Threatened miscarriage

Threatened miscarriage – what is it?

Many people clearly associate miscarriage with the loss of a pregnancy in the first half. In most cases, this is the correct association. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that in addition to ongoing miscarriage, completed miscarriage or retained miscarriage, there is also threatened miscarriage. This is a special form of miscarriage that is in fact not a miscarriage. It means that the pregnancy has not been terminated, but the symptoms indicate that this may (or may not!) happen in the near future. The symptoms are similar to the other types of miscarriage, with the very important difference that the pregnancy still exists. If one were to analyse the term literally, one could conclude that a miscarriage is imminent but has not yet occurred.

Threatened miscarriage – symptoms

A threatened miscarriage is accompanied by similar symptoms to other types of miscarriage. For this reason, it is a common reason for a visit to the gynaecologist, especially at the beginning of pregnancy, when the overall risk of pregnancy loss is statistically highest. A threatened miscarriage manifests itself, among other things, by bleeding or spotting from the genital tract and slight abdominal pain. On the ultrasound image, however, the gynaecologist sees a correctly positioned viable pregnancy. On examination, however, unlike an ongoing miscarriage, the cervical canal is not free but closed. Bleeding in early pregnancy is relatively common and does not always clearly indicate a loss of pregnancy. Such consequences must be expected, but we should not regard the issue as obvious miscarriage and pregnancy death.

Threatened miscarriage – treatment

In case of genital bleeding in early pregnancy, a visit to the gynaecologist is essential. With an ultrasound examination, he or she can confirm the correct position of the pregnancy, the presence of the embryo or the activity of its heart. If an imminent miscarriage is diagnosed, a gentle lifestyle is recommended. This does not mean lying in bed all the time, but avoiding heavy lifting or excessive stress, e.g. from the pregnant woman’s work. A popular drug used for threatened miscarriages is progesterone such as Duphaston. Experts’ opinions are divided about its effectiveness in maintaining early pregnancy, but it is a commonly used drug in doctors’ offices.