A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks.
There are potentially many reasons for why a miscarriage may happen, although the cause is not usually identified.
The majority are not caused by anything you have done.
Chromosomes are genetic “building blocks” that guide the development of a baby. If a baby has too many or not enough chromosomes it will not develop properly.
In most cases a miscarriage is a one-off unfortunate event, and most people go on to have a successful pregnancy in the future.
The most common sign of miscarriage is vaginal bleeding. This can vary from light spotting or brownish discharge heavy bleeding and bright red blood or clots. The bleeding may come and go over several days.
However, light vagina bleeding is relatively common during the first trimester (first 3 months) of pregnancy and does not necessarily mean you are having a miscarriage.
If you have vaginal bleeding, contact your GP or maternity team as soon as possible.
