Miscarriage
Miscarriage is sadly more common than is often appreciated affecting approximately 1 in 6 pregnancies. Miscarriage also becomes more common with increasing maternal age. Recurrent miscarriage (three miscarriages in a row) is much less common but affects 1 in 100 women.
Symptoms of miscarriage
- Bleeding
- Crampy pain
- Loss of pregnancy symptoms
Although any of these symptoms will clearly be worrying they do not mean there is always a problem and very often the pregnancy will continue without complication.
If you do experience any of these symptoms or are otherwise worried the most important test is to arrange a pelvic ultrasound scan. Typically this will be an internal (transvaginal scan) which gives a particularly good view in early pregnancy.
This scan cannot harm your baby or affect the chance of miscarriage. Before 6 weeks from the first day of the last menstrual
Causes of miscarriage
Evidence suggests that the majority of miscarriages in the first trimester are caused by random chance (typically a chromosome abnormality that occurs at the point of conception) and cannot be predicted or prevented. More rarely (but more commonly in recurrent or late miscarriage) there is an underlying medical problem that can be identified by tests.
Treatment of miscarriage
Although it makes sense to be as healthy as possible in terms of diet, weight
Some women have an underlying medical problem that would benefit from specific medical treatment and you should discuss this with
If
Often, particularly very early in pregnancy, miscarriage may have been confirmed to be complete on ultrasound scan. In this situation no medical treatment is needed.
Increasingly miscarriage is diagnosed on ultrasound scan before there has been a lot of bleeding (this is sometimes called a ‘missed miscarriage’) and there are then three options:
Waiting for a natural miscarriage – sometimes called conservative management. It can be difficult to predict when heavier bleeding will happen and it can be days or even weeks later. When bleeding does start it is typically like a heavier more painful period. Simple painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can be very helpful and most women will not need to go to hospital.
Medical management – there are drug treatments that can bring on the bleeding of miscarriage. These have the advantage that a more invasive medical treatment can be avoided and the uncertainty of how long before bleeding starts is removed.
Surgical management – in about 10-15% of times a wait and see or medical management approach is unsuccessful (either because nothing happens or the miscarriage is incomplete) and a small surgical procedure becomes necessary. This is usually performed under a short general anaesthetic using a small suction device. The advantage of this approach is that the timing can be planned and in addition tissue can be sent to the laboratory to potentially help understand why the miscarriage happened.
There are a number of different pros and cons to each approach and advice will depend on your particular situation and concerns.
Whatever the approach to
Tests
Women having a surgical approach can have tissue sent to assess the chromosomes (cytogenetics). If this confirms an abnormality then it completely explains why the miscarriage happened which can be very reassuring.
In women with recurrent or late
Further information:
The miscarriage association – www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
NHS Choices – www.nhs.uk/conditions/Miscarriage
Request an appointment
Clinics are three times a week and Gail will help you arrange a time to see Mr Miskry and if necessary a scan on the same day.
If you are pregnant, you can expect to have a number of routine tests and appointments and you can find out more about the schedule of care here.
Appointments can be arranged by phone or email.
Book an Appointment
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FAQs
These are some of our most commonly asked questions, but you can see all of them here
Do I need a GP referral for private treatment?
No. However if you have private medical insurance please check with your insurer as they may require a GP referral in order to provide cover.
Where does Mr Miskry see patients?
All clinics are held at 148 Harley Street.
Where does Mr Miskry perform operations?
The Lindo Wing, St Mary’s Hospital and King Edward VII’s Hospital.
If I have a private consultation will this alter my care in the NHS?
No. Your treatment or position on an NHS waiting list will not be affected by having had a private consultation/surgery.
Are tests included in my consultation fee?
Any tests Mr Miskry recommends as part of your care are payable directly to the clinic/lab/hospital where they are carried out and are not part of our fees.