Does a natural miscarriage count as an abortion?

Written by Liu Wei Jie

Obstetrics

Updated on September 15, 2024

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Is miscarriage considered the same as abortion? These are not the same concepts, but they share similarities. Miscarriage is due to factors related to the mother or fetus, leading to the natural loss of the embryo, whereas abortion involves artificially inducing the removal of the embryo from the womb. Although miscarriages might also result in some postpartum complications, abortions tend to have more complications due to the artificial means involved. These artificial ways include surgical abortion procedures, during which there might be risks of infection and damage to the uterine lining.

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Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

59sec

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Can work during a natural miscarriage

During the natural miscarriage period, it is not advisable to go to work. This is because the woman's body is relatively weak after a natural miscarriage and the immune system is compromised, so she should not go to work and needs to rest at home. A natural miscarriage can cause certain harm to a woman's body, and like normal childbirth, confinement is necessary for at least two weeks. During this period, it is important to rest, boost nutrition, and maintain personal hygiene. Once the body has fully recovered, which generally takes about two weeks, one can then return to work. It is also important to maintain hygiene in intimate areas. Sexual intercourse should be avoided for a month, and baths should be replaced with showers as the endometrial lining needs time to repair. Additionally, it is crucial to keep warm, avoid exposure to cold, and refrain from exertion.

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Written by Zhang Xiu Rong

Obstetrics and Gynecology

1min 30sec

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How long does it take to get a period after a natural miscarriage?

For patients who have had a spontaneous miscarriage, if their menstrual cycle is usually regular, the first day of the spontaneous miscarriage is the time when their next period would begin. However, if the miscarriage is incomplete and a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure is required, the first day after the D&C is considered the start date for the next menstrual cycle. Some people experience spontaneous miscarriages due to menstrual irregularities and an irregular menstrual cycle, which may be caused by hormonal imbalances. In such cases, the timing of the next period after a miscarriage is uncertain. If the menstrual cycle is regular, the next period can be estimated based on the aforementioned timings. However, if the cycle is irregular, the timing of the next period post-miscarriage primarily depends on the condition of the endometrium. If the endometrium has recovered to a thickness of 1.0 or more, menstruation is likely to occur. If the endometrial lining is thin, menstruation may not occur for the time being. Therefore, the length of time until menstruation resumes following a spontaneous miscarriage also requires monitoring of the hormonal balance and the regularity of the usual menstrual cycle.

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Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

1min 7sec

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Is it easy to get pregnant after a natural miscarriage?

When a natural miscarriage occurs, it is generally not easy to conceive. There are many reasons for natural miscarriage, one common cause is the insufficiency of corpus luteum function in women, leading to low levels of pregnancy hormones in the body, which can easily result in spontaneous miscarriage. Additionally, whether a woman has some gynecological diseases, such as uterine fibroids, endometritis, endometrial displacement, septate uterus, bicornuate uterus, unicornuate uterus, and other uterine issues, can also affect pregnancy and lead to natural miscarriage. Moreover, if the fertilized egg has chromosomal abnormalities during pregnancy, it can also cause a natural miscarriage. Therefore, when women prepare for the next pregnancy, they need to go to the hospital for relevant examinations. After identifying and actively correcting some factors affecting pregnancy, they can then try to conceive again.

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Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

55sec

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What is the discharge from a natural miscarriage?

Miscarriage refers to the spontaneous expulsion of the gestational sac from the uterine cavity, without the need for human intervention. Human interventions mainly include medical abortion or painless surgical abortion. During a miscarriage, the gestational sac is expelled from the uterus, so the expelled material is primarily the gestational sac. The sac generally consists of white villous tissue, and during a natural miscarriage, it is essential to identify villous tissue in the pregnancy tissue in order to confirm a natural miscarriage. Besides the villous tissue, due to decidualization changes in the endometrium after pregnancy, the tissue expelled during a miscarriage also contains a certain amount of decidual tissue. Therefore, the material expelled in a natural miscarriage mainly includes the villous tissue, followed by uterine decidual tissue.

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Written by Zhao Li Li

Obstetrics

46sec

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How many days after a natural miscarriage can one go outside?

After a natural miscarriage, it is still necessary to consider the specific recovery situation to determine whether one can go out. If the recovery from a natural miscarriage is good, with no residual embryonic tissue in the uterine cavity and no abnormal vaginal bleeding, normal life and work can usually resume half a month after the miscarriage. If there are complications, or if symptoms like persistent vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain occur, it is important to seek medical attention promptly for an examination. This helps to determine whether there are any remaining embryonic tissues or if a pelvic infection or other abnormal conditions are causing these symptoms, so that timely and appropriate treatment can be administered.