Life
Losing a pregnancy can be absolutely devastating for a parent, no matter the circumstances. While miscarriage is one of the more common terms used, there are actually several types of pregnancy loss that can occur. In some cases, a medical professional is able to pinpoint the specific cause, but others happen seemingly without reason. Regardless the reason, all have the potential to leave a lasting effect on parents.
When you hear 'pregnancy loss,' you likely already know what it means without needing further explanation. However, it's technically an umbrella term that represents the various clinically specific types of pregnancy loss. Kathleen Winston, Ph.D., R.N., Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Phoenix, tells Romper via email, "Pregnancy loss is the death of an unborn baby (fetus) at any time during pregnancy," regardless of weeks or trimesters.
In a call with Romper, OB-GYN, Annelise S. Swigert, M.D., says the word 'miscarriage' is similar to 'pregnancy loss' and is the most common term used, but it's not always technically accurate. Timing of the loss and the biological reason behind it are some of the factors that are considered when determining the specific type of pregnancy loss. Here are some of the different terms and types of loss that can happen during pregnancy.
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Ectopic Pregnancy & Termination
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when "the fetus develops outside the uterus," says Dr. Winston, "this might be in a fallopian tube, the cervix, the pelvis, or abdomen." In this case, the University of Michigan says after a person will likely experience some bleeding and/or stomach and pelvic pain. An ectopic pregnancy will not correct itself and it can pose a serious health risk to the person carrying it. Because of this, doctors will have to terminate the pregnancy, which can be an extremely difficult loss, especially after a positive pregnancy test.
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Vanishing Twin Syndrome
Someone pregnant with multiples (twins or more) could experience a loss known as vanishing twin syndrome which means one of the embryos or fetuses does not fully develop in the womb. This happens up to 30% of multiples pregnancies, per Healthline.
This type of loss is called 'vanishing twin syndrome' because many times it's discovered after an early ultrasound picked up two fetuses, but then at a later appointment only one is present. This is because the tissue from the lost fetus is absorbed by another baby, the person carrying the babies, or the placenta.
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Stillbirth Or Late Miscarriage
Even though they're both pregnancy losses, miscarriages and stillbirth differ based on the timing of loss. Stillbirth, occurs "when the fetus dies after 20 weeks of pregnancy," explains Dr. Winston, but they are rare and only "occur in about 2% of pregnancies." Typically, a stillbirth in the second or third trimester is the result of "genetic abnormalities and birth defects," says Dr. Swigert.
In this situation, according to March of Dimes, how the baby is delivered depends on a variety of factors, specifically how far along the pregnancy is. Sometimes a person can undergo a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure, but oftentimes the choices are to either induce labor for delivery or wait for the body to go into labor on its own, which typically happens within two weeks of the loss.
Both Dr. Swigert and Dr. Winston stress the importance of knowing that pregnancy losses are usually out of a person's control and are a result of biology. "[People] often have feelings of guilt [after a pregnancy loss] and they try to figure out what they did wrong," says Dr. Winston "most times, they did nothing wrong." Even without guilt, coping with this kind of loss can be extremely difficult and both doctors suggest finding support during the process.
Experts:
Annelise S. Swigert, M.D, OB-GYN specializing in medically complicated pregnancies at Southdale OB-GYN
Kathleen Winston, Ph.D., R.N., Master of Science in Family Health Nursing and Nursing Education, Dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Phoenix