Does a natural miscarriage count as an abortion?

Written by Liu Wei Jie
Obstetrics
Updated on September 15, 2024
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Is miscarriage considered the same as abortion? These are not the same concepts, but they share similarities. Miscarriage is due to factors related to the mother or fetus, leading to the natural loss of the embryo, whereas abortion involves artificially inducing the removal of the embryo from the womb. Although miscarriages might also result in some postpartum complications, abortions tend to have more complications due to the artificial means involved. These artificial ways include surgical abortion procedures, during which there might be risks of infection and damage to the uterine lining.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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What is lochia after a natural miscarriage?

Vaginal bleeding is a symptom of natural miscarriage, and this is known as lochia. Lochia is the discharge from the vagina after childbirth, typically ceasing about a week postpartum. After a natural miscarriage, normal bleeding lochia generally has a bloody smell but does not have any other odorous scents. Following a natural miscarriage, it is important to monitor the expulsion of lochia, paying attention to its amount, color, and odor changes, as these factors can reflect the recovery of the uterus. Normally, the lochia will clear up around a week, and it should not last longer than two weeks at most. If lochia persists for an extended period after the miscarriage and is accompanied by abdominal discomfort, a hospital visit is necessary for a follow-up to check the condition of the uterus.

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Written by Yue Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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How long is it normal to bleed after a natural miscarriage?

A natural miscarriage generally stops bleeding within a week; if the bleeding continues beyond a week, it is considered abnormal. This is because in most cases of natural miscarriage, the embryo and the decidua are expelled together, followed by uterine contractions, resulting in some vaginal bleeding. Normally, such bleeding should not persist beyond a week. If vaginal bleeding continues past this period, an ultrasound should be conducted to examine whether the uterine cavity is clean and free of any residual embryonic tissue. If remnants are found, it may be necessary to take some medications to promote blood circulation and remove the residual tissues.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Is natural miscarriage dangerous?

Miscarriages that occur before the 28th week of pregnancy generally do not cause significant harm to the expectant mother. This situation is relatively common, mostly due to chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo or environmental stimuli affecting the pregnant woman, such as abdominal impacts, extreme emotional fluctuations, fatigue, or staying up late, all of which may lead to spontaneous miscarriage. Under normal circumstances, spontaneous miscarriages do not lead to particularly serious consequences. However, some women may experience significant bleeding or infections of the reproductive system during a miscarriage, which require timely hemostasis and infection control. Additionally, it is advised to promptly visit a hospital in the event of a miscarriage and follow the doctor's guidance for management.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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What is the discharge from a natural miscarriage?

Miscarriage refers to the spontaneous expulsion of the gestational sac from the uterine cavity, without the need for human intervention. Human interventions mainly include medical abortion or painless surgical abortion. During a miscarriage, the gestational sac is expelled from the uterus, so the expelled material is primarily the gestational sac. The sac generally consists of white villous tissue, and during a natural miscarriage, it is essential to identify villous tissue in the pregnancy tissue in order to confirm a natural miscarriage. Besides the villous tissue, due to decidualization changes in the endometrium after pregnancy, the tissue expelled during a miscarriage also contains a certain amount of decidual tissue. Therefore, the material expelled in a natural miscarriage mainly includes the villous tissue, followed by uterine decidual tissue.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Do the symptoms of spontaneous miscarriage include bleeding?

During a natural miscarriage, vaginal bleeding occurs. This is because, after a miscarriage, the gestational sac and shed uterine lining also need to be expelled from the body, resulting in vaginal bleeding. Typically, this bleeding lasts about a week, gradually diminishing until it stops. If vaginal bleeding after a natural miscarriage persists for an extended period, even exceeding ten days without stopping, and is accompanied by abdominal pain, it is necessary to visit the hospital for an ultrasound to check for any remnants within the uterine cavity and possibly undergo a dilation and curettage procedure.