A miscarriage can last anywhere from hours to weeks. While a woman may have only light bleeding and cramping, another may bleed for several days. Usually, the physical process of a miscarriage happens gradually and resolves within 2 weeks.

For most women, the bleeding is heavy with clots but not severe – it is more like a heavy period. However, the bleeding can be extremely heavy in some cases. In some cases of miscarriage, there are no symptoms. The baby stops developing or dies but it remains in the womb.

You may pass a blood clot or several clots from your vagina, and there may be some white or grey tissue in the clots. The bleeding will settle down in a few days, though it can take up to 2 weeks.

If you bleed through a pad in less than 2 hours, your bleeding may be excessive. If you bleed through a large pad in less than an hour, you need to seek help right away. You may hear about other symptoms which could indicate blood loss. It’s important to seek medical help before these symptoms occur.

In a miscarriage that happens beyond 6 weeks, more tissue will be expelled. The expelled tissue usually resemble large blood clots. Depending on the point at which the pregnancy stopped developing, the expelled tissue could range in size from as small as a pea to as big or bigger than an orange.

If the pain and bleeding have lessened or stopped completely during this time, this usually means the miscarriage has finished.

Sometimes the bleeding will continue to be heavy and you may need further treatment. You should go to your nearest emergency department if you have: increased bleeding, for instance soaking two pads per hour and/or passing golf ball sized clots. severe abdominal pain or shoulder pain.

If you have the symptoms of a miscarriage, you’ll usually be referred to a hospital for tests. In most cases, an ultrasound scan can determine if you’re having a miscarriage. When a miscarriage is confirmed, you’ll need to talk to your doctor or midwife about the options for the management of the end of the pregnancy.

A blighted ovum will cause a miscarriage usually at 7 to 12 weeks of pregnancy. Your body realises the pregnancy is not developing properly and starts to shed blood and tissue from the uterus. A miscarriage can be extremely upsetting.

This process can take anywhere from a few days to three or four weeks. For women who don’t want to wait so long, other treatment options, such as a D&C or medication, may be more appealing.

A D&C may be necessary if the miscarriage poses an immediate threat to your health. This may be the case if you are hemorrhaging or if tissue remains in your uterus after a natural miscarriage. Ultrasound is used to determine if a miscarriage is complete or not.

You can ovulate and become pregnant as soon as two weeks after a miscarriage. Once you feel emotionally and physically ready for pregnancy after miscarriage, ask your health care provider for guidance. After one miscarriage, there might be no need to wait to conceive.

A miscarriage usually happens in the first 3 months of pregnancy, before 12 weeks’ gestation. A small fraction of pregnancy losses — happening in less than 1% of pregnancies — are called stillbirths, as they happen after 20 weeks of gestation.

Types of Miscarriage If a pregnant woman has bleeding, little or no pain, a closed cervix, and is found to still have a fetus with a heartbeat in her uterus, she may have had a threatened miscarriage. Most pregnancies with early bleeding but with a detectable heartbeat turn out fine.

If you are pregnant, have no vaginal bleeding, and are without other risk factors (such as being older, smoking, drinking, or having an infection), most estimates suggest that your odds of having a miscarriage after seeing a fetal heartbeat are about 4%.

How can I survive my pregnancy loss?

1. Reach out to those closest to you. Ask for understanding, comfort, and support.
2. Seek counseling to help both yourself and your partner. You don’t have to face this alone.
3. Allow yourself plenty of time to grieve and the opportunity to remember.

Here are some things you can do to stay positive:

1. Focus on one day at a time.
2. Take good care of yourself.
3. Try relaxation exercises.
4. Empower yourself with knowledge about your loss.
5. Know you’re not alone.
6. Communicate with your partner.
7. Check in with your doctor or midwife often.
8. Find a support group.