Miscarriage is usually a single occurrence, and often followed by successful pregnancy.
Recurrent miscarriage is defined as the loss of three or more consecutive pregnancies.
Most miscarriage occurs within the first 14 weeks of pregnancies. The bleeding is usually followed by crampy lower abdominal pain. When vaginal bleeding is slight, there is no or mild pain, the cervix is closed and the uterus feels the correct size for date. The woman is usually advised bed rest, bleeding and pain may settle down and pregnancy may proceed normally. Should any tissue be left in the uterus there is a serious risk of infection.