A miscarriage is the sudden, unexpected loss of an unborn baby and placenta before the 22nd week of pregnancy or before the baby would be able to survive on its own if born. As many as one in three pregnancies ends in miscarriage, most within the first 10 weeks. After the 3rd month of pregnancy when the fetus is twelve to fourteen weeks old the risk of miscarriage drops dramatically.
Doctors call miscarriage spontaneous abortions.
Light bleeding during the first three months of pregnancy does not necessarily indicate that a miscarriage is taking place. Bleeding combined with cramping is a more serious sign. Spotting and severe cramping could signal either a miscarriage or a tubal pregnancy, and is a reason to seek immediate medical care. In the case of a miscarriage at home, the woman should make every effort to collect and save the tissue and placenta that come out of the vagina, as it is helpful to confirm the diagnosis and establish the completeness of the miscarriage. A miscarriage can be a very difficult experience for a woman and her family.