Miscarriage symptoms can occur in any pregnant woman up to 20 weeks of gestation, and typically include fever and chills, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain and absence of fetal movement for more than 5 hours.

These symptoms can be sudden, and may be related to fetal malformation, alcohol or drug intake, trauma to the abdominal area, infections and past health conditions that are not well-managed during pregnancy, like diabetes and hypertension.

If you suspect you may be experiencing a miscarriage, you should seek urgent medical attention for assessment and treatment.

Common symptoms

The main signs and symptoms of a miscarriage are:

Fever and chills
Vaginal discharge with foul odor
Vaginal bleeding, which may start with a brown color
Severe abdominal pain, like severe period cramps
Loss of fluid from the vagina, with or without pain
Loss of blood clots from the vagina
Severe or constant headache
Absence of fetal movements ,either felt or confirmed via ultrasound

If you have any of the above symptoms and suspect you are experiencing a miscarriage, proceed to the nearest emergency room immediately. The doctor will assess your symptoms as well as the baby's well-being. what you should do is go to the hospital as soon as possible and explain your symptoms to the doctor. The doctor will order testing and indicate treatment as appropriate, which may involve medication and bed rest.

How to prevent

The risk for miscarriage may be reduced by taking some factors into consideration, like avoiding all alcohol consumption and avoiding any medication use that is not directed by your doctor.

Also, pregnant women should only participate in exercise that is light to moderate, and should try to choose physical activities that are pregnancy safe. All prenatal care, including appointments and testing should be completed as directed by the doctor or obstetrician.

Women who have a higher risk for miscarriage or who have had complications that may prevent them carrying to term will require more frequent monitoring.

Types of miscarriages

Miscarriages can be classified as early (when there is fetal loss prior to week 12) or late (when there is fetal loss between weeks 12 and 20). In some cases, the termination of a pregnancy can be induced by a doctor, and it is usually done for therapeutic reasons.

When a miscarriage occurs, pregnancy tissue may be completely or partially eliminated, or not be eliminated at all. These miscarriages are classified as:

Incomplete miscarriage - when the membranes rupture but only part of the pregnancy tissue is expelled
Complete miscarriage - when all pregnancy tissue has been expelled
Retained products of conception - when the fetus is retained in the uterus for 4 weeks or more.

In some parts of the world, abortion (a conscious decision to terminate the pregnancy) are not legal, and will only be completed if the baby's life or mother's life are at risk. In some countries, the law will allow abortion for a pregnancy that is a result of sexual abuse.

After a miscarriage, you must be assessed by a doctor, who will evaluate whether there are any traces of pregnancy tissue inside the uterus. If any tissue is retained, a dilation and curettage (or D&C) is performed. The doctor might also consider prescribing a medication that will help with expulsion of any remaining pregnancy tissue, or perform surgery to remove the fetus immediately.

The doctor may recommend medication that causes the expulsion of embryonic remains or may perform surgery to remove the fetus immediately.

Possible complications

After an abortion, some women may develop PTSD, which is characterized by psychological changes that can directly interfere with their quality of life. They can experience feelings of guilt, anguish, anxiety, or depression, and develop self-punitive behaviors, eating disorders and alcoholism.

Physical complications of abortion are more common when the termination is induced and the procedure is carried out in an environment with low sanitary conditions or if it is carried out by a doctor with little training. There may be a greater risk of:

Uterine perforation
Retention of remnants of the placenta, which can lead to a uterine infection
Tetanus, when the procedure is carried out in an environment with low sanitary conditions
Infertility, as there may be irreversible damage to the woman's reproductive system
Inflammation in the fallopian tubes and uterus that can spread throughout the body, putting the woman's life at risk.

This list of complications tends to increase if the miscarriage occurs later on in the pregnancy.