Pregnancy Loss

Unfortunately, 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. That is 1 in 5 pregnancies. Many women are unaware of this statistic until it happens to them. This is something that women do not feel comfortable speaking about because the process is physically and emotionally painful. I am certain that you know of someone this has happened to but most women are ashamed to come forward.

Even though miscarriage is quite common, I don't advise you to live in fear but rather in faith. Remember that more pregnancies succeed than not.

Types of Pregnancy Loss

1. Miscarriage

A miscarriage is the loss of pregnancy before the 20th week of pregnancy.

As I have stated above, 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage.This risk decrease with the detection of a heartbeat. Many women may not be aware that they have had a miscarriage. This is cause by a chemical pregnancy. The egg is fertilized but it does not implant in the uterus. This is followed by a heavy bleeding. Many women will mistake this for their period because of the timing of the occurrence.

• Complete Miscarriage

A complete miscarriage means that all of the contents of conception have passed from your body. This process is very important to avoid infection and other serious health issues. To make sure a miscarriage is complete it is important to visit your doctor. They will probably give you an ultrasound to confirm it.

• Partial Miscarriage

A partial miscarriage means that you have passed some of the contents of conception but there is still some left. If this is the case, your doctor will recommend a D & C. This is a procedure to scrape the uterus and remove the fetal tissue.

• A Missed Miscarriage

Some women are unaware that they have had a miscarriage until they have an ultrasound and discover there is no heartbeat. In this case, your body doesn't recognize the death of the baby. You may still be experiencing pregnancy symptoms and your abdominal area may still be growing. 

Your doctor may give you a few options in this case. You can what to pass the baby naturally; which could take weeks. Or you can take some pills or get a D & C.

Bleeding in pregnancy can be common but it should not be ignored. Uterine cramps can also be normal but it is concerning when it is accompanied by bleeding. If you suspect you are having miscarriage, go to the emergency room immediately.

2. Stillbirth

A stillbirth is the loss of a pregnancy during the second half of your pregnancy. It is devastating none the less. Normally a stillbirth is detected by an ultrasound.

The terrible part of this is you will have to deliver the baby. You will experience the pain, fear, and horror but physically and emotional; literally.

After a certain point in your pregnancy your doctor may advise you to count your baby's kicks. If your baby isn't kicking, go to the emergency room. If you get there quick, you may be able to save your baby's life.

Losing a child is a very devastating experience. However, just because it happened one time doesn't mean it will happen again.