How long does a miscarriage last?

Written by: Dr Balvinder Sagoo
Published:
Edited by: Conor Lynch

Experiencing a miscarriage can be excruciatingly painful, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Here to talk further about miscarriages and how they occur is highly esteemed obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Balvinder Sagoo.

How is miscarriage defined?

Miscarriage is the loss of pregnancy during the first 24 weeks. Unfortunately, miscarriage is quite a common complication of pregnancy. Most of the miscarriages happen very early (during the first three months), and some miscarriages happen after the first three months, which are referred to as late miscarriages.

 

What are the signs of a miscarriage?

Some women may not even know they are pregnant before having a miscarriage. The main signs are bleeding, cramping pains, discharge of fluid, or tissue coming out from the vagina. Feeling sick and having tender breasts are also common symptoms.

 

How does a miscarriage occur?

There can be many reasons. Age is a major risk factor for a miscarriage. Some patients, if they request, can have investigations into why they experienced the miscarriage.

 

How long does a miscarriage last?

Miscarriages can occur over one to two days, or they can happen for up to four weeks. When we look at psychological symptoms, women can suffer the mental consequences of a miscarriage for a lot longer, and even their entire lives.

 

Are miscarriages painful?

If women do not realise they are pregnant, or if the miscarriage occurs very early in the pregnancy, miscarriages may not be painful and there many not be any associated symptoms. However, miscarriages are typically much more painful if they occur at a later stage in a pregnancy, where much more bleeding is likely to occur.

 

If you would like to make an appointment with Dr Balvinder Sagoo, then head on over to do just that via her Top Doctors profile today.

By Dr Balvinder Sagoo
Obstetrics & gynaecology

Dr Balvinder Sagoo is a highly-experienced and respected obstetrician and gynaecologist at Dr Morton's - The Medical Helpline, a service that gives patients direct, speedy access to experienced UK doctors for confidential reassurance or advice. She has expertise in pregnancy, antenatal care and miscarriage, alongside ectopic pregnancy, pregnancy counselling and obesity in pregnancy. She also practises as a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. 

Dr Sagoo, who also has an interest in hyperemesis and acute gynaecology, alongside antenatal care with an interest in intrapartum care, is highly qualified with a BSc from the University of Manchester, an MBChB in Medicine from the University of Leeds and an MRCOG from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. As part of her specialist training, she was on the rotation at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital (QCCH) in July 2015. 

As well as counselling and managing women with miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies as mentioned above, she also assists those with pregnancy of unknown location and gestational trophoblastic disease.

Further to her leading clinical practice and care, Dr Sagoo has been involved in the improvement of NHS service quality and education of undergraduates, trainee doctors and peers. Her research has been published in various peer-reviewed journals and she is a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (MRCOG). 

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