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Expert Q&A:
What are the signs of having a miscarriage?

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Elaine Zwelling
Answered by Elaine Zwelling R.N., Ph.D., L.C.C.E., F.A.C.C.E.
Meet our authors
Elaine Zwelling, R.N., Ph.D., has been involved in maternal-newborn health care for 40 years. She has a bachelor's degree in nursing from Capital University and a master's degree in nursing and a Ph.D. in Family Relations and Human Development from Ohio State University. Dr. Zwelling brings to the Pampers Parenting Network her experience of helping expectant parents enjoy their pregnancy, plan and create a positive birth experience, and learn about parenting their newborn baby. She is certified by Lamaze International as a childbirth educator, is a Fellow in the American College of Childbirth Educators, and has taught childbirth classes for 25 years. Dr. Zwelling was the director and faculty for the Lamaze International Childbirth Educator Certification Program of Florida; in that role she prepared many nurses to become childbirth educators.

Dr. Zwelling was a Professor of Maternal-Newborn Nursing for 23 years at both Capital University and Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. At these institutions she taught undergraduate and graduate students and conducted research. For eight years she was a Senior Consultant with Phillips &; Fenwick, a women's health consulting firm in Santa Cruz, California, specializing in helping hospitals implement family-centered maternity care. Currently Dr. Zwelling is a Perinatal Nurse Consultant with the Hill-Rom Company. In this position, she provides comprehensive support and consultation to hospital maternity units to create quality care environments equipped with the appropriate equipment for labor and birth and provides clinical education for nursing staff.

Dr. Zwelling is the co-author of a maternal-newborn nursing textbook, Maternal-Newborn Nursing: Theory and Practice, and has published many professional journal articles related to maternal-newborn health care, family-centered maternity care, and childbirth education. Dr. Zwelling is a recognized speaker at professional conferences and teaches continuing education seminars for childbirth educators and perinatal nurses throughout the country.

Dr. Zwelling resides in Sarasota, Florida, and has a grown son, lovely daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.
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Question


What are the signs of having a miscarriage?

Answer


Congratulations on your pregnancy! I think every woman, especially in her first trimester, worries about possible miscarriage, because if it were going to occur, that is the most likely time. Miscarriage occurs far less often than people commonly think; approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage, and when it does occur it is usually the result of an abnormality with the developing fetus.

The common signs of a miscarriage are as follows:
  • Bleeding. The bleeding can be bloody staining that continues regularly for three days or more; or it can be as heavy as a menstrual period; or it could be accompanied by the passing of clots.
  • Cramps. The cramping would be similar to that of a menstrual period and experienced in the center of your lower abdomen.
  • Severe pain. This can occur even if not accompanied by bleeding.
If you have any of these symptoms, you need to call your health care provider at once. But in view of the fact that most likely they will not occur, relax and enjoy your pregnancy!
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