Having a pregnancy end in miscarriage is one of the most devastating experiences someone can go through. For months you’ve been planning a whole new life with your expected baby, building a bond with them as they grew inside your body. All the hopes and dreams you had about your future together came crashing to a tragic halt when you miscarried. In the days and weeks to follow, you’ve likely been feeling angry, disheartened, and emotionally devastated, trying to adjust to your new reality. Not knowing what to expect with your body and health can make it all that much harder.
What Happens After A Miscarriage
Every miscarriage is different, so the healing process varies from patient to patient. In some cases, the loss of the baby represents the majority of the physical healing process. Your practitioner will perform an ultrasound to ensure that you’ve experienced a miscarriage and that there is no other internal damage. As part of your care, your physician will check your hCG levels, determine how much blood you lost with a blood count, and determine your Rh factor.
What is an Rh Factor?
An indication of whether a certain inherited protein is present.
Positive blood types have it; negative blood types do not.
Those who have a negative Rh factor will often receive an immunoglobulin shot in case your blood encountered fetal blood cells. This shot is given to prevent possible related problems in later pregnancies.
The Types of Miscarriage
You will undergo a test to determine the type of miscarriage you experienced. Those with heavy blood loss are often “complete,” meaning that all fetal tissue was expelled. The closer to 20 weeks your miscarriage occurred, the more likely you experienced an incomplete miscarriage and will need to have your uterus cleared. There are multiple ways this can be accomplished:
- Natural Process: Your body will typically naturally expel what remains within a few days to three-to-four weeks. Regular menstruation will continue afterward.
- Medication: Some patients need help encouraging the body to expel the remaining tissue. Once the medication has been administered the body will finish expelling the tissue within 48 hours. Side-effects of this medication are similar to symptoms experienced during menstruation.
- Surgery: In some cases, your physician may decide to perform a D&C surgery. D&C stands for dilation and curettage and is a routine and minor surgery in these situations. During this procedure, the physician will manually remove the remaining tissue from your uterus. It is common to experience bleeding for up to a week after this procedure.
While this guide can help you know what to expect, it’s critical that you keep your physician and partner aware of what’s happening with you. With just one phone call to Capital Women’s Care Rockville, you can get the support and care you need to recover from this tragic experience. Under the leadership of Dr. Judith Gurdian, our team of women’s health specialists in Rockville will help you work through the healing process. The support and care you’ll receive will ensure you have the best chance of healing physically and emotionally, so call today.
