NHS Suffolk and North East Essex - Your Pregnancy Booklet

40 A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 24 weeks. An early miscarriage occurs up until 13 weeks of pregnancy. Symptoms of a miscarriage can include bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain and loss of pregnancy symptoms. The first trimester can be an anxious time for many reasons, one of which might be worrying about whether the pregnancy will continue. Sadly, as many as one in five early pregnancies will end in miscarriage. The loss of a baby at any stage of a pregnancy can be devastating for both parents. It doesn’t matter how far into the pregnancy it happened, or whether or not the pregnancy was planned, the sense of loss can be very strong. It is important to remember that everyone deals with loss differently and it’s ok to grieve for your baby. There are a number of organisations that can provide expert support and information for parents who have suffered a loss. Whilst there are a number of reasons why a pregnancy might not be successful, the majority of first trimester miscarriages occur because of a problem with the chromosomes which mean that the baby could never have developed, not because of anything the mum has done, or not done. The vast majority of women who suffer the loss of a baby do go on to have successful pregnancies in the future. A miscarriage can be diagnosed by an ultrasound scan. You may be required to stay in hospital overnight but most women can go home on the same day. You will receive follow up from a doctor, nurse or midwife who specialises in early pregnancy. For more information visit: • Miscarriage association www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk • Tommy’s www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/pregnancy-complications/ pregnancy-loss/miscarriage-information-and-support Miscarriage and the loss of your baby