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Some are obvious, with heavy bleeding and cramps. However, early pregnancy loss might be harder to detect, and it may go unrecognised.
Here Are 12 Different Types Of Miscarriages
1. Threatened miscarriage
If you are pregnant and have bleeding or cramps, but an ultrasound reveals that your cervix is closed and the baby has a heartbeat and is deemed viable, you may be at risk of miscarriage. This is called threatened miscarriage. Symptoms include vaginal bleeding, abdominal cramping, pelvic pressure and backache. However, do note that these symptoms are often associated with other conditions such as ectopic pregnancy. A threatened miscarriage can be caused by several factors, such as cervical damage, vaginal infections, chromosomal issues with the foetus or lifestyle factors like alcohol and drug usage. 2. Inevitable miscarriage
A miscarriage is deemed unavoidable—thus, inevitable—when bleeding and discomfort worsen and a pelvic check reveals that the cervix is open. Your doctor will go over the many alternatives for treatment to help you get through this difficult situation. Symptoms include heavy vaginal bleeding with clots, strong cramps and an open cervix. There are several factors that could cause an inevitable miscarriage, including lifestyle issues, chromosomal abnormalities, uterine abnormalities, other health conditions and environmental factors.3. Clinical Miscarriage
A circumstance where a pregnancy was clinically confirmed to exist—either by a positive pregnancy test result or an ultrasound—but is no longer viable—is referred to as a clinical miscarriage. Bleeding may or may not be heavy, with other symptoms like severe abdominal cramps, pain in the shoulder tip, disappearance of pregnancy symptoms, vomiting, and feeling faint and lightheaded. A clinical miscarriage is usually caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the foetus.Early clinical miscarriage
An early miscarriage happens before week 13 of pregnancy. According to studies, in around 85% of early clinical miscarriages, the foetus has an abnormality that may lead to pregnancy loss.If your miscarriage happens early on, your recovery may be swift, and you may be able to begin trying to conceive again soon after speaking with your healthcare practitioner. According to a study, trying to conceive during the first three months following an early loss may increase your chances of becoming pregnant and having a live delivery.
Late clinical miscarriage
A late miscarriage occurs between weeks 13 and 20 of pregnancy. Late miscarriages are typically accompanied by heavy bleeding and discomfort.With a late miscarriage, you may need a longer recovery period to feel well physically and mentally. Experts often advise patients to wait three months or so before attempting to conceive again.
4. Chemical Pregnancy
If you obtain a positive pregnancy test at home but subsequent tests come back negative—or if you start bleeding around the time your period is due—you may have had a chemical pregnancy. This is a pregnancy that does not proceed and ends quickly after implantation. Some individuals may not have any symptoms after a chemical miscarriage. Others experience:
- A pregnancy test that seems positive but later becomes negative
- Mild spotting one week before their menstruation
- Mild cramps
- Low hCG levels if their healthcare practitioner does a blood test
5. Missed miscarriage
A missed miscarriage is just what it sounds like. There is no obvious bleeding or discomfort. It is frequently discovered during a standard prenatal checkup or ultrasound.6. Complete miscarriage
A miscarriage is deemed complete when there is bleeding and cramps, and the body expels the entire pregnancy content. This might happen at home, and there may be some blood clots. In this case, you would most likely not need any additional treatments.7. Incomplete miscarriage
When someone is actively miscarrying—pregnant and experiencing symptoms such as bleeding and cramping—and their doctor determines that the pregnancy is no longer viable, the body may need assistance in passing all foetal or placental tissue out of the uterus. 8. Recurrent miscarriage
Recurrent pregnancy loss occurs when a person has more than one miscarriage. Typically, a doctor will not request a comprehensive workup until the second loss. 9. Blighted ovum
A blighted ovum, also known as an anembryonic pregnancy, is an empty sac with no heartbeat or foetal pole. It happens when a fertilised egg implants, an embryonic sac develops and expands, but the embryo does not develop.10. Septic miscarriage
A septic miscarriage happens when a pregnant woman acquires an infection within her uterus just before or after her body begins to miscarry. 11. Vanishing Twin Syndrome
If a doctor has previously verified twins or multiples but is unable to identify a second (or third) embryo on a later ultrasound, the cause is most likely disappearing twin syndrome. This is the point at which one of the embryos does not proceed into pregnancy. It most likely ceased growing and was absorbed by the mother or surviving embryo.12. Molar Pregnancy
A molar pregnancy is an uncommon condition characterised by aberrant proliferation of trophoblasts, which normally produce the placenta. Molar pregnancies normally end in a miscarriage, although a D&C may be necessary in certain cases.The majority of the sorts of miscarriages listed above would be deemed early. This may seem scary, but the good news is that the chance of miscarriage lowers when the baby's heart is discovered at the 8-week mark and continues to decline as the weeks pass.
Understanding the many forms of miscarriage may assist, educate and empower you in case of pregnancy loss. But that's just the beginning of your journey. When it is determined that you are having or have experienced a miscarriage, you make a lot of shared decisions. If your pregnancy does not end naturally, you and your doctor will decide on the best course of action: letting your body manage it at home, using medicine to stimulate the passage of all foetal material, or undergoing a D&C.
According to experts, it normally doesn't take long for your body to be physiologically ready for the next step, whether that's trying for another baby or switching to birth control. However, may take longer. Experts usually agree that using your support system is critical.
Furthermore, speaking openly about miscarriage helps to normalise pregnancy loss. The moment that pregnancy test turns positive, you're thinking about how this baby will fit into your life. When you lose that pregnancy and all those plans you've made suddenly have to change, normalising your grief and the feelings you're having is important.
FAQs on 12 Different Types of Miscarriage and What They Mean?
- Is a miscarriage painful?
While not every miscarriage is physically painful, most people experience cramping. Some individuals have intense cramps, while others experience mild cramps (similar to menstruation). It is also typical to have vaginal bleeding and pass big blood clots the size of a lemon. - Can stress cause miscarriage?
Early miscarriage is often caused by a chromosomal abnormality that affects embryonic development. However, research has shown that some types of stress may increase the chance of miscarriage. Short durations of stress that do not interfere with a person's daily life do not seem to increase the chance of miscarriage.
