Abortion, spontaneous

Alternative names:

miscarriage

Prevention:

Many of the spontaneous abortions that are caused by maternal diseases could be prevented through early (prior to conception) detection and treatment of the disease.

Reduced risks of spontaneous abortions have been attributed to early, comprehensive prenatal care and avoidance of environmental hazards (such as X-rays and infectious diseases).

Spontaneous abortion naturally occurs after fetal death. The dead tissue is discarded from the uterus and the woman resumes her normal menstrual cycle within a few weeks (usually). Note: it is frequently possible to become pregnant immediately after a spontaneous abortion, however it is recommended that you wait for one or two normal menstrual cycles before attempting another pregnancy.

On occasion, the uterus does not expel all of the fetal tissue, in which case it is considered incomplete. Incomplete spontaneous abortions may require surgical removal of the retained tissue.

If there is fetal death that is not accompanied by uterine expulsion of the dead tissue, it is considered a missed abortion. Signs of pregnancy decrease, the uterus begins shrinking to its original size, and a brownish or reddish vaginal discharge is often experienced. If spontaneous abortion does not occur in a reasonable amount of time (about 4 weeks), a D&C or D&E will have to be performed, or labor induced to remove the dead fetus.

When a mother's body is having difficulty sustaining a pregnancy, signs such as slight vaginal bleeding may occur. This is a threatened abortion, which means there is a possibility of abortion, but it is not inevitable. A pregnant woman who develops any signs or symptoms of threatened miscarriage should contact her prenatal provider immediately.