A miscarriage is the loss of your baby before 24 weeks. Early miscarriages happen in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Late miscarriages happen between 12 and 24 weeks.
Most of the time there’s no clear reason why it happens, but it’s very unlikely to be caused by anything you did or didn’t do.
About 1 out of 5 pregnancies miscarry. Since many miscarriages aren’t recorded the figure might be higher.
If you’re registered, contact your midwife or local maternity unit. If you’re not registered, contact your GP or the NHS 24 111 service.
Doctors think most miscarriages are caused when the building blocks controlling the development of a baby (the chromosomes) aren’t right. Babies with too many or not enough chromosomes won’t develop properly. This leads to a miscarriage.
Miscarriages can also be caused by:
An early miscarriage happens in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Most women who miscarry do so in the first 12 weeks of their pregnancy.
Many women have a miscarriage before they even know they’re pregnant. If this happens it can feel like a late period with heavy bleeding.
You might be having an early miscarriage if:
Having some light bleeding’s fairly common in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a miscarriage.
If you start bleeding, you should always contact your GP or midwife and get advice about what to do.
If you’re in the early weeks of pregnancy:
Depending on your stage of pregnancy, you may deliver a small baby. That can be a shock and is an understandably upsetting time.
A late miscarriage happens after 12 weeks and before 24 weeks.
For many parents who lose their baby after a late miscarriage, the word ‘miscarriage’ doesn’t properly express the impact of their loss. The loss of a baby at any time’s a terrible shock and a late miscarriage can be especially hard.
You might be having a late miscarriage if:
Always get medical help if:
Contact your midwife or local maternity unit if you’re registered with them. If you’re not registered, contact your GP or phone the NHS 24 111 service.
If you’re later on in pregnancy:
While you deliver your baby you’re likely to have heavier bleeding and labour-like pains.
If you’re having a miscarriage, your doctor or midwife will:
You may have many difficult decisions to make at this time and will have overwhelming emotions. Take your time. Your midwife or doctor can help, and there are many organisations that can support you, your baby’s father and your family.
Depending on your circumstances and stage of pregnancy, your midwife or doctor may ask if you’d like to see or hold your baby.
Some parents decide they don’t want to see their baby, and others choose not to for faith or cultural reasons. This is a decision only you can make. It can be very hard when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Whatever you decide is okay.
If you’re worried about what your baby looks like, your midwife or doctor can describe them to help you decide.
You’ll probably have some bleeding for a week or two. If you continue to have symptoms after your miscarriage, it may mean that some of the pregnancy tissue’s still in your womb.
Some women may need medicine or a short operation to treat this.
If you’re worried about seeking treatment, maybe a friend can come with you. Having support’s really important at this difficult time.
Many women will want to take time off work after having a miscarriage.
If you have a miscarriage before the end of the 24th week, you’re entitled to:
If you lose your baby after the end of the 24th week, you’re entitled to:
Speak to your employer about which choices may be right for you and your family.
Working Families has more about your rights at work after a miscarriage
Most women go on to have a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby after a miscarriage. But unfortunately, some women have repeated miscarriages.
If you’ve had:
Source: Public Health Scotland - Opens in new browser window
Last updated:
07 December 2022