Miscarriage - Naturally Getting Pregnant

My First Pregnancy: Having a Miscarriage

getting pregnant Fertility Blog, Miscarriage April 21, 2021September 8, 2021having a miscarriage, miscarriage feelings, miscarrying

how do i know if I have had a miscarriage

My experience having a miscarriage… How better to spend the holidays than trying to make a family? We’ve been trying for two and a half years now, but we really wanted to dedicate ourselves to it. No, not by locking ourselves in the bedroom with whip cream, but by going to foothills of the Bavarian Alps.

The princesses of Bavaria used to come here and sit in mud baths when they were having trouble “producing” the next heir to the throne. Recently, the mud from the marshes here have been scientifically proven to aid in fertility.

So, we jumped in the car with our cross country skis, downhill skis and ice skates and headed to the town of Bad Kohlgrub for sixteen days of pampering – all in the name of starting a family.

Bavarian Mud Bath for Fertility

Every other day after breakfast we headed to the hotel’s spa in our robe for the mud bath. The spa assistant helped me get in and it was up to me to wedge my way into the thick porridge.

Once I was submerged up to my neck, she placed a cold copper spiral on my heart to help alleviate the stress on my circulatory system. The warmth was soothing and the mud was great for playing swamp monster with – Richard gave me the idea.

After only ten minutes, someone came in to help me back out. And I could tell that my body had had enough, the sweat was pouring down my face.

Pregnancy Symptoms

Before going on with my ‘Having a Miscarriage’ blog, let’s consider the symptoms women get when in early pregnancy.

Swollen breasts
Darker and larger areolas
Morning sickness
Abdominal enlargement
Fatigue
Mood swings
Increased urination
Excessive salivation
Bloating and gas
Dizziness

I Must Be Fertile!

How could mud possibly help us where modern medicine failed?

I’m not sure but when we got home my period was late. When I took the pregnancy test, that I was all too used to taking, it no longer had the infamous empty white space, but had a solid “pregnant” line.

I took the test into my shaking hand and walked to our bedroom where Richard was still sleeping. I said his name once and due to the tears pouring out of my eyes and my shaky voice he sat straight up in bed thinking I was upset. I said the words I had wanted to say for the last two and a half years, “We’re pregnant!” I was in a dream.

We talked about how far the baby was, we calculated the due date and we hugged countless times. Telling my family and his filled our evening. They were so happy for us knowing we wanted this so much.

Zing Zing

My body was clearly changing. My abdomen was swollen; I was exhausted and happy beyond words: all telltale signs of pregnancy.

The day went by with a feeling of delighted shock. The next was about the same.

I lay in bed that night, however, wide awake. I felt like someone had secretly given me two pots of coffee.

“Maybe this is what happens when you are pregnant,” I thought to myself.

Something Didn’t Feel Right- Was I Having a Miscarriage?

The next morning I woke up and to my complete shock I did not feel pregnant. The symptoms were gone. I felt empty.

I denied it. Then I dressed and we headed off to our scheduled doctor appointment to confirm our pregnancy.

We both had a strange feeling. Should we have waited to tell our families until the doctor confirmed the pregnancy? Did we doubt the results?

We didn’t talk about any of this. I merely mentioned it and Richard confirmed that the thought crossed his mind. We changed to topic.

Most Common Symptoms of Having a Miscarriage

Let’s quickly look at the most common symptoms women experience when having a miscarriage:

Vaginal bleeding
Cramping and pain in your lower abdomen
Discharge of fluid from your vagina
Discharge of tissue from your vagina
Symptoms of pregnancy disappear, such as feeling sick and breast tenderness

The Examination to See If I Was Having a Miscarriage

The doctor was surprised that we had gotten pregnant naturally. While heading into the ultrasound room he told me to get undressed behind the curtain. He then asked me the question. Do you feel pregnant?

I froze. What should I answer? I haven’t told Richard yet that my pregnancy symptoms were gone as of this morning. I had nothing to say.

Richard filled the silence with yes she has been so hot the past two days. I quickly finished getting undressed and sat onto the exam table without saying a word.

The ultrasound wand was inserted in my vagina, but the doctor couldn’t see anything yet. He seemed a little bothered by this. My blood was drawn and we were sent home to wait for the results.

The Pregnancy Wait

While eating lunch we flinched at every sound. Then Richard’s phone rang. I have heard his phone ring no less than a hundred times, but for some reason I jumped up and ran up the stairs thinking it was my phone.

The stress hormones were flowing through my body when I heard Richard shouting that it was his phone. I picked up his phone for him and it was one of his customers. Ugh!!!

An eternity passed as I worked on my computer waiting for that ring on my cell phone. It came. I grabbed the phone and before long the person from the clinic said, “You’re pregnant!”

I was so happy. I was actually pregnant. The voice in my head said that I now have to ignore that I am not feeling pregnant anymore because this is proof that I was wrong.

Still Something Wasn’t Right

Intuition isn’t keen on been ignored, however, and as the days went by my feeling was heavy and empty. I became crabby and realized I was denying my feelings.

On the way home from lunch I slipped into the drug store and picked up another pregnancy test. The line should be darker if I truly am pregnant, I theorized. I peed on the stick and the line wasn’t there. I stared in disbelief. Slowly, very slowly a line began to appear. I had to concentrate to see if it was there at all.

I showed Richard. He was upset. “This doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “You took the first test in the morning, so you can’t compare it to this one.”

I had to agree with him. I confronted my feelings though and realized I needed to get another blood test. Something was not right. Was I miscarrying? I was not waiting 6 days to find out.

How Can You Have a Miscarriage and Not Know?

The words that came out of my mouth were hesitant and awkward. How can I convince them to give me another blood test? Will they do it because I have a feeling? I needed to know if I was still pregnant. The lady on the phone wasn’t convinced so she asked the supervisor. When she came back on she said I could come in tomorrow at 8:00.

The next morning I stood at the counter to check in. The lady behind the counter asked me how I was. I didn’t know what to say.

Like a robot I had my blood taken. She asked me if I wanted to call for the results or if they should call me.

“Which way will I get the results faster?” I asked.

She looked confused and said, “We’ll call you.”

The Results- Was I Now Having a Miscarriage?

They had called last time at 1:00. So at around 1:30 I was getting impatient. Apparently, I was not the only one because Richard blurted out at 1:50, “Oh, just call them!”

I realized he was right. Why wait. I’m calling. I picked up our cordless phone and dialed the number. She picked up and put me on hold while she was looking for the results. What could be taking so long? The seconds turned into minutes. She jumped back on and said she was still looking for my file and that I shouldn’t hang up.

Five minutes, six minutes, it was killing me. A loud beep interrupted the elevator music on the line. But she didn’t get back on. Huh? I waited. The beep came again. Then the line fell silent. What the hell?

Richard asked to see the phone. The screen was blank. The battery had died. “You can’t be serious!” I said.

I grabbed the number to call back. It was 2:05. I got a recording that they close at 2:00 on Friday. Oh my God, this can’t be happening!

We should drive there. But the doors will be locked. I can’t wait until Monday to find out the results. There is an emergency number, but this isn’t really an emergency.

The Dreaded Phone Call

Then my cell phone rang. Thank god it was the fertility clinic. She said we had been disconnected. I know, get to the point, I thought. Then she said it. My values had dropped.

My eyes welled with tears. “Is there any hope?” I pleaded.

She said, “Not really”.

I managed to ask her if I should still take the progesterone, and she said yes. I began to cry. I couldn’t hold it back.

“We need to make an appointment for next week. How about Wednesday?” she said. I cried. “This is bad for you isn’t it?” she asked surprised.

How could it not be, I asked myself. “No, let’s get you in sooner. How about Monday morning?” she said. I let out a squeaky yes and hung up the phone.

I lost it. There are no other words. I curled up on top of the comforter on my bed and cried so hard. Every part of me was aching. I had suspected this since Wednesday, but now it was reality. Richard crawled into bed with me and held my hand as I gasped for air. This couldn’t be true. My baby is gone I cried!

Miscarriage Feelings

Hours passed as I oscillated between crying uncontrollably and sobbing with the hopes that the bed would swallow me whole. Then I felt it, Richard was crying too. I looked at him for the first time since we received the news and saw that his eyes were filled with tears and his eyelashes were matted to his face. I rubbed his hand and he lay down next to me. We held each other tight and we continued to cry.

My thoughts shifted as the daylight began to fade into evening. I need to tell my family. I sent out an email with the bad news crying as I wrote each line:

“On Tuesday night I couldn’t sleep. On Wednesday I had the blood test to confirm I was pregnant, but I knew something wasn’t right. All my pregnancy symptoms were gone and I felt totally different. I decided to stop denying it and I made an appointment. I went in today and they said I will miscarry. Richard and I are struggling, but we are going to be OK. We will be staying home this weekend to watch movies. We probably won’t answer the phone.”

My sobbing turned into crying and I tore my glasses off and dropped them onto the keyboard. Richard came over toward me. In a surge of anger I slammed my laptop shut crushing my glasses with the screen, “This is so unfair!”

The Reality of Having a Miscarriage Set In

Richard placed his hand on my back knowing I didn’t want a hug. After my breathing began to get deeper and more regular Richard asked me to get up. He gave me another hug and suggested we go get those movies and pick up some dinner.

With puffy eyes, I climbed into the car. In the stores, I kept my head down and tried not to think about the reason I was spending my weekend this way.

Armed with nacho ingredients for ten, ice cream for a week and seven movies Richard and I returned home. There are no rules this weekend: this was our unspoken rule.

The weekend passed by in a blur with movies and walks. The shades were drawn as we settled in for our movie marathon. After each movie we’d go for a walk under the grey sky. This is where we found ourselves dealing with the reality of having a miscarriage.

We talked about our sadness and disappointment of miscarrying. At the end of each walk we were one step closer to getting through this, but also emotionally exhausted. It was like we handled our grief in portions, padding it between the reality escape that great movies provide.

Healing After My Miscarriage

Sunday night came much quicker than I expected. It was hard to imagine going back to life as usual, but I feel like that weekend really helped me heal. I knew there may be a few more crying spells in me, but I felt like I was now looking forward.

Richard and I were already even talking about the positive side to all this: We can get pregnant naturally.

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Experiencing a Miscarriage

getting pregnant Fertility Blog, Miscarriage March 1, 2021September 4, 2021experiencing a miscarriage, miscarriage

Last week was a week like no other. Monday started off with mid-cycle mystery cramps and bleeding that sent me straight to the gynecologist. Turns out I was pregnant and I was experiencing a miscarriage.

Strangely enough this was all OK with me. A miscarriage stinks, yes, but emotionally, I was relieved to know what was wrong (since I didn’t even know I was pregnant) and happy that my body was showing it could get pregnant again.

That was Monday.

Experiencing Miscarriage Cramps

Being completely naïve about how a miscarriage can be, I planned my week with all the work and fun I usually plan. I mean, I’ve heard about women who hardly even noticed that they miscarried. And except for the sporadic cramping phases, I was feeling OK. I mean why would it be any different for me?

Ha ha. Because my body is special that’s why.

On Tuesday night I woke up with terrible cramps that left me in tears and rendered my husband feeling helpless.

He brought me a heating pad and sat down on the bedroom floor while I moaned in pain and sprawled catty-corner across the bed in the most contorted maybe-this-will-help position.

A Visit to My Gynecologist

The next morning I was ready to listen to the Doc- maybe this isn’t going to be easy process. So, I called my gynecologist and headed in to see her.

She prepared the ultrasound. But before I crawled up onto the chair, she asked me why I seemed so stressed?

She’s a very competent doctor and I like her, but what the hell kind of question is that?

I was too tired to reiterate all the pain that I had last night and to explain that the idea of having an ectopic pregnancy scares me. Being in her office for a miscarriage instead of a pregnancy sucks.

I’m such a chicken. I just want her to do her job. I don’t need her for emotional support; I need her to solve my physical problem. OK a few supportive words would be nice but, you can’t have everything.

She’s a totally career orientated woman – which I used to be – so I wasn’t about to explain my desire for children or my feelings, instead I tried to relax and gave her the short version, “I had a lot of pain last night, which concerns me.”

The Ultrasound

On the ultrasound there was an empty uterus and something in the right tube.

“Nothing to be alarmed about at this point,” she said with certainty.

But something she said she’ll be watching. I headed home with a prescription for some pain medication and was told that I should rest.

Experiencing a Miscarriage- Rest, Cramps and Bleeding

I really didn’t have another option at this point. My body was tired. Each little task I tried to do became more and more exhausting. So, I found my place on the couch and wasn’t able to keep my eyes open for more than ten pages at a time of my good book.

The cramps were on some kind of schedule because each night around 9:30 they kicked in. They were muffled by the painkillers but the longer I stayed awake the more obnoxious they got.

So, my husband forced me to go from the couch to the bed and placed a hot water bottle under the covers with me, which was amazingly therapeutic.

By Friday, though, the bleeding had become bright red. Where is the blood coming from anyway, my uterus is empty?

My gynecologist had given me her cell phone number for the weekend in case, “The blood is red or the pain is constant.” Crap! I called her office to report the red blood.

She decided to have the lab go back and check my progesterone values from the two blood tests she had done earlier in the week. Turns out they fell, which is good for a miscarriage, meaning the ectopic pregnancy scenario is less likely. She told me to call her over the weekend if the bleeding exceeds how much I would bleed during a normal period or if the pain is constant.

My Miscarriage Climaxed

On Saturday the climax came. Not the good kind of climax, but the bad kind.

After breakfast, I was totally and utterly exhausted! I could do nothing more than lie on the couch. Before long I started bleeding heavily. I turned to my husband and asked, “Should I call her?” But before he could answer I thought aloud, “What’s she going to do about it?”

The only thing I could think of is that she’d decide to go ahead with a D&C (Dilation and Curettage). But I felt for some reason like my body wasn’t failing me, but doing what it needed to do. The cramps in my abdomen had disappeared and instead I had a pain near the lymph nodes of my groin – the same pain that I had after the surgery for my ectopic pregnancy and endometriosis.

I decided to ride it out.

I have almost no recollection of Saturday. I slept almost the whole day waking up occasionally in tears from the throbbing pain in my groin. I was bleeding a lot. But as the evening turned into night the bleeding began to slow and the painful abdominal cramps that came every night during the week never arrived. All I kept thinking is: Is this the end of the miscarriage?

Experiencing a Miscarriage- A Slow Recovery

On Sunday, I was back on my feet. My husband and I even went on a long winter walk – not to give the impression that it was an enjoyable Sunday though.

My emotions were completely out of whack.

I didn’t ponder the miscarriage, I was just irritated by everything: the fact that the snow was melting, the brown leaves on my house plants, the grey sky. You name it, it was irritating.

Perhaps these were just my hormones settling back down, maybe it was my way of being frustrated about experiencing a miscarriage and a lost week of my life, or maybe brown leaves and grey skies merit complete irritation. I’m going with hormones on this one.

My emotions are a bit better today – even though the skies haven’t turned blue.

Tomorrow I’ll be getting my HCG values tested again to make sure they are going down so we can turn off the ectopic pregnancy alarm. But I think it’s over. My body thinks it’s over. And I am ready to go back to my life. What is that again exactly?

How Long to Wait After Miscarriage?

getting pregnant Fertility Blog, Miscarriage January 16, 2021September 10, 2021fertility chat, how long to wait after miscarriage, miscarriage and infertility

What I seek to know is how long to wait after miscarriage before we need to focus on conceiving again? I mean, how hard can it be to take a little break from the whole fertility topic?

Pretty damn hard if you have a post miscarriage check-up scheduled in which your gynecologist wants to discuss your fertility planning.

Originally I thought, I have to be there anyway so what’s a twenty minute fertility chat?

Oh, the ramifications.

Getting the Answers to ‘How Long to Wait After Miscarriage?’

I was on the ever so comfortable chair with my feet in the air looking at an ultrasound image hanging from the ceiling.

She was maneuvering the wand around to get a look at my ovaries, my uterus, and my notorious fallopian tubes when she noticed that my left fallopian tube was slightly swollen. Not that I could identify it on the monitor, but she went on to explain that this could be the remnants of an ectopic pregnancy that my body is still recovering from. And then she opened the conversation, “You need to give your body a chance to heal before you begin trying again to conceive.”

I could see she thought she was going to meet some resistance from me, but I already knew we had to wait out this cycle – no big deal.

Not quite!

She stopped looking at the ultrasound monitor, looked me straight in the eye, and said, “You need to wait three months before trying again.”

I protested immediately.

“What? That seems extreme. That’s how long we waited after my ectopic pregnancy surgery and this is certainly much less for my body to recover from.”

She went on to explain that my body needs one normal healthy cycle before we begin trying again. “The current cycle is your miscarriage cycle, the next one isn’t going to be normal so after the third cycle you can try again,” she said with a stern compassion.

Given my long cycles though, it could be June before we can try again to conceive!

She could tell: I was not on the same page.

My Fallopian Tubes

After a little more explaining she moved right on to the next topic. My fallopian tubes. She said it would be pointless to keep trying if in-fact my tubes are blocked or compromised, and recommended that I have them checked to see if they are clear.

Oh boy. Now, I’m really not with her. Not on a different page – I’m in an entirely different book!

I already had my tubes checked (a few months before I had my ectopic pregnancy, actually) and they came out clear. So while the surgery could have created a blocked right tube, it does not seem like the test is any indication that they are going to function properly. I supposed if it turned up that both my tubes were blocked it would be good to know, but I had just become pregnant so, obviously, they’re not.

Fertility with IVF??

I started to get up and she asked me when my last breast exam was. With this infertility issue dominating my visits I had to say I couldn’t remember so I moved over to the table and she began the breast exam and continued the fertility planning conversation. Oh, joy.

She got right to the point, “You need to think about how long you are going to try on your own. I would give it six months and then consider going right to IVF.”

This hit me like a ton of bricks. Basically, she’s not rooting for my body anymore; she thinks it’s time to jump ship. So to emphasize her point she then added what no one with infertility likes to hear, “The clock is ticking.”

I hate to be so critical because, if my gynecologist isn’t going to be frank and inform me about the factors influencing my fertility then who will? The thing is: I already know all this information.

I’m what one might call over-informed. I know the role age plays in my fertility and that IVF works best before age 35. I know that the more miscarriages I have the more bleak the statistics look for me. But – and this is a big but – if I’m listening to my body and making lifestyle changes and doing therapies that cause positive changes in my body then I feel there’s still a chance.

So until the progress plateaus: I won’t be turning to invasive methods.

‘How Long to Wait After Miscarriage?’ … Mmm Not Long!

Before I was even out of the building I called my husband, “I need lots of hugs and some soul food.”

We cooked up some fajitas – with extra guacamole and without the shells. And I got lots of hugs. But it was inevitable; we talked about our fertility planning.

I couldn’t stuff my feelings and frustration away. One thing became clear; we don’t plan on waiting a full three cycles until we try again. We plan on waiting one full cycle after my miscarriage cycle. I don’t think my body needs three cycles and I know too many women that have had their first healthy child immediately after a miscarriage – one of these women is my mother.

Well, so much for that break from the infertility topic and thank god for hugs and fajitas.

Pregnant or Signs of Miscarriage?

getting pregnant Fertility Blog, Miscarriage January 9, 2021September 11, 2021miscarriage Symptoms, signs of miscarriage

Last week in my blog about upgrading my fertility diet, I wrote about the “occasional bout of fatigue” that I still had. Well it turns out that those occasional bouts of fatigue were due to the fact that I was pregnant and had had a miscarriage. So, how did I miss the signs of miscarriage? And how could someone who is trying so hard to conceive not know she’s pregnant?

Quite easily: with a negative pregnancy test and my period.

OK let’s start from the beginning.

First Signs of Miscarriage

My last cycle was 36 days. I was taking my temperature each morning so I know I ovulated around cycle day 26 (yes, this is very late). And since my luteal phase seems to be around 10 days long right now, I took a pregnancy test on cycle day 36. The test was negative and my period started the next day.

File away another cycle. Or so I thought.

My period was not the usual five days of bleeding. It was eight days and I had a few bouts of fatigue during this never ending period. I thought this was a bit strange, but I’m so used to randomness with my renegade cycle. So I noted the difference and chalked it up as to be observed.

Experiencing More Signs of Miscarriage

Over the next week, though, I experienced some spotting. I never spot around mid cycle. This was officially out of the ordinary. But things became really strange last Sunday (cycle day 15).

With new powder on the ground, I got up early, grabbed my skis and headed off with my husband and some friends to the mountains. For me, the day ended before it even got started.

I made two turns in the deep powder and sat down. I was too tired to ski.

What the #*@! ?

I was appalled. This fatigue thing is going too far. I can’t ski one powder run? I wasn’t out of breath and didn’t have the strength.

Somehow I made it down the powder run – more rolling than skiing but, hey, you do what you gotta do!

When I reached the lift, I announced that I’d be sticking to the groomed trails for the next few runs. Yet this wasn’t working either. Before the lunch break I had to part with my new friend that joined me on the groomed runs and say, “Well, I can’t ski anymore, I’m too tired.” I had no explanation, nor was I wasn’t feel sick. I just couldn’t find an ounce of strength.

Feeling Tired and Frustrated

After lunch, I thought maybe I’d be energized and be able to head back out.

Nope.

Instead I waved goodbye as they all headed out of the ski hut. I played a little Sudoku on my cell phone, stared out the window at the beautiful mountains and then laid my head on the table and slept – for over an hour.

I tried not to be frustrated, but when we made it home the frustration oozed out and I cried to my husband, “What’s going on?” Neither of us had an answer, but tomorrow would shed a whole new light on the situation.

Is Having Cramps a Miscarriage Sign?

I woke up on Monday and headed down to my yoga matt – like I always do. Halfway into the Sun Salutation posture series, I found myself lying on the floor – in pain. I pulled the nearest blanket over me and moaned in pain until my husband got up.

“What’s happening?” he asked with concern and his eyes barely opened.

“I need to call my gynecologist as soon as the office opens. I’m having cramps.”

My husband covered me with a big blanket and curled up next to me on my yoga matt.

The cramps began to subside after what seemed like an eternity – probably more like thirty minutes. I then called my gynecologist’s office and explained that I needed an appointment today – not tomorrow – today!

My Examination with my Gynecologist

My appointment was set for 1:15. By late morning I recovered, however, the spotting had increased. Anxiously, I headed downtown to my gynecologist’s office and kept myself quite distracted from any what-if-scenarios.

She did the usual exam and ultrasound and found nothing. No cysts. Zero fluid. No visible ectopic pregnancy. No signs of anything. The only thing she discovered was that my uterus was very tender – the yelp I let out and the tears streaming out of my eyes where apparently a dead giveaway. She told me to go home and rest and she’d call me later with the results from the blood work.

I was Pregnant, and I Miscarried

It was 5:30 in the evening and my cell rang. It was my gynecologist. She cleared her throat and said it straight away, “It turns out you were pregnant, but you miscarried.”

Scared. Sad. Happy. These were my emotions; in that order. At about the speed with which you read them – I had them.

Scared because what if this is another ectopic. Sad because I just miscarried. Happy because I had gotten pregnant.

She talked to me for about 15 minutes answering my onslaught of questions. And then she had me do what I knew was inevitable: make an appointment to get my HCG values checked to make sure they return to zero – indicating that the pregnancy is not ectopic.

The chances of this being an ectopic pregnancy are slim since I have bled so much, but apparently they aren’t zero and, as my gynecologist said, “since you’ve had an ectopic before we need to be sure.” So I’ll be going in on Thursday afternoon to “double-check.”

Right now I’m hopeful that this is not an ectopic pregnancy. Since we need to double-check, I can’t say I’m worry free.

Confused Over the Signs of Miscarriage, Yet Relieved!

The signs of miscarriage that I was experiencing had me confused, as at that time I wasn’t aware that I was even pregnant. Strangely, my predominant emotion now is relief. Yes, I still cried last night and had a couple of “why did I miscarry?” episodes. However, I am truly relieved. I now know where my bouts of fatigue were coming from. I know why my cycle was so strange. And I know my body is once again capable. And certainly it helps that I found out I miscarried before I knew I was pregnant.

What’s next? My first pregnancy was ectopic. My second pregnancy a miscarriage. The next one could be the one where my body gets it right.

Common Miscarriage Symptoms

Cramping and pain in lower stomach area
Discharge/bleeding of fluid from vagina
Discharge of tissue from vagina
No longer experiencing the symptoms of pregnancy, that include feeling of nausea and breast tenderness.
Fatigue

Bleeding During Pregnancy

getting pregnant Miscarriage, Pregnancy January 1, 2021September 13, 2021bleeding during pregnancy, bleeding whilst pregnant, experiencing bleeding whilst pregnant

There is no certain amount of “normal” bleeding during pregnancy. While bleeding during pregnancy is cause for concern, it is a fairly common symptom during early pregnancy. According to the American Pregnancy Association, 20 to 30% of women experience bleeding of some type during the first trimester of pregnancy and 10% of women report bleeding throughout their pregnancy.

Bleeding by itself is not a major risk factor for miscarriage. It is the amount and type of bleeding that needs to be monitored to determine if there is risk to the fetus as well as when during the pregnancy the bleeding occurs.

First Trimester Bleeding During Pregnancy

Many women experience bleeding during the first trimester pregnancy as a result of implantation bleeding. This seems to be the cause of most first trimester bleeding not related to other health risks.

Implantation bleeding is a normal symptom of early pregnancy. It usually occurs within 6-12 days of the implantation of the embryo.

For this reason many women do not realize they are pregnant right away and often mistake the bleeding as their normal menstruation cycle. Patients described as having implantation bleeding report the symptoms differently and it usually presents itself as a light, spotty flow of blood anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

Other common causes for none threatening bleeding during early pregnancy include a pelvic or urinary tract infection or irritation of the cervix during intercourse or after a pelvic exam.

If bleeding whilst pregnant during the first trimester occurs longer than a few days, is heavy, is dark, or accompanied by a vaginal discharge of mucus, a strange odor or cramping, there is more cause for concern of health risks. This can sometimes be caused by other conditions. Some of the most common conditions that accompany these types of symptoms include possible risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.

Bleeding During Second Half of Pregnancy

Bleeding during the second half of pregnancy is of more concern to health care providers. This can be a sign of health risks or conditions which may impact the pregnancy.

Some causes for bleeding during the second half of pregnancy include irritation of the cervix or possible growths on the cervix.

During the last few weeks before labor a woman may experience a small discharge of blood mixed with mucus. This is normal. It is caused from the cervix thinning out which ejects the mucus plug covering the cervix as the body prepares for labor.

If a woman experiences this earlier than a few weeks before delivery she should contact her healthcare provider immediately as it may be a sign of early labor.

Other conditions that include bleeding during the second half of pregnancy include placental abruption, placental previa and preterm labor. These conditions are usually associated with women who have other risk factors as well such as previous episodes, unusual cramping or pain, women over the age of 35 or are carrying multiple fetus.

Bleeding During Pregnancy- When to Call a Health Care Provider

Health care providers recommend that pregnant women contact a health care provider immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms:

Moderate to heavy bleeding
Bleeding accompanied by pain
Chills or fever
Pass tissue with the bleeding.

These are indicators that the bleeding can be serious and pose a health risk to the woman and fetus.

Women who experience bleeding during pregnancy should always report it to their health care provider regardless of when it occurs.

What to Expect From a Health Care Provider

The health care provider can determine if there is cause for further investigation of the cause for the bleeding and it should never be taken lightly. In most cases, when the bleeding isn’t serious, the health care provider will recommend rest and to drink plenty of fluids until the bleeding subsides.

If patients are experiencing bleeding whilst pregnant, health care providers will likely recommend that they wear a sanitary pad to monitor the amount of bleeding. They may ask to see the pad to determine the type and amount of bleeding.

Never insert anything into the vaginal area until the cause for bleeding has been diagnosed; this includes tampons or participating in an act of intercourse. Intercourse should be avoided until the seriousness of the bleeding is accessed by a health care professional.

Coping With My Emotions After Miscarriage

getting pregnant Fertility Blog, Miscarriage December 27, 2020September 14, 2021emotions after miscarriage, laparoscopic surgery

As of this morning, the stitches are out. I feel new. The laparoscopic surgery following my miscarriage is all done. That’s the physical side of things, but what about my emotions after miscarriage?

It would be great if it were indeed that easy, but I think there will be bumps along the way. Like this afternoon. Just a few hours after I felt this renewed feeling, no longer being held together by some thread, I felt a deep sad feeling.

My Physical Wounds After Laparoscopic Surgery Miscarriage

It’s like I need to take the time now to lick my wounds – physical and emotional. There are four holes that the doctors used to enter my abdomen for the laparoscopic surgery. My belly button and three equally spaced points all just below my underwear line.

Requiring two stitches, the one on my left didn’t seem to heal too well. The wound is still deep and looks like it won’t be closing anytime soon. I’ve put on Aloe Vera lotion, placed a band over it and watched it turn red throughout the day. Not sure that anything I did made it better, but it was therapeutic to tend to my wounds.

Emotions After Miscarriage

The emotional wounds after miscarriage can’t be tended to so easily. It seems that when I least expect it feelings surface – crying for my attention.

My head then fills with thoughts like: “how it could have been to be pregnant with our first child” or “we were so close – literally speaking only a couple of inches” or “will we ever have a child?”

These moments are totally unpredictable. They come when I’m writing an email for work, when I’m on the phone, or when I’m folding my clothes.

The necessities of life are requiring me to move on. How long will I need to deal with the loss of this miscarriage? How can I deal with the pain so that it does not creep into every part of my life? What can I do to help myself recover emotionally from miscarriage?

No one is feeding me answers to these questions. I’m just taking one day at a time.

The Positive Side to Miscarriage

I allow myself to cry. I allow myself to be sad. But I redirect my thoughts when I start to wallow in what could have been. I frequently remind myself of my doctor’s advice to look forward, and I try to focus on the positive side of this. Yes, there is a positive side to an ectopic pregnancy.

For me, this is the first sign after three years of trying to get pregnant that it’s been possible. Having an ectopic pregnancy is certainly not something most would chalk up as progress, but I do. There is hope and I will make it through this – bumps and all.

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