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WHEN A WOMAN MISCARRIES
About 20% of all
confirmed pregnancies will end in miscarriage. The majority are due to
problems with early development. A miscarriage can occur suddenly, or
take several days (up to a week) to complete.
If a miscarriage happens spontaneously at home, the pain is like strong
menstrual cramps, and should greatly decrease within an hour of passing
of the pregnancy tissue. Regular or extra strength Tylenol is fine to
use, and if this is not sufficient, the doctor can prescribe other
medications to help. A woman should monitor her temperature, and call
her doctor for fever. It is helpful to bring any tissue that is passed
to the office in a clean plastic bag or jar for the doctor to
examine.
Some miscarriages will require surgical intervention, while others do
not. You may be able to make a choice about how to proceed. Treatment
may involve a brief operation, where instruments are used to dilate the
cervix and remove the contents of the uterus. You and your doctor may
discuss medications that will be helpful in your case. It is also
sometimes possible to do nothing at all, and allow nature to complete
the process by itself.
It is very important for a woman with "Rh negative" blood to receive a
dose of Rhogam after a miscarriage, to prevent the formation of
antibodies in the woman's blood that can be harmful to future babies she
may conceive.
Hormonal changes in a woman's body may make it take longer until the
first menstrual period begins after a miscarriage. A woman may
experience mood swings, irritability, crying, and feelings of
exhaustion. Her breasts may be tender and feel very full for some time
(but usually not). It is important to avoid tampons and intercourse
until bleeding stops. Bleeding will be like a heavy period during the
actual miscarriage, but should subside quickly after all tissue has been
passed.
Some danger signs to
be aware of with miscarriage are:
-
Immediate
bleeding of more than 1-2 maxi pads per hour
-
Persistent
heavy bleeding (or passing large clots)
-
Temperature
of >100.5
-
Severe
pelvic pain
-
Vaginal
discharge that has a foul smell.
Unless a woman experiences any of the above danger signs, she should
schedule an appointment with her doctor to follow up in 7-14 days.
Suggestions to help
with the Grieving Process:
-
Allow
yourself and your partner the time you need to grieve. (No one can say how long
this will take--it differs for everyone).
-
Decrease
your self expectations. (Try to avoid making major decisions for now).
-
Stop
or decrease tobacco and alcohol intake (these are depressants).
-
Eat
a healthy diet and get enough sleep
-
Talk
with family and friends, or join a support group**
-
Read
books on the subject of coping with miscarriage, and consider keeping a journal.
-
Exercise
after the bleeding stops (this will help a lot)!
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