Miscarriage
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks. The main signs of a miscarriage include vaginal bleeding, followed by cramping and pain.
The most common sign of miscarriage is vaginal bleeding.
There are many reasons why a miscarriage may occur, although the causes of particular miscarriages are often not identified.
If you see your GP or midwife because of vaginal bleeding or other symptoms of miscarriage, you may be referred to an early pregnancy unit for tests.
If you have a miscarriage, you may need to have any remaining pregnancy tissue removed from your womb.
A miscarriage can have a profound emotional impact, not only on a woman, but also on her partner, friends and family.
As the cause of a miscarriage is often not identified, they cannot always be prevented.