At 10 weeks

The blood clots that are passed are jelly-like and dark red in colour. They could include what appears to be a placental membrane inside. One of the clots will contain the sac. The growing kid is often fully formed at this point but is still very little and hard to see.

At 12 to 16 weeks

If you miscarry right now, you might initially notice water, then some bleeding, and finally, clots coming out of your vagina. The embryo will be little and well developed. If you can still see the baby, it may already be outside the sac. It might also be fastened to the placenta and umbilical cord.

From 16 to 20 weeks

This is commonly known as a "late miscarriage." Large glossy red clots that resemble liver as well as other tissue fragments that resemble and feel like membrane may be passed. You could need pain medication in a hospital because it could be painful and feel like labour. The palm of your hand can fit your baby when it is fully formed.

There is no need for treatment if there is no remaining pregnancy tissue in your womb.

However, if you still have some pregnant tissue in your womb, you have the following choices:

• expectant management - watch for the tissue to naturally exit your womb.
• medical management - take a medication that makes the tissue leave your womb.
• surgical management - the tissue should be surgically removed.

All of these treatments carry a very low risk of problems. It's crucial to go over each one with the medical professional in charge of your treatment.

After the miscarriage

After the miscarriage, you will have cramping pain and bleeding akin to a period. It will progressively get lighter and stop in two weeks, on average.

In the days following the miscarriage, the symptoms of your pregnancy, such as nausea and sore breasts, will go away. Your breasts might make some milk if you miscarried late. Your next period will most likely come in four to six weeks.

Keep in mind that feeling extremely emotional and sad at this time is natural.

It's preferable to rest at home while you wait for a miscarriage to end, however, you can still go to work if you're feeling well enough. Follow your gut instinct. For any pain, you can take paracetamol. Use sanitary pads rather than tampons if you are bleeding.

When to call a doctor?

Once a pregnancy loss begins, medical experts are powerless to stop it.

In the event that any of the following takes place, call a doctor and make an appointment within 24 hours:

• vaginal bleeding
• severe discomfort or cramps
• bleeding that recurs frequently
• bleeding that persists for more than seven days after a doctor's confirmation of a pregnancy loss

Emergency medical care should be given to pregnant people if they:

• have significant bleeding in the second trimester and are unable to contact their doctor
• they bleed so profusely that it takes longer than two hours to soak through more than one pad per hour.
• experience dizziness, faintness, or confusion
• exhibit early labour symptoms such as contractions, amniotic fluid leakage, water breaking, or other symptoms

ALSO READ: 11 things you should know about grief after miscarriage or baby loss

This article was first published in theAsianparent.