An early miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy in the first 12 weeks.
Sadly, early miscarriages are very common. It’s perfectly possible to have a miscarriage before you even realise you’re pregnant. About half of all fertilised eggs are thought to be lost in the earliest days of pregnancy, before a pregnancy test has been done.
Miscarriage at any stage of pregnancy can be a terrible blow. Even if it happens very early on in pregnancy, it’s only natural that it comes as a shock. Don’t feel you’re not allowed to grieve over your loss.
To develop properly, a baby needs the right number of normal chromosomes. He’ll need 23 from his mum and 23 from his dad. Chromosomal abnormalities can prevent a baby from developing. These abnormalities may happen because there are too many chromosomes or not enough chromosomes, or because there are changes to a chromosome’s structure. In that case, the pregnancy will come to an end at the embryo stage. It’s thought that up to 95 per cent of pregnancies with chromosomal abnormalities end in miscarriage.
The most common signs and symptoms of miscarriage are vaginal bleeding and strong period-type cramps. The bleeding can vary from light to heavy, perhaps with blood clots, and may come and go for a few days.
