Natural miscarriage...what to expect?

LegacyUser

Hi,
Not sure if this is the right place for this, but here goes anyway...

Over the last few years I have had 4 miscarriages ranging from 15 to 19 weeks. In all these cases, I was brought to the hospital because of pain & bleeding, and had a D&C.

After our last miscarriage, our doctor recommended waiting about 6-9 months before trying again which we did (just to give us a chance to recover emotionally).

I have no trouble actually getting pregnant, and we were both thrilled when I had a positive pregnancy test in early December. We decided not to tell anybody because of previous losses, espicailly our last loss at 19 weeks when pretty much everybody knew. We just didn't want to jinx ourselves.
The only problem with not telling people is that January is our busiest time in work, so I was probably working longer hours than I should have.

Anyway, I hadn't been feeling well for about a week (not physically sick, but no energy, no appetite, ...). Last Wednesday, my partner loaded me up and brought me to A&E to get checked out. After a load of tests, the doctors said it's just a virus, but decided to do a scan to make sure the baby was ok too.

Unfortunately when they did the scan, they couldn't find a heart-beat and told us that I had suffered another miscarriage. However, this time they decided not to do a D&C, but to see if I would pass it naturally.

Because our previous losses all resulted in a D&C, I haven't got a clue what to expect. I'm sure they did try to tell us, but to be honest, we were both devastated and didn't really take anything in.
Without getting too graphic, should we expect much bleeding? Will I be able to identify the foetus (I was 11 weeks along)? Because I really don't know if I could handle that. It just seems unnecessarily cruel to expect someone to go through this at home.

Anyway, sorry for the long post, but any advice on what I should expect would be appreciated.
Thanks

dublinlady

I'm so so sorry to hear of your loss and also of your sad and difficult history I really am very little help - I suffered a miscarriage at 8 weeks and passed it naturally - there were large clots etc but nothing too large or identifiable. I don't know why they would make you pass it at 11 weeks - I thought anything over 8 weeks required a d&c. Could you contact the maternity hospital and double check with them that it's really the best option. I dont see how it's helpful I'm so so sorry for your loss - I can't imagine how your feeling. My thOughts are with you and your partner. Take care x

Hannibal Smith

I'm not sure how much detail to put here....maybe I should pm you. If the mods think it's too much detail, they can delete or modify my post I guess.

But no, you won't see a foetus...yes you can expect to pass a lot of clots, but you won't see anything. The biggest clot I saw I presume was the sac, but I didn't see anything that I could definitively recognise. I miscarried at 11 weeks. I didn't get a D&C, I was given the tablets, which were to move everything along, so I'm not sure if the pains I had will be similar to the ones you will have but they were pretty intense. I had a prescription of ponstan and tried to brave it without them, I had to take them in the end. So whatever painkillers you're given take them as soon as it starts to kick off.

I'm so very sorry for everything you're going through xxx

Julie London

Im so sorry for your loss. And i think if you want a D & C you should be entitled to it. I had a miscarriage at 7 weeks. I passed it naturally which involved poainful cramps and bleeding for about 1 and half weeks. starting out with spots of bloods that developed into clots and eventually a white piece of clotting i assume was the sac with foetus inside.
If you feel you cannot face this please go back and insist on a D & C. Also insist you want everything investigated now to find out why you are miscarrying. At this stage i think you should opt for the D & C and tell them you want to to investigate why this is happening. So if they need to keep any of the clots sorry i dont know how to put this. But they prob would have to take samples from the D & C to investigate.
Best of luck with everything.

Fri.Day

I`m so sorry for your losses.
I m/c at 9 weeks, started to bleed, went to hospital because it wasn`t too much bleeding I was sent home and told to come back if it did get heavy.
On the way home in the car I was in serious pain like your worst period pain and about 4 hours later everything came out like it does when you have a period just heavier and lots of clots, nothing identifiable. This large passing of everything lasted 2 hours and I was I think in labour for this.
I continued to bleed for a week.
I had a scan 10days later to confirm the miscarraige was complete so no need for d+c.
I ovulated 21 days after so then began a new cycle.
As this is your 5th miscarraige I would have thought that waiting is not an option, investigation should be top of their list.
Look after yourself and maybe get your partner to fight your corner for you if that what ye want.
Don`t take on any blame about working, be kind on yourself til ye have proper answers
Ring the hospital again and get them to explain it all over again, they won`t mind and they will deffinitly understand its a shock.
http://www.miscarriage.ie/

barbiegirl

OP I am so sorry for your losses. I've had 3 misses but never as late as you. The first 2 were sorted with a D&C and the last one with the pills. The reason why they may not want to do the D&C is because of the increased risk of scaring.

Have you been to a miscarriage clinic? In the Coombe it is standard after 3 and they run tests to see if there is a discernible reason for the losses. In my case their wasn't.

Now I am on the waiting list for Napro to see if they can help. they seemingly have good results helping people with recurrent miscarriage.

qwertytlk

Hi, im so sorry for you loss and the ongoing pain of what you and your partner have been through with the previous miscarriages. I miscarried at 13 weeks and it was just clots, some quite large but definatey nothing that was identifiable. The pain was like a severe period pain or cramping of the stomach and i also got lower back pain. The bleeding wasnt such a heavy flow that i couldnt go about my daily business(not that i wanted to anyway)but it was heavier at times than your average period. I actually had a d&c also but they let me bleed naturally at home for 5 days then brought me for the d&c which i think was ridicilous. Just as i think what you are being asked to do is a little unfair also. I feel you should have been given the option. But perhaps another medical procedure would be just as invasive as this is, im not sure, i think that would vary person to person. Personallly for me, having experienced passing it naturally for 5 days, then also having a d&c i would say the 5 days at home passing clots etc were worse than the d&c as i knew what it was and it was soul destroying. Whereas the d&c has more of a sense of finality to it. Anyway when i m/c i asked all the normal questons of why it happend etc and was told the usual answer of it just happend because... Anyway the nurse i dealt with told me that they usually only investigate the reasons for miscarriage after there is at least 2, so if you havnt had any kind of investigation yet you should ask for this to be done, if its something you want. Also if you feel you arent up to this and want the d&c then you should ring the hospital,im sure they will accomodate you.
Best of luck and i really hope you are feeling better and stronger soon. Take care x

want a baby

hi all First post on this site. Hope I have posted in the right place. I thought I was 16 weeks pregnant when i went for my first scan. After being referred to EPU I was informed there was no heartbeat at 13 3 days. I went home and 3 days later I miscarried naturally at home it was horrendous. I dont want to scare people and I know every woman is different but I will never forget the amount of blood loss. I had an opportunity to see the baby later but i said no but no I regret that decision. Would I have seen a baby? I know it would be small but would it have helped me to cope. We had a service a couple of days later and that was great as we now have a place to go and it acknowledges or little baby. I am 40 (and 1/2) first pregnancy and want it to happen again soon. It's only been 4 weeks but I still havent got a period, is this normal.