Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAppearanceHow It FeelsUltrasound ImagingPeriod vs. Miscarriage ClotsConfirming a MiscarriageManaging Blood LossMultiple Miscarriages
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Appearance
How It Feels
Ultrasound Imaging
Period vs. Miscarriage Clots
Confirming a Miscarriage
Managing Blood Loss
Multiple Miscarriages
Cramping or bleeding during early pregnancy may cause worry and have you wondering if what you’re seeing is a miscarriage.Miscarriagesearly in pregnancy can cause similar symptoms to a period, including bleeding and cramping, so you may wonder how to know if you miscarried.
If you have large blood clots, it may be due to a miscarriage. Talking to your healthcare provider about your symptoms can help determine if you have had a miscarriage.
Continue reading to learn how a miscarriage looks, what occurs, and how it feels.
Appearance of Miscarriage Tissue and Bleeding
The most common sign of miscarriage is bleeding.Somebleeding during pregnancyis common, but not normal. This type of bleeding is usually light. If your bleeding is equal to or heavier than a period, you may be having a miscarriage.
In addition to bleeding, you may notice other discharge as you wipe or in the toilet bowl that can indicate a miscarriage. These can include:
A Word From Verywell
—CORDELIA NWANKWO, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Beyond Appearance: How Miscarriage Feels
Most people who miscarry experience cramps. You might feel these in your stomach, or lower back. Some people experience intense cramps that are worse than period cramps, while others have very mild cramping that doesn’t compare to a period.You may also experience cramps that come in waves, similar to contractions.
How Much Bleeding Is Normal?Miscarriage bleeding can be heavy. However, if you are filling more than two pads per hour for two consecutive hours or are passing clots that are larger than a lemon, you should contact your healthcare provider or go to a hospital emergency room. It’s also important to see a healthcare provider if you have a fever or chills, which can indicate an infection.
How Much Bleeding Is Normal?
Miscarriage bleeding can be heavy. However, if you are filling more than two pads per hour for two consecutive hours or are passing clots that are larger than a lemon, you should contact your healthcare provider or go to a hospital emergency room. It’s also important to see a healthcare provider if you have a fever or chills, which can indicate an infection.
How Miscarriage Looks on Ultrasound
Most people who experience miscarriage have pain and bleeding. Some people, however, have no symptoms. This is known as amissed miscarriage, and it’s believed to occur in about 3% of pregnancies (compared to about 20% of pregnancies for typical miscarriages).
Oftentimes, missed miscarriages are diagnosed when you go for a routine ultrasound. On an ultrasound, a miscarriage is clear because the embryo or fetus has no heartbeat. Also, the fetus often measures smaller than the pregnancy’s gestational age since it has stopped developing.
If you are unsure whether you’re having a miscarriage, your healthcare provider may suggest an ultrasound to confirm whether the fetus is still developing.
Period Blood Clots vs. Miscarriage Clots
Period clots and miscarriage clots are quite similar. Both are small clumps of blood that are often bright or dark red with a gel-like consistency. However, there are some differences, such as:
In addition, during your period, you may pass clots for days. During a miscarriage, most of the tissue passes during a two- to four-hour window in which you experience the most intense bleeding.
How to Confirm If You Miscarried
Managing Blood Loss From Miscarriage
Although the bleeding associated with miscarriage can seem like a lot, most people don’t need medical treatment for blood loss. However, you should see your healthcare provider or seek emergency care if you:
Managing Emotions of MiscarriageA miscarriage is a loss, and it’s normal to have strong emotions. You may even find yourself moving throughthe stages of grief and mourning. Remember, miscarriages are common and not your fault. In most cases, people go on to have healthy pregnancies. If you need mental health help, reach out to support groups and therapists.
Managing Emotions of Miscarriage
A miscarriage is a loss, and it’s normal to have strong emotions. You may even find yourself moving throughthe stages of grief and mourning. Remember, miscarriages are common and not your fault. In most cases, people go on to have healthy pregnancies. If you need mental health help, reach out to support groups and therapists.
Multiple Miscarriages: What to Know
In most cases, people who have had multiple miscarriages will go on to have a healthy pregnancy. In fact, even if you’ve had three miscarriages in a row, there’s a 70% chance your next pregnancy will go to term.
Still, healthcare providers recommend seeking treatment after you’ve had three miscarriages (or after two if you’re 40 or older). Healthcare providers can do testing to look for possible causes of these recurrent miscarriages, and they may offer treatments that can help with future pregnancies.
Summary
If you have an ultrasound, it will show that the fetus has no heartbeat. It also may show the fetus is smaller than expected because it has stopped developing. While the physical pain of a miscarriage usually passes within a day, the emotional pain can last much longer. It’s important to take care of your mental and physical health at this time.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Planned Parenthood.How do I know if I’m having a miscarriage?UC Davis.What are the signs of early miscarriage?American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.What happens after a miscarriage?Pandya PP, Snijders RJ, Psara N, et al.The prevalence of non-viable pregnancy at 10-13 weeks of gestation.Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1996;7(3):170-173. doi:10.1046/j.1469-0705.1996.07030170.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Planned Parenthood.How do I know if I’m having a miscarriage?UC Davis.What are the signs of early miscarriage?American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.What happens after a miscarriage?Pandya PP, Snijders RJ, Psara N, et al.The prevalence of non-viable pregnancy at 10-13 weeks of gestation.Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1996;7(3):170-173. doi:10.1046/j.1469-0705.1996.07030170.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Planned Parenthood.How do I know if I’m having a miscarriage?UC Davis.What are the signs of early miscarriage?American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.What happens after a miscarriage?Pandya PP, Snijders RJ, Psara N, et al.The prevalence of non-viable pregnancy at 10-13 weeks of gestation.Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1996;7(3):170-173. doi:10.1046/j.1469-0705.1996.07030170.
Planned Parenthood.How do I know if I’m having a miscarriage?
UC Davis.What are the signs of early miscarriage?
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.What happens after a miscarriage?
Pandya PP, Snijders RJ, Psara N, et al.The prevalence of non-viable pregnancy at 10-13 weeks of gestation.Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1996;7(3):170-173. doi:10.1046/j.1469-0705.1996.07030170.
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