Having a miscarriage

What to expect if you lose your baby in the first 20 weeks.

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When you need to get help

Get help straight away if you're pregnant and have any of the following symptoms:

  • a strong pain in your tummy or back
  • pain in the tip of your shoulder
  • bleeding heavily
  • passing clots or fluid from your vagina
  • feel sick, faint, dizzy or very unwell
  • have a fast heartbeat.

If you've recently had a miscarriage and have any signs of a fever, severe pain or very heavy bleeding, you should also get emergency care.

If you can't contact your GP, midwife or nurse:

Having a miscarriage

When you lose your baby within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy it's called a miscarriage. Most miscarriages (around 85%) happen in the first 12 weeks. Before 12 weeks is known as an early miscarriage. It can sometimes happen before you even know you're pregnant.

A late miscarriage happens between 13 and 20 weeks and it's much less common. If you lose your baby after 20 weeks, or your baby weighs 400 g or more, it’s called a stillbirth.

Miscarriages happen when your pregnancy stops developing the way it should. It can be because of a problem with the embryo, the development process or both. Often there's no exact cause. It's not likely to be caused by anything you did or didn't do.

Having a miscarriage won't usually stop you from having a healthy pregnancy in the future.

Signs of a miscarriage

Common signs you may be having a miscarriage include:

  • vaginal bleeding
  • cramps
  • passing clots or fluid from your vagina
  • pain in the lower belly or back
  • loss of pregnancy symptoms, like nausea and morning sickness.

If you notice any of these symptoms, talk to your GP, midwife or nurse straight away. They'll make sure you're safe and get the right care. You can also go to your nearest emergency department.

Types of miscarriage

There are many different types of miscarriage. Sometimes we know what caused it, such as an infection or the fertilised egg (embryo) doesn't develop, but often we don't know why.

Read more about types of miscarriage on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Ectopic pregnancy

If an embryo is starting to grow outside your womb it's called an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies are dangerous because as they get bigger, they can burst wherever they're growing.

An ectopic pregnancy will usually feel normal to begin with. You might also see some spotting or bleeding. Sometimes there are no symptoms.

Unfortunately, there’s no way for an ectopic pregnancy to continue. It can’t be moved into your womb. You’ll either have a miscarriage or the pregnancy will need to be terminated.

Read about the signs and symptoms of ectopic pregnancy on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

What happens when you have a miscarriage?

If you think you're having or have had a miscarriage, you should call your GP or midwife as soon as possible. They'll ask you some questions about your symptoms and either refer you to an early pregnancy service or an emergency department. If your symptoms are severe, go straight to an emergency department.

At the hospital, a doctor will usually:

  • have a look inside your vagina to check your cervix
  • do an ultrasound scan on either on your tummy or through your vagina
  • test your blood for pregnancy hormones (beta hCG) – sometimes this will need to be 2 tests a few days apart.

If these tests confirm a miscarriage, your doctor will talk with you about treatment options. The advice will depend on whether your miscarriage is complete, incomplete, inevitable or missed.

The Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website has information about what you might see when you miscarry. The descriptions are graphic and might be distressing to read so please think about your emotional wellbeing before reading.

Treatment options

Your doctor will help you decide which treatment is best for you.

It may depend on:

  • how many weeks pregnant you are
  • if you have an infection
  • if you've already passed some of the pregnancy.

It's not possible to save a pregnancy from miscarriage once it's started. Treatments are focused on keeping you healthy and avoiding infections.

Natural (expectant or wait and see)

You can choose to wait for your pregnancy tissue to pass on its own. It can take anywhere from a few days to 3 or 4 weeks. After you stop bleeding, you'll need a scan and a blood test to check there's no signs of your pregnancy left.

Read more about natural or expectant management on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Taking medicine

If your pregnancy isn't very far along, you can take medicine to help your body pass the pregnancy tissue more quickly. Your body will often pass it 4 to 6 hours after you take the medicine, but it can take a couple of days. Medical treatment is usually only recommended before 9 weeks.

You'll take the medicine as tablets that are either placed in your mouth between your cheek and gums or in your vagina. The medicine helps to open your cervix to let the pregnancy tissue come out.

Some hospitals will give you the medicine to take at home, others will give you the option to stay in hospital while you take it. You'll have heavy bleeding and cramps. It's often quite intense and you might need strong pain killers to help. You might also have side effects from the medicine, like vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and chills.

You might need surgery if your bleeding doesn't stop or you're showing signs of an infection.

Read more about medical management on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Having an operation

You might need an operation to remove the pregnancy tissue from your womb. The operation is called dilation and curettage and is often referred to as a D&C.

You'll be put to sleep with general anaesthetic and a doctor will remove the pregnancy tissue through your cervix. They don't need to make any cuts, so you won't need stitches. You can usually go home the same day. The Miscarriage Australia website explains what happens during a surgical management (D&C).

You can ask the doctor to try to keep your baby so that you can bury or cremate it. It's not always possible. If you don't ask to keep it, the tissue will usually be respectfully cremated by the hospital.

You might get some bleeding and cramping for a week or 2 after the operation. Paracetamol and heat packs can help with the pain.

Read more about surgical management on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Recovering from a miscarriage

You should see your GP straight away if:

  • you have any signs of a fever, severe pain or very heavy bleeding
  • you bleed for longer than 2 weeks
  • you're struggling with feeling low or anxious.

There's no right or wrong way to recover from a miscarriage. Some people want to talk about it, others don't. Do what feels right for you and your partner. Take as much time as you need and be kind to yourself.

Your body and emotional wellbeing

Your body will need time to recover and adjust after your pregnancy ends. How long that takes will depend on how far through your pregnancy you were. Read more about care and support after loss on the Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth website.

It's normal to have some pain and bleeding for a couple of weeks after your miscarriage. Your pregnancy and other hormones will also drop. This is likely to make your feelings and emotions even more intense. In some cases, it can be similar to postnatal depression. Everyone experiences loss differently, and there's no right or wrong way to feel. Allow yourself time to rest and be gentle and kind to yourself during this period.

Read more about recovering from a miscarriage on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Getting pregnant again

Most women who have a miscarriage go on to have a healthy pregnancy in the future.

If you had medical treatment for your miscarriage, you should wait at least 3 months before getting pregnant again. The drugs used for medical miscarriages can be harmful to your next baby if you get pregnant again too soon.

Read more about trying for a baby after a miscarriage on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Dealing with grief

Grief is different for everyone and there's no right or wrong way to feel. You and your partner might grieve in different ways.

There are support groups and services you can reach out to. Talking to other people who have been through the same thing can also help.

Find out where to get support on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Recognising early pregnancy loss

It's up to you whether you want to do something to recognise the loss of your baby. Some families like to have a ceremony or funeral, and others don't want to do anything.

There’s no legal requirement to have your baby buried or cremated if your miscarriage happened before 20 weeks or your baby weighs less than 400 g. Most hospitals can arrange for the respectful burial of the pregnancy tissue.

You can also take your baby home and arrange a personal burial or cremation. Your nurse, midwife, perinatal loss coordinator, or social worker will give you more information and support you through each step.

The Miscarriage Australia website has different ways to remember your baby on their website.

In Queensland you can apply for an early pregnancy loss recognition certificate if you lose your baby before 20 weeks.

Recurrent miscarriage

If you've had more than 2 miscarriages, it's known as recurrent miscarriage.

If you've had recurrent miscarriages, your GP will usually do some tests to try to work out why they're happening. If they find a cause they may be able to treat it. If not, they might refer you to a fertility specialist for more tests.

Read more about recurrent miscarriage on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Risks for miscarriage

It's very unlikely that anything you do will change whether or not you have a miscarriage. But there are some things that can slightly increase your risk, including your age and some lifestyle factors, like smoking or drinking.

Read more about the risks for miscarriage, as well as common myths, on the Miscarriage Australia website.

Last updated:
2 April 2026