You only have to read the forums – where concerned women share advice and support when they are unsure about their pregnancies – that miscarriage is not always the case when you feel unwell or even have continued bleeding.
However, there are signs which are worth checking out with your GP or midwife, just to be on the safe side.
Early in pregnancy, there is not a great deal that can be done to stop a miscarriage if it is going to happen, however, seeking advice and help is important as you and your baby may be fine but in need of treatment or rest.
Please don't worry yourselves unneccessarily. Just get checked out. If you have suffered a miscarriage before, let your GP and midwife know, but be assured that many women go through this and go on to have successful births on other occasions.
Seek emergency help immediately...
If you pass blood clots or thick pink or greyish material. Call ahead and speak to your emergency duty doctor or NHS Direct as they may want to talk to you about what might be a miscarriage or simply a strong likelihood of one.
If you have bleeding that is heavy constantly for at least one hour.
If you feel pains and/or bleeding and have experienced previous miscarriages.
Check with your GP or midwife...
If you have a severe abdominal pain for more than 24 hours, even if you have not experienced bleeding.
If you have light bleeding for more than three days or if you have heavy bleeding (like a regular day during your period) for more than two days. This may be accompanied by back pain, like that of menstrual pains.
If you have bleeding and pain in the centre of your lower belly.
If you have severe pain for a consistent period (more than a few hours) on one side. You might have an ectopic pregnancy: where the embryo has started to grow outside the womb.
Useful numbers
Once you are pregnant, it is useful to keep a list of numbers in your phone, purse or by your telephone at home.
Once your GP has confirmed you are pregnant, you should get a letter from the midwife team who will be looking after you. This should include contacts for day and night calls. Put your GP's contact details somewhere handy too, and the hospital's contacts, once you have had your 'booking in'.
This is good practice even for other medical concerns or questions you might have during pregnancy.
NHS Direct are a useful first contact and can refer you to the local emergency doctor if you cannot get hold of your GP. Call them on 0845 4647 or visit the NHS Direct website which has information on all kinds of medical conditions.
