Early miscarriage

গর্ভপাত কেন হলো, তা সব সময় বলা সম্ভব হয় না। আপনি কিছু করেছেন বা করেননি বলে এমনটা হয়েছে, এর সম্ভাবনা খুবই কম।

গর্ভপাতের কারণ সম্পর্কে আরও পড়ুন

Treating an early miscarriage

There’s no way to stop a miscarriage once it has started. But there are different treatments available to help manage your miscarriage. The treatment you’re offered will depend on what type of miscarriage you’re having.

The doctor, nurse or midwife treating you will use an ultrasound scan to confirm what type of miscarriage you’re having.

Complete miscarriage

In a complete miscarriage, the pregnancy comes away from the womb by itself.

Once confirmed, you’ll not need to stay in hospital. You’ll be able to manage your symptoms at home.

You’ll be given advice on over-the-counter painkillers. It’s normal to bleed for up to 3 weeks after a miscarriage. This means you’ll need extra-absorbent sanitary products. External sanitary products, like pads or period pants, are recommended. Internal sanitary products, like tampons, increase the risk of infection.

It’s recommended that you take a pregnancy test 2-3 weeks after your miscarriage. This will make sure that it’s complete.

Missed or incomplete miscarriage

A missed miscarriage happens when you’ve lost your pregnancy without showing any symptoms. With a missed miscarriage, there’s a risk that pregnancy tissue is left in the womb.

An incomplete miscarriage is when some of your pregnancy is left in your womb.

If pregnancy tissue is left in the womb, it can cause infection and make you very unwell.

There are 3 options for managing a missed or incomplete miscarriage. Those treating you will talk with you about your options. You’ll be given time to consider what you’d like to do.

You may wish to have someone with you at this time. This is possible for all types of management, though they may not be able to be with you during surgery if you need or decide on surgical management. Those caring for you will discuss this with you.

The 3 options are expectant management, medical management and surgical management.

Expectant management is when you wait for the miscarriage to finish by itself. This happens in about half of people who have expectant management.

You don’t need to stay in hospital for expectant management, but it can take some time for the bleeding to start.

You’ll be given contact details of who to contact if:

• you have any concerns about your health or the progress of your miscarriage
• you change your mind about your management option

You’ll also be given information about what you can do with your baby’s remains.

You’ll be offered prescription painkillers or be given advice on over-the-counter painkillers.

When your miscarriage does start, you’ll feel cramping pain. This may be intense. You’ll bleed heavily and pass large clots.

Seek medical advice immediately if:

• you soak through more than 2 heavy flow sanitary pads per hour, for 3 hours in a row
• you develop a high temperature (fever)
• you have severe pain or cramping that you cannot manage with pain relief

You’ll be asked to take a pregnancy test after 3 weeks. You may also be offered an ultrasound to check all pregnancy tissue has come away. If the treatment has not worked, you may be offered:

• continued expectant management
• medical management
• surgical management

Expectant management might not be recommended to you if:

• you have an increased risk of haemorrhage (severe bleeding)
• you’re at increased risk from the effects of haemorrhage (severe bleeding), like if you’re unable to have a blood transfusion
• you have an infection

During medical management you’ll be given 2 tablets to take. These are called mifepristone and misoprostal. These tablets help the pregnancy tissue to come away from your uterus (womb).

Medical management is effective in 85 out of 100 people.

You’ll take mifepristone first. This blocks the hormones that allow pregnancy to continue. 36 to 48 hours after taking mifepristone, you’ll take a dose of misoprostol.

A few hours after taking misoprostol, you’ll start bleeding.

It’s normal to experience some pain after taking misoprostol. Different people have different experiences, but people often:

• have cramps that are more intense than your usual period
• have heavy bleeding
• pass blood clots

The pregnancy sac will pass with the clots.

You’ll be offered pain relief and anti-sickness medication. You may also be able to take ibuprofen or paracetamol up to the recommended safe dose. A hot water bottle or heat pack can also provide some relief.

In most cases, you’ll be able to go home while you wait for the miscarriage to complete.

Seek medical advice immediately if:

• you soak through more than 2 heavy flow sanitary pads per hour, for 3 hours in a row
• you develop a high temperature (fever)
• you’ve severe pain or cramping that you cannot manage with pain relief

You’ll be asked to take a pregnancy test after 3 weeks. If the treatment has not worked, you may be offered more further medical management. You may also be offered surgical management.

Surgical management means having surgery to remove the pregnancy. It’s effective in 95 out of 100 people.

During the operation you’ll be given an anaesthetic. This may be a local anaesthetic, which numbs the area involved but leaves you awake. It may also be a general anaesthetic, which means you’ll be asleep for the procedure.

After the anaesthetic has worked, your cervix will be gently opened with a small tube. Any remains of your pregnancy will then be removed with a suction device.

The surgery is safe, but like any operation, there is a small risk of complications. These include:

• heavy bleeding
• infection
• damage to the womb

You should be able to go home the same day, once you’ve recovered from the anaesthetic.

You’ll be given advice on over-the-counter painkillers.

It’s normal to bleed for up to 3 weeks after a miscarriage. This means you’ll need extra-absorbent sanitary products. External sanitary products, like pads or period pants, are recommended. Internal sanitary products, like tampons, increase the risk of infection.

Contact your GP practice or local early pregnancy service if:

• you soak through more than 2 heavy flow sanitary pads per hour, for 3 hours in a row
• you develop a high temperature (fever) and flu-like symptoms
• you have severe pain or cramping that you cannot manage with prescription or over the counter pain relief
• you have smelly vaginal discharge
• you have increasing stomach pain, combined with a fever, appetite loss and nausea
• you feel burning and stinging when you pee, or you’re peeing frequently
• you have a leg that is painful, red, swollen or hot
• you’re having difficulty bearing weight on your legs

If your GP practice is closed, phone NHS 24 on 111.

You may be advised to have surgical management immediately if:

• you’re bleeding heavily and continuously
• there are signs of infection
• medicine to remove the pregnancy has been tried without success

Your feelings and emotions

Miscarriage, no matter when it happens, can be a very upsetting experience.

It may take some time to recover, physically and emotionally. It’s important to take the time you need. But if you are struggling to cope, talk to your GP. They’ll help you get more support.

Read more about coping after a miscarriage

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