Being told that you are undergoing a miscarriage (abortion) is a very distressing event. Even more disturbing is the lingering feeling that you may have in some way caused it. To compound this needless guilt, misinformed relatives and friends give you a list of things you may have done that attempts to place the blame squarely on your shoulders.

It is important to realize that miscarriage is a natural process and cannot be caused by something you did or didn’t do. About 20 percent of women who conceive will lose their pregnancy in a miscarriage. There is no reason why you will not be able to have a baby the next time you try.

What is a miscarriage (abortion)?

A miscarriage is the spontaneous ending of a pregnancy before the 5th month (20th week) of pregnancy. The medical term for miscarriage is spontaneous abortion.

How does it occur?

It is often difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of a miscarriage. However, most miscarriages are caused by an abnormal number of chromosomes- either too many or too few. Often the baby (also called a fetus) does not develop at all, or the baby may develop abnormally. In such cases, miscarriage is the body's way of ending a pregnancy that is not developing normally.


There is no evidence that emotional stress or physical or sexual activity causes miscarriage in a normal pregnancy.

 What are the symptoms?

• Bleeding which can range from a few drops of blood to a heavy flow. The bleeding    may start with no warning or there may be a brownish discharge first.
• Cramping pain in the lower abdomen.
• A gush of fluid from the vagina without bleeding or pain. This may mean that the    membranes have ruptured.
• Some clot like tissue may pass out of the vagina. Try to keep this material so the doctor can examine it.
   

How is it diagnosed?

Your doctor may do a pelvic exam to check the size of your uterus and find that the size of the uterus does not correspond to the duration of pregnancy.  An ultrasound scan will confirm an abortion.