Can a miscarried embryo be expelled naturally?

Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Embryonic arrest refers to the lack of natural development of the gestational sac in early pregnancy, characterized by the absence of a fetal heartbeat. If there is still no fetal heartbeat or embryo detected during an ultrasound at 8-9 weeks of pregnancy, it should be diagnosed as embryonic arrest. After embryonic arrest occurs, the vast majority require medical intervention. Of course, some cases of embryonic arrest can resolve naturally, leading to a miscarriage. However, this is not a reliable occurrence and is relatively rare in clinical practice. Moreover, the longer the wait, the greater the potential harm to the woman's health. For embryonic arrest, once diagnosed, it is urgent to intervene medically to remove the gestational sac from the uterus, minimizing harm to the woman. Common methods include medical abortion or a dilation and curettage surgery, either of which can be chosen.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Is embryonic arrest related to emotions?

Embryonic arrest refers to a condition during early pregnancy, around 9-10 weeks, where no fetal heartbeat is detected. In clinical practice, there are many causes of embryonic arrest, including chromosomal abnormalities, uterine malformations, infections, immune factors, and coagulation factors. However, many women do not investigate these reasons after experiencing embryonic arrest. Instead, they look for causes in their daily lives, such as dietary factors or emotional factors. In reality, embryonic arrest is generally not closely related to everyday life factors. Even if emotions fluctuate, such as becoming irritable or easily provoked, which might affect the gestational sac, such impacts usually manifest as symptoms of threatened miscarriage, but generally do not lead to embryonic arrest. Therefore, there is generally no correlation between embryonic arrest and emotional states.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Can a pregnancy test still detect pregnancy if the embryo has stopped developing?

After embryonic arrest, the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the body is still relatively high, and it does not immediately drop to normal. Therefore, if a pregnancy test is conducted at this time, it can still test positive. The diagnosis of embryonic arrest needs to be confirmed by an ultrasound examination, which checks the size of the fetus and whether there is a fetal heartbeat and fetal bud, and whether they correspond to the gestational age. If embryonic arrest is confirmed, it is necessary to actively proceed with an abortion, then identify and actively treat the causes of the embryonic arrest, in preparation for the next pregnancy attempt.

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Written by Liu Wei Jie
Obstetrics
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Embryonic arrest generally occurs at what time?

First, let's discuss what embryonic arrest means. There are two scenarios of embryonic arrest. The first scenario is where the embryo initially does not develop well, leading to the cessation of development in the very early stages of pregnancy. The second scenario occurs when the embryo initially develops well, but after a period, embryonic arrest happens. Therefore, embryonic arrest generally occurs during early pregnancy but can also occur later, around the middle of early pregnancy. It can happen at any time, but it is most commonly identified after 8 weeks. However, some cases involve the presence of an embryonic bud and heart tube, and embryonic arrest can still occur even at 10 or 11 weeks.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Is it necessary to send an embryo for examination if embryonic arrest occurs?

After fetal growth restriction occurs, it is still necessary to send the fetus for examination after dealing with any abnormalities that arise. There are many factors that can cause embryonic arrest, such as maternal factors, abnormal immune function, and the environment of the pregnant woman. More importantly, factors related to the embryo, such as chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo, are the main cause of embryonic arrest. Therefore, after embryonic arrest occurs, it is recommended to go to the hospital for a fetal chromosomal examination to lay a good foundation for the next conception.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Can medication completely clear an arrested embryo?

After confirming that there is an embryonic arrest, timely treatment should be carried out, which can be either medical abortion or curettage. If the pregnancy is less than 50 days, medical abortion can be an option. Afterwards, an ultrasound should be conducted to check if everything has been completely expelled. If no residues are found, no further treatment is required. However, if any residues are discovered, another curettage must be performed. Therefore, whether a medical abortion can be completely effective in cases of embryonic arrest depends on the gestational age at the time of the occurrence.