How long will you bleed with a miscarriage

How Long Does a Miscarriage Last?

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Medically reviewed by Holly Ernst, PA-C — By Valencia Higuera on June 13, 2018

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Threatened miscarriage

During a threatened miscarriage your cervix isn’t dilated, but you do experience bleeding. There is still a viable pregnancy present. There’s a risk of miscarriage, but with observation and medical intervention, you may be able to continue the pregnancy.

Inevitable miscarriage

An inevitable miscarriage is when your cervix is dilated and your uterus is contracting. You may already be passing some of the pregnancy tissue vaginally. This is a miscarriage already in progress.

Incomplete miscarriage

Your body releases some fetal tissue, but some of the tissue remains in your uterus.

Missed miscarriage

During a missed miscarriage, the embryo has died, but the placenta and embryonic tissue remain in your uterus. You may not have any symptoms, and the diagnosis is made incidentally on an ultrasound exam.

Complete miscarriage

During a complete miscarriage your body passes all the pregnancy tissue.

If you ignore a possible miscarriage, you could develop septic miscarriage, which is a rare but serious uterine infection. Symptoms of this complication include a fever, chills, abdominal tenderness, and foul-smelling vaginal discharge.

Ways to treat a miscarriage

Treatments vary according to the type of miscarriage. With a threatened miscarriage, your doctor may recommend you rest and limit activity until the pain and bleeding stop. If there’s a continued risk for a miscarriage, you may have to remain on bed rest until labor and delivery.

In some cases, you can let a miscarriage progress naturally. This process can take up to a couple of weeks. Your doctor will review bleeding precautions with you and what to expect. A second option is for your doctor to give you medication to help you pass the pregnancy tissue and placenta faster. This medication can be taken orally or vaginally.

Treatment is usually effective within 24 hours. If your body doesn’t expel all the tissue or placenta, your doctor can perform a procedure called dilation and curettage (D and C). This involves dilating the cervix and removing any remaining tissue. You could also discuss having a D and C with your doctor as first-line treatment, without using medication or letting your body pass the tissue on its own.

Next steps

A pregnancy loss can occur even if you do eliminate risk factors like smoking and drinking. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to prevent a miscarriage.

After a miscarriage, you can expect a menstrual cycle within about four to six weeks. After this point, you can conceive again. You can also take precautions against having a miscarriage. These include:

taking prenatal vitamins
limiting your caffeine intake to 200 milligrams per day
managing other medical conditions you may have, such as diabetes or high blood pressure

Shop for prenatal vitamins.

Having a miscarriage doesn’t mean you can’t have a baby. But if you have multiple miscarriages, your doctor may suggest testing to determine if there is an underlying cause.

Last medically reviewed on June 13, 2018

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How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2010). ACOG Committee Opinion No. 462: Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy. DOI:
10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181eeb2a1
Andersen N, et al. (2000). Maternal age and fetal loss: population based register linkage study.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=10864550
Management of miscarriage: Your options. (2016).
miscarriageassociation.org.uk/wp/wp-content/leaflets/Management-of-miscarriage.pdf
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2016). Miscarriage.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pregnancy-loss-miscarriage/basics/causes/con-20033827
Miscarriage. (2017).
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Nelson DB, et al. (2003). Violence does not influence early pregnancy loss.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=14607576
Hirsch L. (2015). Understanding miscarriage.
kidshealth.org/en/parents/miscarriage. html

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Jun 13, 2018

Written By

Valencia Higuera

Edited By

Frank Crooks

Medically Reviewed By

Holly Ernst, PA-C

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Medically reviewed by Holly Ernst, PA-C — By Valencia Higuera on June 13, 2018

What Does a Miscarriage Look Like? Bleeding, Duration, and More

A miscarriage is a spontaneous pregnancy loss before 20 weeks of gestation. Some 8 to 20 percent known pregnancies end in miscarriage, with the majority happening before the 12th week.

The signs and symptoms of miscarriage vary from person to person. Symptoms may also vary depending on how far along you are. For example, a fetus at 14 weeks will be much larger than a fetus at 5 weeks of gestation, so there may be more bleeding and tissue loss with a later miscarriage.

Miscarriage symptoms may include:

spotting or bleeding from the vagina
abdominal cramping or pain in the lower back
passage of tissue, fluid, or other products from the vagina

Read on to learn more about identifying a miscarriage and what to do if you suspect you’re experiencing one.

Bleeding may start as light spotting, or it could be heavier and appear as a gush of blood. As the cervix dilates to empty, the bleeding becomes heavier.

The heaviest bleeding is generally over within three to five hours from the time heavy bleeding begins. Lighter bleeding may stop and start over one to two weeks before it completely ends.

The color of the blood can range from pink to red to brown. Red blood is fresh blood that leaves the body quickly. Brown blood, on the other hand, is blood that’s been in the uterus a while. You may see discharge the color of coffee grounds, or near black, during a miscarriage.

Exactly how much bleeding you’ll experience depends on a variety of circumstances, including how far along you are and whether or not your miscarriage is progressing naturally.

While you may see a lot of blood, let your doctor know if you fill more than two sanitary pads an hour for two or more hours in a row.

What does a missed miscarriage look like?

You may not experience bleeding or other symptoms with a miscarriage, at least at first.

A missed miscarriage, also referred to as a missed abortion, happens when the fetus has died but the products of conception remain in the uterus. This type of miscarriage is usually diagnosed via ultrasound.

Just as with the amount of blood you’ll see, the duration of a miscarriage will vary from person to person and even from pregnancy to pregnancy.

In many cases, a miscarriage will take around two weeks to pass naturally. Your doctor may prescribe the medication misoprostol (Cytotec) to help a miscarriage pass more quickly. Bleeding may start within two days of beginning the medication. For others, it may take up to two weeks.

Once the miscarriage has started, the tissue and heaviest bleeding should be passed in about three to five hours. After the fetus has passed, you may still experience spotting and mild tissue loss for one to two weeks.

It may be difficult to tell a very early miscarriage from a late period. In fact, many miscarriages happen before a person even knows they’re pregnant.

In general, a miscarriage will cause more intense symptoms than a menstrual period. For example:

Your menstrual flow may be relatively similar from month to month with heavy days and light days. A miscarriage can also have heavy and light days, but bleeding may be especially heavy at times and last longer than you’re used to.
Bleeding from a miscarriage may also contain large clots and tissue you don’t normally see during your period.
Cramps can be a part of your normal monthly cycle, but with a miscarriage, they may be particularly painful as the cervix dilates.
The color of blood during your period can range from pink to red to brown. If you see a color you’re not used to seeing, it may be a sign of miscarriage.

Always contact your doctor if you’re pregnant and experience bleeding. While a miscarriage can’t be stopped once it starts, you doctor can run tests to help determine if you’re experiencing the loss of your pregnancy or something else.

To diagnose a miscarriage, your doctor will likely perform an ultrasound to look for the baby’s heartbeat, if you’re far enough along to see a heartbeat. Your doctor may also order a blood test to check human chorionic gonadotropin (hcG) levels to see if they’re rising or falling.

If a miscarriage is confirmed, your doctor may suggest “expectant management” or waiting for the miscarriage to pass naturally. This generally happens within two weeks.

Incomplete miscarriage

The miscarriage may be incomplete if:

your bleeding is particularly heavy
you have a fever
an ultrasound reveals there’s still tissue in your uterus

If this is the case, your doctor may suggest a dilation and curettage (D and C), which is a surgical procedure done to remove remaining tissue. The procedure is done under general or regional anesthesia, and is considered safe. D and C doesn’t usually lead to long-term complications.

Threatened miscarriage

It’s important to report any bleeding or pain you experience in your pregnancy to your doctor. In some cases, you may have what’s called a threatened miscarriage, and there may be certain treatments that can help. These include:

hormone supplements if the bleeding is caused by low progesterone
a cerclage (stitch in the cervix) if the issue is with the cervix opening prematurely

Speak with your healthcare provider if you’re looking to get pregnant again after a miscarriage. While it may be safe to start trying after your first normal period, you may want to schedule a checkup depending on the cause or the number of miscarriages you’ve had.

The reason for loss isn’t always known, but around half of miscarriages are caused by issues with the baby’s chromosomes.

Other possible causes include:

uterine issues
hormonal imbalances
other health conditions, such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders, or polycystic ovary syndrome

After a miscarriage, you may have hcG in your blood for one to two months, which could lead to a false positive pregnancy test. In most cases, your period will return within four to six weeks, though you may start ovulating almost immediately following a miscarriage.

Speak with your doctor about birth control options if you don’t wish to become pregnant after a miscarriage.

Will I miscarry again?

Having one miscarriage doesn’t necessarily increases your chances of having another. The risk remains around 20 percent.

Two or more miscarriages is referred to as recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The risk of miscarriage after two losses is 28 percent. After three consecutive losses, it increases to 43 percent.

Only 1 percent of people experience three or more miscarriages. About 65 percent of those with unexplained RPL go on to have successful pregnancies.

Activities like exercise, work, morning sickness, and sex don’t cause miscarriages. Even things like smoking or drinking alcohol or caffeine, which can lead to other complications, are also unlikely to lead to early pregnancy loss.

A miscarriage can be physically painful, and it may also cause a variety of emotions. While your body may recover in a few weeks, be sure to take time to process your feelings, grieve, and reach out for help when you need it.

Miscarriage, symptoms - Health Clinic 365 Yekaterinburg

Causes of miscarriage

Questions to the doctor about miscarriage

Diagnosis of miscarriage

Treatment and prevention of miscarriage

According to statistics, 10 to 20% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. However, the real numbers could be much higher, as a large number of miscarriages happen very early, and women are not even aware of their pregnancy. Most miscarriages happen due to abnormal development of the fetus. nine0003

Miscarriage is quite common, but this fact does not make things any easier. It is always difficult to cope with the realization that there was a pregnancy, but no child. Try to deal with the situation psychologically and understand what could be causing the miscarriage, what increases the risk of it, and what type of treatment might be needed.

Miscarriage symptoms .

Most miscarriages occur before 12 weeks. Signs and symptoms of a miscarriage include:

Vaginal bleeding or spotting (although quite common in early pregnancy)

Pain or cramps in the abdomen or lower back

Fluid vaginal discharge or tissue fragments

It is important to consider the fact that in early pregnancy, spotting or vaginal bleeding is quite common. In most cases, women who experience light bleeding during the first three months have an uneventful pregnancy thereafter. In some cases, even with heavy bleeding, the pregnancy does not end in a miscarriage. nine0003
Some women who have a miscarriage develop an infection in the uterus. This infection, also called septic miscarriage, can cause:

Fever (feeling hot, chills)

Body pains

Thick, foul-smelling vaginal discharge

When to see a doctor.

Call your doctor if:

Bleeding, even if only light spotting occurs

Profuse, liquid vaginal discharge without pain or bleeding

Isolation of tissue fragments from the vagina

You can put a piece of tissue to be isolated in a clean container and take it to your doctor for examination. It is unlikely that the study will give any accurate results, but if it is determined that the fragments of the excreted tissue are from the placenta, the doctor will be able to conclude that the symptoms that appear are not associated with the presence of a tubal (ectopic) pregnancy. nine0003
You can get more detailed information about miscarriage from the gynecologists of the Health 365 clinic in Yekaterinburg.

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Miscarriage due to miscarriage | Articles by EMC doctors about diseases, diagnosis and treatment

What is a miscarriage?

According to medical statistics, miscarriage is the most common complication during pregnancy. About 10-20% of all recorded pregnancies end in miscarriage. Miscarriage is a sporadic, sudden, termination of pregnancy, which is accompanied by complete or partial emptying of the uterus. nine0003
Missed pregnancy loss (MP) can be seen on ultrasound. It consists in confirming the non-viability of the fetus without bleeding. The ST can end in a miscarriage, when the body gets rid of the dead fetus on its own, or in a medical abortion, when medical or surgical manipulations are used to clean the uterine cavity.

Causes of miscarriage and miscarriage

80% of miscarriages occur in the first trimester before 12 weeks. In 50% of cases, this occurs due to genetic defects in the fetus. The threat of miscarriage due to chromosomal abnormalities decreases with the course of pregnancy: by 20 weeks it is 10-20% versus 41-50% in the first trimester. The main cause of genetically determined early miscarriages are autonomous trisomies - when three homologous chromosomes are present in the cells instead of two. Such defects occur at the time of conception and are not subject to correction. They lead to miscarriage or to the development of severe genetic diseases. In addition to genetics, immunological, endocrine and infectious causes are distinguished. nine0003
In the second trimester, various diseases and disorders in the mother's body become the main cause of miscarriage.

There is a list of factors that can trigger early pregnancy loss:

woman's age. At the age of 20-30 years, the risk of spontaneous miscarriage is 9-17%, at 35-40 years old - 20%, at 40-45 - 40%;

alcohol abuse;
nine0024

abuse of caffeine;

smoking;

drug use;

chronic diseases of the mother;

maternal infections;

use of medications incompatible with pregnancy;

nine0002 history of spontaneous abortion. The risk of subsequent pregnancy loss in women with one miscarriage in history is 18-20%, with two - 30%, with three - 43%.

Symptoms and signs of miscarriage

You can suspect a miscarriage by sudden spotting and sharp pain in the lower abdomen. If these symptoms appear, seek immediate medical attention. The doctor must conduct an ultrasound diagnosis. Transvaginal scanning (TVS) is considered the gold standard for diagnostics - when the sensor is inserted into the uterus through the vagina. If TVS is not available, a transabdominal scan can be applied - through the anterior abdominal wall. nine0003
Missed pregnancy may be asymptomatic and not manifest until the next scheduled ultrasound.

How does a miscarriage happen?

The miscarriage process has four stages. This does not happen overnight and lasts from several hours to several days.

The first stage - the threat of miscarriage. Among the symptoms: pulling pains in the lower abdomen, scanty blood discharge, increased uterine tone. The process of detachment of the placenta from the place of attachment in the uterus begins. The internal os is closed. The main thing is to seek help in time, then with proper therapy if there is a chance to stop the miscarriage and save the pregnancy. nine0003
The second stage - the beginning of a miscarriage. Strong discharge, the cervical canal is ajar, the doctor diagnoses the final detachment of the placenta.

Third stage - miscarriage in progress. You can feel the regular contractions of the uterus, the outcome of the fetus, placenta and uterine contents, profuse blood discharge has begun.

The last fourth stage is a complete miscarriage. The pregnancy is interrupted, the uterine cavity does not contain the fetus and products of conception.
nine0068 How to determine the ST?
It should be remembered that a miscarriage can be diagnosed only during an ultrasound examination. Home tests will not give reliable results. Ultrasound will show the presence or absence of a heartbeat in the fetus.

Treatment of miscarriage and miscarriage

Due to the fact that the vast majority of spontaneously terminated pregnancies are due to genetic abnormalities (non-viability) of the fetus, then, speaking about the treatment of miscarriage, it is worth talking about ensuring complete and safe cleansing of the uterus, preventing infection and preventing bruising. With the help of an ultrasound examination, the doctor will check whether the uterus has completely cleared.
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