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You're pregnant. Maybe you've been trying for a while, and it's happened at last. Or it was unplanned — but, all the same, you're thrilled. You're just getting used to the idea, excited, surprised, perhaps a little apprehensive...
And then it all goes wrong. You miscarry. There's no baby, no motherhood and some painful questions to answer.
You want to know so much. What went wrong? Why? Can I have another child? Will I ever feel happy again?
Not everyone responds in the same way to a miscarriage, and there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to feel. But for most, there is a need to grieve, and a need for information.
what is a miscarriage?
A miscarriage is a pregnancy that ends before the baby can survive outside the womb — that is, before 'viability'.
Sadly, miscarriage is relatively common — something that is unlikely to be much comfort to anyone who has had one. Yet it is true that around 15% of clinically recognised pregnancies end this way, and a quarter of all women will miscarry at some time in their lives. Younger women have about a 5% chance of losing a baby, rising to 25% among over-40s.
early/late miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy
A miscarriage may be 'early' (during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy), or 'late'. The vast majority are early — only around 1% are late.
Rarely, a pregnancy is 'ectopic', forming outside the womb, typically in a fallopian tube. This is life-threatening to mother and baby, and must be terminated.
symptoms
The symptoms that an early miscarriage has taken place vary widely — from pain and bleeding (which may not necessarily mean the end) to no more than a feeling that something is wrong. Late miscarriage is usually painful — with 'breaking waters', contractions similar to labour, and heavy blood loss.
what to do
If you think you are miscarrying, go to the Accident & Emergency department of your local hospital at once.
Once an early miscarriage has started, it is inevitable, but you may need medical treatment to ensure your own health. In some cases in late pregnancy, there are treatments that can prevent the loss of the baby if miscarriage threatens.
why does it happen?
Many women find it hard to accept that their miscarriage was not, somehow, their 'fault'. Yet they are almost always, quite simply, bad luck. Most early miscarriages are 'sporadic' — one-off events, often the result of a chance abnormality in the developing baby's genetic make-up, making it unable to survive.
Though understandable, looking for something to blame is not helpful. Once an early miscarriage has happened, the tissues from the developing baby are nearly always lost, and without these, there is no way the cause can be found.
By contrast, the causes of a late miscarriage are usually investigated, and a treatable problem (such as a weak cervix) may be identifiable.
Recurrent (three or more) miscarriages may indicate an underlying problem needing specialist help. London's Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic, to which patients can be referred by their GPs, is a major centre offering such help.
things that don't cause miscarriage
It is unlikely that any of the following cause miscarriage:
- 'overdoing things'
- having sex
- constipation
- having had a termination
- having taken prescription drugs, including the contraceptive pill
- long-distance travel
- working at a computer.
the emotional impact
There are as many reactions to miscarriage as there are women who miscarry. A sense of loss, irrational guilt and deep depression are all common. Help is available (see help and info). This includes counselling services offered in many doctors' surgeries, private counselling (which can be expensive) and support groups such as those offered by the Miscarriage Association.
another try
Anyone planning pregnancy can take precautions against infections or other threats to the health of the mother and the developing baby. These include:
- having been inoculated against rubella (German measles) before conception
- taking folic acid supplements
- not smoking
- avoiding excess alcohol
- avoiding contact with cat faeces, rare meat, and unpasteurised dairy products
- avoiding all risks of food poisoning.
Look after yourself while you are pregnant — and don't be shy about asking others at home and at work to do their best to support you. Get all the rest you want — it seems that 'tender loving care' can do a lot to raise the chances of a successful pregnancy.
help and info
Channel 4 have produced a special illustrated 40-page booklet, Staying Alive: Tales of Miscarriage. It aims to break through the sense of isolation by offering an understanding of the symptoms, what to do, and the steps in coming to terms with the emotional loss of a miscarriage. It also contains extensive resources, including full details of books, organisations and websites.
If you would like to have copy, please send a postal order or cheque (made payable to Channel 4 Television) for £2.00 (including postage and packing) to:
Staying Alive: Tales of miscarriage
PO Box 4000
Manchester M60 3LL
Or telephone the orderline on: 08705 44 66 99.
The full text is also available to download as a PDF file (423 KB).
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organisations
Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic (RMC)
RMC: St Mary's Hospital
Winston Churchill Wing
Praed Street
London W2 1NY
Helpline: 020 7886 7777
Website: www.miscarriageclinic.co.uk
Featured in the programme, Staying Alive: Tales of Miscarriage, RMC is the largest such clinic in Europe. Patients must be referred by their doctor or another hospital. Online information includes articles on the causes of miscarriage, frequently asked questions and a publication list.
The Miscarriage Association
c/o Clayton Hospital
Northgate
Wakefield
West Yorkshire WF1 3JS
Helpline: 01924 200799 (Mondays to Fridays 9am-4pm)
Scottish helpline: 0131 334 8883
(answerphone with names of local contacts)
E-mail: miscarriageassociation@care4free.net
Website: www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
Provides support and information to anyone affected by pregnancy loss, with over 50 support groups across the UK. Also publishes a variety of informative leaflets and factsheets which can be ordered online.
websites
Babyloss
www.babyloss.com
UK site offering a support forum for women and their partners who have experienced pregnancy loss, plus a comprehensive collection of related links.
Net Doctor
www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/miscarriage.htm
Independent health site includes medical information on miscarriage in a question and answer format, plus links to a range of articles on complications that may occur during pregnancy.
Women's Health
www.womens-health.co.uk/miscarr.htm
Contains general information on miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage and its causes, including a series of useful questions and answers.
books
Miscarriage: A woman doctor's guide by Irene Daria and Lynn Friedman (Kensington Publishing, March 2001) £5.99
Authoritative guide to coping with a miscarriage discusses pregnancy loss and its aftermath, details reasons for miscarriage, provides new information on carrying a baby to term, and answers questions about recovery, health, emotional upheaval and trying again.
Miscarriage: What every woman needs to know by Professor Lesley Regan (Orion Publishing, March 2001) £7.99
Professor Regan provides up-to-date information on the causes, treatment and prevention of miscarriage. She examines the medical and emotional impact it brings.
Pregnancy after a Loss: A guide to pregnancy after a miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death by Carol Cirulli Lanham (Berkley Publishing Group, 1999) £14.95
Comprehensive guide exploring the practical and emotional issues for the devastated couple dealing with the many questions and fears that occur with a subsequent pregnancy.
For further information about organisations, go to our get help directory.
If you would like to raise any issues with our trained advisors go to just ask. All questions will be treated in complete confidence.
(March 2002)
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