Losing a pregnancy is a painful experience, and people often go through it in silence. If this has happened to you, you are not alone, and it is not your fault.

What is a miscarriage?

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy early on, before roughly 20 to 24 weeks (the cut-off differs between countries). Many happen before the pregnancy has even been noticed.

Causes and guilt

According to MedlinePlus, most miscarriages happen because the baby does not develop properly, often due to a chromosome problem. A miscarriage can happen to anyone and often cannot be prevented. It is not the result of something you did or did not do.

Signs

  • vaginal bleeding or spotting before 24 weeks;
  • cramping in the abdomen or lower back;
  • passing tissue or fluid;
  • sometimes no symptoms at all, found only on a scan.

When to get help

Urgent: with light bleeding, little or no pain, or unusual discharge, call your doctor or nearest maternity service.