A miscarriage is not easy, and you should not blame yourself or feel ashamed if you have gone through it. In most cases, a miscarriage happens due to some chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus. More than 20% of pregnancies end up in a miscarriage before the 20th week of pregnancy.

 

Signs of a miscarriage

Miscarriages are not the same for all pregnancies. Miscarriages depend on several factors such as gestational age, the age of the mother, whether you were carrying single or multiples, and your body’s natural reaction. If you were in the early stages of pregnancy, you may miscarry even before realizing that you were pregnant. Your symptoms of miscarriage may seem like heavy periods. You may experience heavy bleeding, blood clotting, and cramping. The bleeding may not last for more than a few hours.

 

If you were further along in your pregnancy, you may experience bleeding for days or even a couple of weeks. You may also have spotting for more than a month. Your bleeding can range from mild clotting to heavy bleeding. Your bleeding may be accompanied by cramping. Some common symptoms of miscarriage are:

 

1. Vaginal bleeding

2. Vaginal spotting

3. Abdominal cramps

4. Pelvic pain

5. Lower back cramping

6. Vaginal discharge

 

The appearance of miscarriage blood

The blood discharged during a miscarriage can vary from the appearance of usual period blood. Miscarriage bleeding may appear pinkish, light brown, or dark red. The bleeding may appear like a mild brownish spotting or dark red heavy bleeding. If a miscarriage happens early in pregnancy, the miscarriage blood may look like regular period blood with very little difference. However, vaginal bleeding does not necessarily mean that you are miscarrying.

 

How long can you bleed?

The duration and amount of bleeding after a miscarriage varies. The miscarriage can start with slight bleeding and progress to heavy bleeding. The bleeding can last for a few hours. However, you can also keep bleeding for days, and even weeks. If your bleeding continues for more than four weeks, you should consult your doctor.

 

If you are going through a miscarriage, do not feel guilty. The majority of miscarriages happen randomly and cannot be predicted or prevented. More than 70% of miscarriages happen in the first trimester, and 20% happen in the second trimester. Miscarriage doesn't indicate any complications with your future pregnancy.