Your Guide to Miscarriage Management

1 in 4 women will experience a miscarriage at one point in her life. We are here to get you through these turbulent times. We offer a variety of services and support to help ensure you get the healthcare needed.
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Services Offered

To confirm your miscarriage, we can provide a variety of tests and procedures.

Blood tests

Blood tests check and compare levels in your blood to previous measurements. If the pattern of changes in your levels is abnormal, there could be a problem.
Blood tests can check levels such as the pregnancy hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin ie. HCG). We can also determine if you are anemic and determine your blood type.

Chromosomal Tests

If you've had two or more previous miscarriages, we may refer you to a genetic counselor or a general gynecologist. They will be able to run blood tests for you and your partner to determine if your chromosomes are a factor.

Pelvic Exam

The physician might check to see if your cervix has begun to dilate.

Tissue Tests

We can send passed tissue to a lab to possibly identify an abnormality that might have caused of the miscarriage.

Ultrasound

In an ultrasound, our staff will check the fetal heartbeat and determine if the embryo is properly developing.
Note: If we cannot make a diagnosis, you may need to have another ultrasound in approximately a week.
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Types of Miscarriages

There are many different types of miscarriages. Explore the this section to learn more.

Threatened Miscarriage

If you are bleeding but your cervix has NOT begun to dilate, there is a chance of miscarriage. In normal pregnancies, 40-50% of people spot or bleed during the pregnancy and they do not miscarry.

Complete Miscarriage

A complete miscarriage occurs when you have passed all the pregnancy tissues. This is common for miscarriages occurring before 12 weeks.

Inevitable Miscarriage

If you are bleeding, cramping and your cervix has dilated, a miscarriage is inevitable.

Incomplete Miscarriage

An incomplete miscarriage is when you pass fetal or placental material and some remains in your uterus.

Missed Miscarriage

A missed miscarriage occurs when the placental and embryonic tissues remain in the uterus, but the embryo has either died or never formed.

Septic Miscarriage

A septic miscarriage occurs when you develop an infection in your uterus. This can be a severe infection and demands immediate care.
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Miscarriage Management

Treatments for Threatened Miscarriage

For a threatened miscarriage, we recommend resting and avoiding exercise and sex until the bleeding or pain subsides. Although these methods are not proven to prevent a miscarriage, they can improve your comfort.

Quick Answers

What should I do if I have an upcoming trip planned and I am having a miscarriage?
If you have an upcoming trip planned, ask us if it would be wise to delay.
In some cases, it is a good idea to postpone traveling. Especially if you are traveling to areas where medical care is not easily accessible.
Miscarriage Management

Treatment for Other Miscarriages

If you are having any other form of miscarriage, you have three options.
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Expectant Management

If you have no signs of infection, you may choose to let the miscarriage progress naturally.

Quick Answers

How long will expectant management take?
Unfortunately, it may take up to three or four weeks.
What happens if I experience heavy and excessive bleeding or severe pain?
These symptoms might mean that you need medical or surgical intervention.
This can be an emotionally difficult time, read about Emotion Recovery.
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Medical Treatment

If you have received a diagnosis of an inevitable miscarriage and would like to speed up the process, medication can be prescribed to cause your body to expel the pregnancy tissue and placenta.

Common questions

Why Camelback Family Planning?
This safe and clinically proven combination of medicines is only offered at family planning clinics in Arizona. Unlike other clinics, we specialize in this care and can get you in quickly for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. No waiting period is necessary in these situations.
Arizona gynecologists, obstetricians and maternal fetal medicine physicians do not provide these medications.
How do the medications work?
There are two medicines that may be taken together to be the most effective. The first medication, mifepristone, is taken by mouth in the clinic. This makes the second medication work and blocks the progesterone hormone.
The second medication, misoprostol, is taken at home 24-48 hours later. This is when the bleeding and cramping will start and hopefully complete the miscarriage safely.
How effective are the medications used to treat miscarriages?
This process has 98% effectiveness, and if it does not work completely, the clinic will perform a D&C at no extra cost.
Utilizing this proven and researched method will help to avoid a surgical option.
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Surgical Treatment

Surgical treatment is needed if you have a miscarriage accompanied by heavy bleeding or signs of an infection.

Common questions

What does the surgical treatment involve?
The surgical treatment includes a minor surgical procedure called suction dilation and curettage (D&C).
Will this effect future pregnancies?
Complications are rare, and this procedure does not effect your future ability to have children.
Why do the contents of my uterus need to be removed?
Your provider removes the contents from inside your uterus to:
  • Prevent infection or heavy bleeding
  • Remove a tumor that forms instead of a typical pregnancy (molar pregnancy)
  • Treat excessive bleeding
What is a D&C?
A D&C, suction dilation and curettage, is a procedure in which your health care provider dilates your cervix and removes tissue from the inside of your uterus.
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Miscarriage Management

Miscarriage Recovery

Miscarriages can be an emotional and physically exhausting time. Explore the content in this section to learn the in’s and out’s of your recovery.
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Physical Recovery

In most cases, you will recover physically from a miscarriage within a few hours to a couple of days.
If you are experiencing heavy bleeding, fever, or abdominal pain, call your health care provider.

Common questions

How soon can I have sex after a miscarriage?
You should avoid having sex or putting anything in your vagina, such as a tampon, for one week after a miscarriage.
When should I use contraception after a miscarriage?
You can start using any type of contraception immediately after a miscarriage.
When will my period return after a miscarriage?
You may ovulate 2 weeks after a miscarriage. That means you can get pregnant again right away. Expect your period to return within 4 to 6 weeks.
How long should I wait if I want to try to get pregnant again?
Physically, it is safe to try again after your first period. But, emotionally, it depends on how you are feeling. Many people need 3-6 months to recover emotionally.
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Emotional Recovery

Emotional healing can take much longer than physical healing.
Losing a later pregnancy can be a heart-wrenching experience. Your emotions might range from anger and guilt to despair.
Give yourself time to grieve the loss of your pregnancy, and seek help from loved ones. Everyone's reaction is different, and it might be difficult for others to understand.
Although you may never forget this pregnancy, time may ease your pain.
Get Support Today
If you're feeling profound sadness or depression, talk to your health care provider.
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Miscarriage Management

Future Pregnancies

It's possible to become pregnant during the menstrual cycle immediately after a miscarriage.
If you and your partner decide to attempt another pregnancy, make sure you are physically and emotionally ready. Ask your health care provider for guidance about when you might try to conceive.

Quick Answers

How likely is it to have multiple miscarriages?
Miscarriage is usually a one-time occurrence. Most women who experience a miscarriage go on to have a healthy pregnancy after miscarriage.

Miscarriage Statistics

If you are experiencing multiple miscarriages (2-3 in a row), consider testing to identify an underlying cause. Such causes could include problems with the uterus, blood clotting, or chromosomal abnormality.
If the cause of your miscarriages cannot be identified, don't lose hope. 60-80% of women with unexplained repeated miscarriages go on to have healthy pregnancies.
5%
of women have two consecutive miscarriages
1%
of women have 3 or more consecutive miscarriages

Get in Touch

Have questions or concerns? Give us a call or send us an email to get all of your questions answered.