What are the symptoms of a threatened miscarriage?

Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
Updated on March 21, 2025
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When threatened miscarriage occurs, pregnant women often experience vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain. However, at this time, the fetal heartbeat and embryo are generally still in good condition, and timely treatment to preserve the pregnancy can be effective. But if the patient experiences a significant amount of bleeding and severe pain, accompanied by backache and a sense of heaviness, it may indicate a threatened miscarriage. It is advised to go to a hospital for an ultrasound examination and to have blood tests to check progesterone levels to determine if treatment to preserve the pregnancy is needed. If, after such treatment, vaginal bleeding stops and abdominal pain disappears, then the pregnancy can typically continue.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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How long does it take to prevent a threatened miscarriage?

During threatened miscarriage, proactive treatment to preserve the pregnancy is required. However, the duration of such treatment varies from person to person and should be based on the specific circumstances of the patient. If the patient has a history of recurrent miscarriages, in the event of a threatened miscarriage, the pregnancy should be preserved for a longer period, at least until three months into the pregnancy when the fetal development has stabilized. However, if the patient experiences light vaginal bleeding without abdominal pain, and the condition is relatively mild, approximately a week of medication may be sufficient for improvement. It is recommended that one to two weeks after the bleeding stops, a visit to the hospital should be made to perform an abdominal ultrasound to check the embryo's growth.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Is a threatened miscarriage considered a miscarriage?

Threatened miscarriage is not actually a miscarriage. If handled properly, it is possible to successfully preserve the pregnancy. However, if not treated in time, it could develop into an inevitable miscarriage. During a threatened miscarriage, the fetal heartbeat and embryonic tissue are generally normal, and there may be minor vaginal bleeding or slight lower abdominal pain. At this time, it is crucial to go to the hospital for an ultrasound and have blood tests for progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin. If the fetal heartbeat and embryo are normal, then treatment to preserve the pregnancy is needed. At this time, it is important to rest, reduce activity, and avoid any vigorous exercise.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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What is the cause of nausea in threatened miscarriage?

Threatened miscarriage refers to signs of miscarriage during pregnancy, and some women with threatened miscarriage may experience nausea. This situation includes several reasons: First, threatened miscarriage is not the same as a natural miscarriage; women are still pregnant, hence early pregnancy reactions such as nausea are normal. If the nausea is mild, rest and observation are advisable. However, if severe, it is important to visit the hospital for an examination to rule out hyperemesis gravidarum. Second, some cases of threatened miscarriage are caused by gastrointestinal inflammation, such as acute gastritis causing uterine contractions, which then leads to threatened miscarriage. The nausea in these situations is due to acute gastritis, so the nausea is a symptom caused by the condition that leads to the threatened miscarriage, not a direct result of the threatened miscarriage itself.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Is threatened miscarriage dangerous?

There are various causes of threatened miscarriage, so the danger of a threatened miscarriage depends on the cause. If the reason for the threatened miscarriage is due to abnormal fetal chromosome development, gynecological inflammation, or endocrine dysfunction, then it is necessary to receive timely treatment. If fetal development abnormalities are detected, the pregnancy must be terminated promptly and cannot continue. However, if the threatened miscarriage is simply due to low progesterone levels, then generally, the pregnancy can be successfully maintained by timely supplementation of progesterone, and this situation is not severe.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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How many months will it take for a threatened miscarriage to stabilize?

Threatened miscarriage refers to the situation where abdominal pain and bleeding occur during pregnancy due to instability of the gestational sac or fetus. Most threatened miscarriages occur in the early stages of pregnancy, hence, the likelihood of experiencing threatened miscarriages during the mid or late stages of pregnancy is relatively low. Most threatened miscarriages stabilize after the first three months of pregnancy, which is approximately 12 weeks. By this time, the fetus has moved from the pelvic cavity into the abdominal cavity, and the placenta has formed. With the support of the placenta, the fetus can grow more stably. In early pregnancy, the instability of the gestational sac makes it susceptible to external influences, which can easily lead to threatened or even spontaneous miscarriage.