How can I tell if I am miscarrying?

[IlanaK]

I am 6 weeks pg. I started bleeding this evening bright red blood about two hours ago. It was more than spotting - more like the beginning of a period. Called NHS Direct and spoke to a nurse who told me to speak to out of hours Dr which I did. He told me to call GP in the morning and go for a scan.

It is two hours later now and I am not bleeding anymore. I think the bleeding episode lasted only for a short while but seemed a lot of blood. Neither the nurser nor the Dr were particularly helpful in actually telling me whther the symptoms match a miscarriage.

If I was miscarrying, would the bleeding be constant?

[Rhubarb]

I'm sure someone else will be able to give you more advice than me.

But a hopeful story from me anyhow. I was 6 weeks into my second pregnancy when I bled and began to get cramping pains. I was convinced I was miscarrying. I went to the out of hours surgery and the GP there said I was probably miscarrying, there was nothing they could do, I would have to go home and let nature take it's course. I had an appointment for a scan a week later. Like you I didn't bleed anymore. When I had my scan the baby was there and they found a heartbeat. They said it was either a messy implant or a twin. But messy implants are very common, when the egg attaches itself to your womb wall it can slip a little or cause some of your womb lining to fall away, thus the bleeding.

But I also know others who bled a little at 6 weeks and then went on to miscarry. I'm afraid there is no fast answer. But I do hope that everything goes well for you, it is hell waiting not knowing if you are pregnant or not, and I just hope the end result is a good one for you.

[IlanaK]

Thanks for your response. It is the not knowing that is so hard. This is my third pregnancy and I did not have any bleeding in either of the others. It has totally freaked me out and I was convinced I was miscarrying until it stopped. Now I don't know what to think.

[expatinscotland]

i am still carrying a miscarried foetus and haven't shed a drop of blood.

it's entirely possible that your baby is fine!

i hope so!

[whomovedmychocolate]

Okay, if you are only six weeks pregnant it could well be in implantation bleed, I had one at four weeks but I ovulated on week one of my cycle (!) so it would have been at six weeks.

Was it preceded by you having sex? Sometimes this can irritate the cervix. Was there pain or just bleeding. I have had a couple of miscarriages and the bleeding is normally proceeded by period type pains.

Finally, quite often with twins one of the twins dies and is miscarried without affecting the other, this sometimes causes bleeding for a few hours, sometimes there is no bleeding at all and the twin is absorbed.

If you call the GP in the morning and arrange for a scan as an emergency, you will get confirmation of what is going on. But quite early bleeds are often nothing more than implantation and as long as they don't continue (mine was for five days and the baby is fine so far), they are not necessarily a problem.

I know you probably won't get a lot of sleep tonight and you will be out of your mind with worry but in the first twelve weeks over 99% of miscarriages are due to a fetal abnormality which is not conducive to life - ie there is no chance and bugger all you can do about it. I always thought 'better now at six weeks than at 20 weeks' when it happened to me. I hope that doesn't sound callous to you.

Good luck. XX

Expat, have you not been to the hospital yet? You must be going through hell. We're all thinking of you!

[IlanaK]

I had sex on Saturday so I doubt that counts as immediately before the bleed. I have had mild cramping for two weeks now - it is no worse today than any other day.

The bleeding has not restarted which is making me feel better, but my understanding was that implantation bleeds were only spotting. This was more than that.

[whostuffedmystockings]

Okay well the fact that you had sex on Saturday may indicate that it is an irritated cervix. Was it enough blood to say fill a sanitary towel but only one? The cramping with miscarriage is very rarely mild and gets worse IME.

My implantation bleed was one day full on bleeding (thought it was my period) next four days brown bleeding. Also had some mild cramps.

Have faith, the fact that it's stopped is excellent news.

[whostuffedmystockings]

(sorry changed my name for christmas - tis still WMMC)

[IlanaK]

Thanks for that. Actually, I was wearning a pad as I get regular clear dishcharge (sorry for TMI) and it certainly did not fill it. Not even nearly. But more than spotting. I would like to think it is good news too that it has stopped, but it is still so worrying. I keep going into the loo every ten minutes to check.

And the worst is that I assume even if I have a scan tomorow and all is ok, the panic will not go away as I assume I can still miscarry.

My first two pregnancies were not like this - I barely worried about miscarriage.

[expatinscotland]

chocolate, the hospital only offered the ERPC off hte day surgery unit if you get there by 8AM for the pessaries.

i cannot do this, as the earliest ferry in winter hours departs at 7.30 (yet there are no services available on this side of the water)

so they wanted me to check into the labour unit.

and of course, once you get the pessary you can't get up off the bed. you must lie there for at least 3 hours before you can get a shot at a turn - being bumped for emergencies.

at least half the day. lying cramping on a bed in the labour ward.

and if they do the procedure after 4PM, you get transferred to spend the night where?

you guessed it! the labour ward!

i'm pretty hard, but i can't take that.

so i'm going private.

[whostuffedmystockings]

I didn't bleed in my first pregnancy either. But that's not necessarily a death knell sounding!

I guess my implantation bleed was 15ml which is a tablespoon (looks like a lot, actually isn't).

Yes, even if you have a scan tomorrow and all is well you can miscarry but you can miscarry at any point. Or all can be well. As I said in the first twelve weeks, if things are not to be there is bugger all anyone can do anyway. Panicking won't do much either way except raise your blood pressure and give you worry lines.

I worried horribly all through my first pregnancy and didn't miscarry. When I had both miscarriages I wasn't at all worried, ce la vie I guess!

Still sounds like an implantation bleed from what you've said.

Go to the docs tomorrow. Go look at joke websites or something to distract yourself now, there is nothing you can do except seek help tomorrow. You are doing all the right things and you will know soon.

[LOVEMYMUM]

Hi Ilana.

I had what looked like the beginning of a period when i was a few weeks pregnant and about 8 weeks pregnant. Both times it was ok. I am now 27 weeks pregnant.

Please try not to worry (i know, easier said than done!). As my GP said, "It could be something, it could be nothing".

I also had (and still have) a tiny bit of cramping, i was told it was just my uterus expanding (1st pregnancy).

Whostuffed is right - try to distract yourself. Its hard not to worry about a m/c, but i just think, whatever happens, happens.

(If I'm not here if you reply tonight its cos DH needs his computer back to do some work.)

[Didylicious]

I've had 3 miscarriage - the first a "missed miscarriage" - at 13 weeks, but baby had died at 5 weeks and not come away.

the other two miscarriages were heavy bleeding - like a heavy period for a WEEK each time.

Sounds to me like you have "normal" pregnancy bleeding - if it stopped so soon after it started.

I've had a lot of this, this time around and am now 14 weeks. BAby is fine!

Hope it is the same for you (that your baby is fine that is!).

((hugs))

[IlanaK]

Well I just got back from having a scan. They found a sac and yolk but could not see a baby. Although my dates say I am 6.5 weeks, I was pretty sure that was not right and I was less pregnant. The measurements put me at 5 weeks. So the sonographer said they would not expect to be able to see the baby at 5 weeks. So I have to go back in one week for another scan. No more bleeding in the meantime, but no certainty either.

[Didylicious]

This happened to my friend, she turned out to be less pregnant than initially thought, and is now 24 weeks!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you that everything will be okay.

Sorry you have to wait for your answer, that's tough.

[whostuffedmystockings]

Ilana - I'm in the same boat. I had a scan at 5 +2, they could see egg sac etc. but it's too early for a heartbeat. They are having me come back on new years eve for a check by which time I'm sure there will be a little baby in there.

I know it's worrying but the fact that you've had no more bleeding does seem to point to an implantation bleed or an irritated cervix. Have they told you to lay off the sex for the next few weeks yet?

[IlanaK]

The GP mentioned no sex and I read that in a book so I already told dh. I am also trying to take it a little easier. I have a really busy life, rushing everywhere at the moment. Dh tooko today off to go to the scan with me and then I put my feet up for the rest of the day while he looked after the boys.

I am feeling a lot better about it all. No more bleeding and I still feel really pg - sore breasts, tiredness etc. I am trying to think positively.