What is the difference between a missed miscarriage and a miscarriage

A miscarriage is a heartbreaking thing to deal with, regardless of when it occurs. And if you've had a miscarriage, you probably had lots of questions about how it happened and why. I've been there—over the past ten years, I've had two miscarriages: a chemical pregnancy and a vanishing twin. Both of those are super common types of miscarriage, but before I experienced them, I had never even heard of them before. But being informed helped me to understand that it wasn't anything I did wrong, which is so important when you're healing from a miscarriage.

That's why it's a good idea to learn about the different types of miscarriage so you'll have a better understanding of what you—or someone you're close to—might be dealing with if a pregnancy ends in miscarriage. Wondering about the different types of miscarriage that can occur? I've listed the most common ones here. The classification of a chemical miscarriage vs. In a chemical miscarriage, the egg is fertilized, which in turn cues the body to produce the pregnancy hormone HCG. But the fertilized egg never implants, so there isn't any clinical evidence of a miscarriage, like a sac or a fetus.

In most cases, these fleeting pregnancies are over before you even miss a period. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a clinical miscarriage is one in which there are clinical signs of pregnancy , such as a missed period or a visible fetal sac during an ultrasound, in addition to a positive pregnancy test.

In other words, a clinical miscarriage is basically any miscarriage that's not considered chemical. An early miscarriage is one that occurs before week 13 of pregnancy, like both of mine. If your miscarriage occurs relatively early on, your recovery may be relatively speedy, and, pending a conversation with your doctor, you might be able to start trying again pretty quickly.

Your care provider may recommend a repeat ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis. The other two choices, Zwingerman explains, are medical management and surgical management—in other words, pills or surgery. Medical management involves taking a pill—either orally or vaginally—called misoprostol, which causes the cervix to open and the uterus to contract and expel the tissue. Whether cramping comes on naturally, or is brought on by a drug, it can be painful.

Your care provider can suggest over-the-counter medications to help manage the pain, and other possible side-effects of the drug, such as diarrhea and nausea. For some, surgery may be preferable if the thought of passing the tissue at home is too emotionally overwhelming.

It also has the advantage of being over with quickly, and recovery is generally shorter. However, there can be delays in getting the procedure scheduled. That said, the odds of complications, such as scarring of the uterine lining, are low. Which option is best is highly individual. So when can you try to get pregnant again?

But most caregivers now give the go-ahead after the first normal period, which will usually appear within eight weeks, because waiting this long will help accurately date the next pregnancy.

Pregnancy losses after the 20th week are called stillbirths. Miscarriage is a naturally occurring event, unlike medical or surgical abortions. A miscarriage may also be called a "spontaneous abortion. Your health care provider may also use the term " threatened miscarriage. They are a sign that a miscarriage may occur. Most miscarriages are caused by chromosome problems that make it impossible for the baby to develop.

In rare cases, these problems are related to the mother's or father's genes. Around half of all fertilized eggs die and are lost aborted spontaneously, usually before the woman knows she is pregnant. Most miscarriages occur during the first 7 weeks of pregnancy. The rate of miscarriage drops after the baby's heartbeat is detected. During a pelvic exam, your provider may see that your cervix has opened dilated or thinned out effacement. Abdominal or vaginal ultrasound may be done to check the baby's development and heartbeat, and the amount of your bleeding.

When a miscarriage occurs, the tissue passed from the vagina should be examined. This is done to determine if it was a normal placenta or a rare condition known as a hydatidiform mole. It is also important to find out whether any pregnancy tissue remains in the uterus. In rare cases an ectopic pregnancy can look like a miscarriage.

If you have passed tissue, ask your provider if the tissue should be sent for genetic testing. This can be helpful to determine if a treatable cause of miscarriage is present.

If the pregnancy tissue does not naturally leave the body, you may be closely watched for up to 2 weeks. Surgery suction curettage, D and C or medicine may be needed to remove the remaining contents from your womb. After treatment, women usually resume their normal menstrual cycle within 4 to 6 weeks. Any further vaginal bleeding should be carefully monitored. It is often possible to become pregnant immediately.

It is suggested that you wait one normal menstrual cycle before trying to become pregnant again. An infected abortion may occur if any tissue from the placenta or fetus remains in the uterus after the miscarriage.