How do you know if a miscarriage is finished?

[Essjay2001]

I found out at my dating scan that my baby had died 4 weeks prior at 8.5 weeks. I chose to go down the natural management route as I'd already had some cramping and spotting/bleeding so presumed it may have been close to happening.

My actual miscarriage began the next evening with strong (but not unbearable) period pains and gushes or blood with huge clots. This went on for 6 hours with little slowing of the bleeding/clots but minimal pain.

My question is, is it finished? How would I know one way or the other? I feel like I'm in a bit of a limbo expecting it all to start up again as I've read that the sac/placenta is a lot more painful to pass and as 99% of my clots went straight into the toilet I didn't see if anything was in there. I'm bleeding like a heavy period and have some very minor cramps twinges every now and then but nothing major. Any advice/insight? My follow up scan at the EPU is not for a fortnight, although I might see if I can bring it forward. Thank you

[Needsomeflapjacks]

Scan on a Wed at 8 showed no hb, started bleeding on the Thurs - no clots.
Fri morning started cramping like contractions. Timed them for 2 hours. Then the urge to push delivered first a big clot , then the sac with tiny foetus clearly in it and the placenta. Bleeding slowed down and pains stopped. Bled for 3 more days then stopped.
Had d&c years ago after mc and wanted to do it in private this time. All I have read is everyone is different, if you aren't coping at home though don't be afraid to ring mw or an ambulance.
Sorry for your loss. .

[Essjay2001]

Thank you, sorry for yours too.

Did the foetus one feel worse? All of my clots just fell out... they were easily the size of my palm or bigger.

I'm coping fine - there's very little after bleeding and my parents have been on hand to look after my toddler! Don't know how I would have coped without them.

[Needsomeflapjacks]

Easy to tell it was she foetus as the tissue had a blue tinge and quite clearly a foetus. Actually hurt to pass it like labour. .

[dolphins1203]

When I thought I was 9 weeks pregnant I experienced bleeding which became heavier and the scan at the EPU showed my baby had stopped growing at 7 and a half weeks. I chose a natural route to miscarry too.

Through my miscarriage I bled very heavily for about 4 days, where I experienced period like cramps and on the day I passed my little foetus I felt a strong cramp - almost contraction like pain, an intense pain which I had never experienced before. After that day the bleeding continued for about 2 and a half weeks, which slowly became less and less.

I felt similar to you, I thought is this the end what's going to happen next and I slowly realised there is no definite answer unfortunately; no two women experience the same feelings, bleeding or pain as each other but I hope I can give you some sort of answer.

It's very likely that you have passed everything. I waited 5 weeks before I had a scan to see if everything had passed and this was only because my hormone levels were still quite higher. But the scan showed that I was 'normal' for want of a better word, which was such a relief.

[Essjay2001]

Thank you for your answer dolphins1203. The cramping I'm getting now (48 hours later) is so slight andnthe blood loss is decreasing already so I'm hoping it's over. How did you check your hormone levels? Is that a blood test job?

[dolphins1203]

That sounds very similar. After I passed the foetus, well what I guessed it was as I didn't actually see it, my bleeding really began to slow down in terms of quantity.

Yes, my hormone levels were checked by blood test. When I first visited the EPU they told me to wait 3 weeks and then take a pregnancy test and they explained I should have a negative test if the miscarriage has fully competed. I actually waited 5 weeks and took 2 pregnancy tests (because I couldn't believe the result I was seeing) which were both still positive, so I contacted the EPU again and that's when I had an internal scan to check everything was 'normal' and they took a blood test to check my hormone levels. I then went back 48hours later and they took further bloods to check it was decreasing and it was. I just happen to be one of the few who seem to take a long time for their hormones to come back down to the 'normal' level. Hope this helps somewhat. It's such a horrible time and there's just no straightforward response to what a miscarriage is like.

[DumbledoresArmy]

I had a mc around 8 weeks.
Strange I knew it was over when I passed a larger odd looking clot,which I think was my baby.

So sorry I know it's a dreadful time . There is light at the end of the tunnel though I promise

[bananafanana1]

Sorry for you loss op how are you getting on?

Mine was similar to your experience- the bleeding stopped for a few days but I knew it wasn't over, then about 10 days after it started I got horrific pains (weirdly only at night) and after three nights of the pain getting progressively worse I passed the sac (I was a blighted ovum) then it all calmed down.

[Essjay2001]

Oh bananafanana1 that sounds unpleasant 😞.

I'm doing ok. I was feeling quite a bit better until my 2 y/o slammed his finger in in a door at 1am so I had very little sleep last night and feel like a zombie again!

I did a pregnancy test first thing this morning and the result was much much fainter than it was a week ago which I'm taking as a positive.

[bananafanana1]

Oh gosh nightmare with toddler! Hope he's ok!

Hopefully you won't have the same as me, sounds like you're over the worst of it now

[Essjay2001]

I was wrong - it definitely wasn't over. Ambulanced to hospital last night after lots of blood loss and passing out. Had everything "removed" and then have been kept in overnight to monitor my iron levels and bp, both of which were low.

Scanned this morning and everything has gone so just have to wait for my iron and energy levels to return so I can feel back to normal.

[bananafanana1]

Oh essjay sending hugs.

Why do these things have to be so traumatic! It's do emotionally hard as it is.

I've had similar but not ambulances, went to A&E - so I do know how you feel. I knew mine wasn't finished but didn't expect the horrific pain.

If you're not signed off now then ask your gp. Hope you're snuggling up and looking after yourself, things will start feeling better but it'll take time. It's my first day back to work after mine and I've just started feeling human again.

[K0013]

Thinking about you essjay 🙁 Sending you big hugs x

[dolphins1203]

Oh essjay, that's awful. Thinking of you. X

[Ayifa]

While miscarriage have u had vomiting headache??

[Vidya37]

Hi I had a miscarriage Didn't realize because I take back a pregnancy test in a few days and it still say positive. Went for an Ultrasound and they didn't see my baby was so sad disappointed. But they seeing a Sac an a Gestation they calling it. But tell me I had 2 options wait for 2 weeks do back an ultrasound or do a D& C I thought everything had came out. So I'm waiting for the 2 weeks but some how I was thinking I maybe gotten back pregnant but I did a test today and it say Negative. But how is it possible if anything remain back but I not in pain or getting fever because the Doctor say I would of been experiencing those things if everything didn't came out tell me what you all thing

[Jessicspring]

I had a miscarriage yesterday went for a scan as I was bleeding! I was 11 weeks and 6 days pregnant then last night I had really bad pain and bleeding out loads of clots they was massive! Had five of them now I’m just bleeding has it finished? I’m gutted 😞

[Lost0013]

I'm so sorry you're going through this @Jessicspring. If the bleeding has stopped it may be over, I bled for a little while with mine. Perhaps start a new post so we can support you through this and so your messagesdon't get lost in this one. I'm so sorry again, sending big hugs xxx