The clots that are passed are dark red and look like jelly. They might have what looks like a membrane inside, which is part of the placenta. The sac will be inside one of the clots. At this time, the developing baby is usually fully formed but still tiny and difficult to see.
The pregnancy tissue may look like large blood clots, or it may look white or gray. It does not look like a baby. The process can be painful, and ob-gyns may prescribe medication to help with this discomfort. Your ob-gyn may also suggest over-the-counter pain medication.
There can be a lot of small clots and heavy bleeding. However, many women pass clots varying in size from the size of a 50p piece, a golf ball, or even a few clots the size of a tennis ball.
Most early miscarriages look like heavy menstrual periods. If it's a very early miscarriage – before 4 to 5 weeks – then there might be no visible tissue or large blood clots. However, from 6 weeks, it's likely larger clots will be visible.
Symptoms of a miscarriage
The main sign of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding, which may be followed by cramping and pain in your lower abdomen. If you have vaginal bleeding, contact a GP or your midwife. Most GPs can refer you to an early pregnancy unit at your local hospital straight away if necessary.
The usual symptoms of miscarriage are vaginal bleeding and lower tummy (abdominal) cramps. You may then pass something from the vagina, which often looks like a blood clot or clots.
In a very early miscarriage, the miscarriage will look and feel physically like a heavy, cramping menstrual period, possibly with more clots than usual and a slightly longer bleeding time.
The term refers to a pregnancy in which there is some level of bleeding, but the cervix remains closed and the ultrasound shows that the baby's heart is still beating.
If you are less than 8 weeks pregnant when the miscarriage occurs, the expelled tissue will look no different from heavy menstrual bleeding. If you have reached 8 to 10 weeks, more tissue will be expelled which can resemble large blood clots, possibly some pinkish/grayish material, or even a discernible sac.
In addition to the shedding of the uterine walls, miscarriage at 5 weeks will also comprise of the pregnancy tissues. As such, the bleeding is normally heavier than a period. At this time, the embryo is not yet developed and no recognizable tissue will be passed along with the blood.
The most common sign of miscarriage is vaginal bleeding.
This can vary from light spotting or brownish discharge to heavy bleeding and bright-red blood or clots.
You should go to your nearest emergency department if you have: increased bleeding, for instance soaking two pads per hour and/or passing golf ball sized clots. severe abdominal pain or shoulder pain. fever or chills.
The expelled tissue usually resemble large blood clots. Depending on the point at which the pregnancy stopped developing, the expelled tissue could range in size from as small as a pea to as big or bigger than an orange.
Signs of an incomplete miscarriage
bleeding that carries on and doesn't settle down. passing blood clots. increasing tummy pain, which may feel like cramps or contractions. a raised temperature (fever) and flu-like symptoms.
you're bleeding from your vagina. you've cramps in your lower abdomen – these can feel like bad period pains. there's fluid or tissue coming from your vagina. your breasts are no longer tender and any morning sickness has passed.
It can be light pink or red, brown or black and grainy, or even look just like a normal period. If the loss occurs early in your pregnancy, there may be minimal clotting, but the farther the pregnancy has progressed, clots might be denser and larger and you might notice tissue that you don't normally see with a period.
If you notice on heavy days of your period that blood seems extra-thick, and can sometimes form a jelly-like glob, these are menstrual clots, a mix of blood and tissue released from your uterus during your period. They can vary in size and color, and usually, they are nothing to worry about.
No sex, tampons, or douching for 2 weeks.
We recommend waiting until after 2 normal periods to attempt pregnancy again.
Most miscarriages happen before 10 weeks gestation. In a very early miscarriage before five weeks, also called a chemical pregnancy, your cramping will probably be only slightly heavier than in a menstrual period. Some women may not have a difference in the amount of cramping.