Miscarriage Symptoms

A miscarriage is the loss (death) of a baby before the 20th week of pregnancy. The medical term for a miscarriage is spontaneous abortion, but the condition is not an abortion in the common definition of the term.

According to the March of Dimes, as many as 50% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage -- most often before a woman misses a menstrual
period or even knows she is pregnant. About 15% of recognized pregnancies will end in a miscarriage.

More than 80% of miscarriages occur within the first three months of pregnancy. Less likely they occur after 20 weeks gestation; these are termed late miscarriages.
What Are the Symptoms of a Miscarriage?

Symptoms of a miscarriage include:

    Bleeding which progresses from light to heavy
    Cramps
    Abdominal pain
    Fever
    Weakness
    Vomiting
    Back pain

If you experience the symptoms listed above, contact your obstetric health care provider right away. He or she will tell you to come in to the office or go to the emergency room.