• About
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
Pregged.com
  • Getting Pregnant
    • Am I Pregnant?
    • Unplanned Pregnancy
    • Miscarriage
  • Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Symptoms
    • Pregnancy Health
    • Mental Health
    • 1st Trimester
    • 2nd Trimester
    • 3rd Trimester
  • Week by Week
  • Relationships
    • Dads
  • Getting Ready
    • Labor
    • Birth
    • Postpartum
    • Baby
    • Baby Names
    • Baby Astrology
    • Breastfeeding
  • Shop
    • Pregnancy Products
    • Maternity Wear
    • Baby Gear
    • Diapers
    • Postpartum Products
    • Gift Ideas
  • Getting Pregnant
    • Am I Pregnant?
    • Unplanned Pregnancy
    • Miscarriage
  • Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Symptoms
    • Pregnancy Health
    • Mental Health
    • 1st Trimester
    • 2nd Trimester
    • 3rd Trimester
  • Week by Week
  • Relationships
    • Dads
  • Getting Ready
    • Labor
    • Birth
    • Postpartum
    • Baby
    • Baby Names
    • Baby Astrology
    • Breastfeeding
  • Shop
    • Pregnancy Products
    • Maternity Wear
    • Baby Gear
    • Diapers
    • Postpartum Products
    • Gift Ideas
Home » Pregnancy » 1st Trimester » What Does It Feel Like To Have A Miscarriage?

What Does It Feel Like To Have A Miscarriage?

  Written by Feature Editor
   Medically reviewed by Kristy June Dinampo MD
  Updated on June 21st, 2023
What Does It Feel Like To Have A Miscarriage?

Here we look at the physical feelings and experiences that might come with miscarriage. We’ll talk about what a miscarriage might feel like, and how to know if you should seek medical help.

Miscarriages are common. If you’ve never had a miscarriage, you might not realize quite how many of the women around you have had one.

Sadly, many women don’t feel able to talk openly about the loss of a pregnancy.

There is still plenty of (unfounded) shame and stigma attached to it and it’s easy to feel like no one wants to hear about such a difficult experience.

It’s only when you go through a miscarriage yourself that other people to start to tell you their own stories and you realize you’re not alone.

A miscarriage is when a pregnancy is lost before 20 weeks. From 20 weeks onwards, baby loss is called stillbirth.

In the U.S. there are roughly 4.4 million confirmed pregnancies each year; and approximately 1 million of those pregnancies end in miscarriage or stillbirth.

It’s a scary thought, especially when you’re in the early days of your pregnancy. But understanding that it’s common can help to ease the shock if it does happen to you.

Having a miscarriage isn’t your fault — it’s probably nothing to do with anything you have or haven’t done.

Women lose babies for lots of different reasons, and sometimes there doesn’t seem to be any medical reason at all.

Older women are at the highest risk of miscarriage, and women under the age of 35 are at a lower risk.

Losing a pregnancy can be very difficult, and the emotional effects should not be underestimated; if you’ve had a miscarriage, we encourage you to speak to a close relative or friend or seek professional support.

What are miscarriage pains like?

The pain experienced during and after a miscarriage varies from woman to woman, and also depends on how far along a woman is in her pregnancy.

Many women who have miscarriages during the early weeks of pregnancy don’t even realize it’s happened until they go to the doctor and are told that they’re no longer pregnant.

Signs that you might be having a miscarriage include:

  • Bleeding which may start very light, and then get heavier
  • Abdominal pain similar to period pain — this might be mild or severe pain, and may come and go. It could be sharp, stabbing pain, or more of a dull ache.
  • Back pain; again, similar to period pain
  • A fever
  • Feeling weak

Having one or more of these symptoms does not mean that you’re definitely having a miscarriage.

Less serious complications could cause the same symptoms — and some women do experience light spotting and abdominal pain during pregnancy without anything being wrong at all.

Some women also experience pain and spotting after they have miscarried, as well as — or instead of — during the miscarriage.

Where does miscarriage pain occur?

Pain during a miscarriage often starts in the lower abdomen or lower back.

Some women start bleeding before they feel pain, and others bleed after the pain starts. And some women who have miscarriages in the first trimester don’t notice any bleeding at all.

Can miscarriage be painless?

Yes.

A painless miscarriage is most likely to occur in early pregnancy — before 12 weeks. As the pregnancy progresses, the fetus and the placenta grow bigger so a miscarriage is more likely to be painful.

What does miscarriage blood look like?

Some women only notice very light spotting in their underwear. But it’s common to pass thick, lumpy blood during a miscarriage, with clots in it. Sadly, you may even see the fetus in the blood.

If the bleeding is heavier than your usual period, call your obstetrician’s office to seek advice.

I’m having a miscarriage – do I have to go to hospital?

If you’ve spoken to an obstetrician and know you’re having a miscarriage, you can manage the pain at home as long as your doctor agrees that you don’t need to go into hospital.

It’s usually safe to take Tylenol/Paracetamol (never take more than the recommended dosage on the packet) but check with your doctor first.

You can also use a hot water bottle or take a warm bath to relieve pain.

If the pain gets severe or you start bleeding very heavily, call your doctor and follow their advice.

Also remember that you don’t need to wait until you’re having severe symptoms before going to the hospital. You can get help with your miscarriage at any time.

When to get medical help

If you’re worried at all, call your doctor to tell them what’s going on and ask for their advice.

They’ll tell you if it sounds like you’re having a miscarriage, and whether you should come in to their office or go to the emergency room — or if you can stay at home.

If you experience any of the following, call your doctor right away or ask someone to take you to the emergency room:

  • Sudden, severe pain
  • Fainting, or loss of consciousness
  • Severe bleeding

And if you experience any of the following symptoms, you should also call your doctor immediately, or seek emergency care if you feel very unwell:

  • Dizziness, or feeling like you might faint
  • New pain in your belly or pelvis — or pain that has suddenly got worse
  • Bleeding getting heavier
  • Pain in or around your vagina
  • A fever

After a miscarriage

If you have a miscarriage at home without medical care, you’ll need a check-up with your doctor afterwards.

This is to make sure that your body is recovering and that you haven’t retained any blood clots inside your uterus. Call your doctor’s office to schedule this appointment as soon as you’re ready.

After a miscarriage make sure you’re gentle with yourself and get lots of rest.

Give yourself time to grieve as well.

Miscarriage usually comes as quite a shock and it takes time to accept the loss.

We hope that we’ve covered all the questions you may have about what a miscarriage feels like and some of the things you might experience, but if you have any other questions please let us know and we’ll be sure to answer them.

 

Sources:

  1. https://www.today.com/parents/how-know-if-you-re-having-miscarriage-other-frequently-asked-t75861
  2. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/pregnancy/miscarriage/how-do-i-know-if-im-having-miscarriage
  3. https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/complications/miscarriage/miscarriage-causes-signs-and-what-to-expect/
  4. https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/miscarriage/
  5. https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/pregnancy-miscarriage#1
  6. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/miscarriage/

Related Posts

  • The Chinese Gender Prediction Calendar – A Guide
  • Faint Pregnancy Test Line is Very Light – Am I Pregnant or Not?
  • 7 Remarkable Facts About Baby Eye Color
Trending Now
Folate or Folic Acid in Pregnancy — Which is Best?

Folate or Folic Acid in Pregnancy — Which is Best?

One of most important decisions you’ll make during early pregnancy, or when trying to conceive, is how you’re going to get all vitamins and minerals

10 Ways Pregnancy Can Damage Your Body

10 Ways Pregnancy Can Damage Your Body

Pregnancy is a wonderful time, but during those magical nine months you may notice that you experience some rather odd symptoms. Fortunately, for the most

Read more...
Should I Buy a Home Fetal Doppler? Are They Safe?

Should I Buy a Home Fetal Doppler? Are They Safe?

Fetal dopplers for home use are now widely available and many parents-to-be understandably like the idea of being able to check on baby whenever they

Read more...
Does Sex Feel the Same After Giving Birth Vaginally?

Does Sex Feel the Same After Giving Birth Vaginally?

Sex after giving birth. It’s on every new Mom’s mind at some point during or after pregnancy. Will it hurt? How long until you’ll be

Read more...
What is a Missed Miscarriage?

What is a Missed Miscarriage?

Sadly not every pregnancy ends in the birth of a healthy child. Miscarriage is something all pregnant women fear and it is a heartbreaking experience.

Read more...
Eating Saffron in Pregnancy — Is it Safe?

Eating Saffron in Pregnancy — Is it Safe?

Saffron is a bright crimson-colored and very expensive spice, also called Kesar. It’s a dried form of part of the Crocus Sativus flower, which grows

Read more...
What Does It Feel Like To Have A Miscarriage?

What Does It Feel Like To Have A Miscarriage?

Here we look at the physical feelings and experiences that might come with miscarriage. We’ll talk about what a miscarriage might feel like, and how

Read more...
7 Ways to Stop Smoking in Pregnancy (that Actually Work)

7 Ways to Stop Smoking in Pregnancy (that Actually Work)

You’re pregnant — or you’re trying to get pregnant. And…you smoke. You probably already know that smoking and pregnancy are not a good combination. But

Read more...
11 Gentle Ways to Start Labor Naturally

11 Gentle Ways to Start Labor Naturally

Picture the scene – you’re somewhere between 38 – 42 weeks pregnant and nothing seems to be happening. Not even getting any pre-labor symptoms. You’re

Read more...
6 Ways to Deal With the Fear of Miscarriage

6 Ways to Deal With the Fear of Miscarriage

Written by Psychologist, Nikolina Miljus You may not realize but the fear of miscarriage haunts every woman during the early stages of pregnancy. Whether it’s our

Read more...
What Does it Feel Like To Be Pregnant?

What Does it Feel Like To Be Pregnant?

When most women talk about what does it feel like to be pregnant they focus on the early physical symptoms. Nausea, the cramps, the tiredness, the

Read more...
Vomiting During the Third Trimester. Is it Normal?

Vomiting During the Third Trimester. Is it Normal?

The third trimester of pregnancy is a strange time. You’ve made your way through that rocky first trimester when all you wanted to do was lay

Read more...
6 Ways to Have a Healthy Baby (During Pregnancy)

6 Ways to Have a Healthy Baby (During Pregnancy)

You’re pregnant — or you want to be. So even if you’re usually the most laid back human on the planet, you might be starting

Read more...
How to Convert Weeks into Months During Pregnancy

How to Convert Weeks into Months During Pregnancy

Converting how many weeks pregnant you are into months pregnant is frankly pretty confusing. This is because months are not neatly packaged into exactly 4-week

Read more...
10 Things Women Hate About Being Pregnant

10 Things Women Hate About Being Pregnant

Pregnancy is a wonderful and magical time. It’s also a time of feeling constantly irritated, annoyed and bloated. Life has ups and downs and so

Read more...
Join the Pregged Community
Follow us
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
Disclosure

Some of the links on Pregged lead to sites we are affiliated with, such as Amazon, and we may earn revenue from them.

The material on this website is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or in place of therapy or medical care. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Links
  • About
  • Contact
  • T & C’s
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2023 Pregged.com. All rights reserved