Years ago, I lost my baby through a miscarriage, and around the same time my friend lost her baby boy in a stillbirth. It was an extremely difficult time for both of us. Many people do not understand the differences between them. Learning about miscarriage, still births, and their differences will help parents be aware of symptoms and deal with the emotions that these occurrences bring to a family. 

What Is a Pregnancy Miscarriage?

Miscarriage is also known as spontaneous abortion. It is the loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week of pregnancy. Many miscarriages happen in the first trimester, the first thirteen weeks of pregnancy. In 50% to 70% of miscarriages, they are caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the developing baby. They happen randomly and are not in any way caused by anything the mother did or did not do. Sometimes the miscarriage could be caused by maternal health conditions, hormonal imbalances, infection, or uterine abnormalities. 

The symptoms of a miscarriage can include:

• light or heavy vaginal bleeding
• abdominal cramping or pain 
• the passage of fluid or tissue from the vagina 
• decrease in pregnancy symptoms like breast tenderness or nausea

A miscarriage can have a great emotional impact on the mother who has just lost her baby. Support is often needed for emotional recovery. The amount of time for recovery depends on the individual mother. Many mothers remember their babies due date or the day they lost the baby even after many years.

Understanding missed miscarriage is important for those who may have experienced it, since miscarriage is common in early pregnancy. It can feel emotionally devastating, as it was for me when we lost our baby at 13 weeks. It can come as a surprise when the mother does not realize that she is pregnant, as happened to my sister.  Taking time to care for yourself, both emotionally and physically, is a big part of the healing process.

What Does Stillbirth Mean?

Still birth is more common than most people realize and is a sad reality for many families. A stillborn birth is the loss of a pregnancy after 20 weeks and before the live birth. Stillbirths can be classified as early, late, or term. 

• Early is a loss between 20 and 27 weeks of pregnancy.
• Late is a loss between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
• Term is a loss at 37 or more weeks of pregnancy.

According to the CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/stillbirth/about/index.html, “Stillbirth occurs in families of all races ethnicities and income levels and to women of all ages.” Here is their list of women who may be at greater risk:  

• Are 35 years of age or older
• Are of low socioeconomic status
• Smoke cigarettes during pregnancy
• Have certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure
• Are pregnant with more than one baby (such as twins or triplets)
• Have had a stillbirth in the past

Being aware of these risks and adjusting lifestyles when it could be helpful, can help reduce the risk of having a stillborn birth. However, it is best to trust God with the outcome of a pregnancy and not worry about things that we cannot control. 

Differences Between Miscarriage and Stillbirth

In summary, a miscarriage is when a mother’s pregnancy comes to an end before twenty weeks of gestation and a still birth is when the pregnancy comes to an end between twenty weeks and the baby’s live birth. 

Action Step

If you are a woman who has lost a baby in a miscarriage or stillbirth, you are not alone. Please make sure you talk to a trusted person and get the emotional support you need to heal. 

Also, please share this blog with others you know who may benefit from reading it and be the supportive person in their life. 

May God bless you on your wellness journey!

Joni

P.S. Have you had a miscarriage or a stillbirth? How did you cope?