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.
Blood clots can vary in size from person to person. 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 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 unable to bring the miscarriage sample into your doctor's office immediately, store the sample in the refrigerator to preserve the tissue. Please DO NOT freeze the sample. It is important to remember, there is nothing you can do to prevent a miscarriage, and you did not cause this miscarriage to happen.
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.
If it is an incomplete miscarriage (where some but not all pregnancy tissue has passed) it will often happen within days, but for a missed miscarriage (where the fetus or embryo has stopped growing but no tissue has passed) it might take as long as three to four weeks.
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.
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.
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.
It is not always possible to tell the difference. Signs that a person may be experiencing pregnancy loss, as opposed to menstruation, include: Lower abdominal cramping: Cramps are also common with periods, but during pregnancy loss, there may be strong muscle contractions and pain in the lower back and pelvis.
See a Doctor to Confirm
If you are having miscarriage symptoms and want an answer on whether your pregnancy is viable, don't rely on a home pregnancy test. See a doctor instead. Even in women with a confirmed miscarriage, a pregnancy test may show a positive result for up to a month afterward.
No sex, tampons, or douching for 2 weeks.
We recommend waiting until after 2 normal periods to attempt pregnancy again.
Other miscarriage symptoms may include:
Mild to severe back pain (often worse than normal menstrual cramps) Weight loss. White-pink mucus coming from the vagina. True contractions (very painful happening every 5-20 minutes)
You should have a check-up with your doctor or midwife no later than 6 weeks after you miscarry. Your doctor or midwife can provide support, answer questions and advise about contraception.
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.