ever heard of a missed abortion?

[david'sgirl]

I just got back from the doctor. I told him all about my menstrual problems that have been going on for the past few months (spotting, no period symptoms, two periods in one month, and finally what seems like a normal period compared to others). He mentioned this could be because of a missed abortion. That word alone scared me a bit but he went on to explain that it means you are pregnant and immediately after you flush everything out in what seems to be a period. This confused me even more once I really thought about it. Does anyone know anything about this or can explain it a little better?

[marriedlove]

I've had three miscarriages.  The first two happened *really* early, and I didn't experience them as anything worse than heavy periods.  But the third was further along, brutally painful, and incomplete.  I bled approximately forever, it seemed (and tons, too), until I finally ended up with a D&C, which removed the remaining tissue that was causing the problem. (I might have taken care of things sooner, by the way, if I hadn't had such an insensitive lug of an ob.  He had me in office telling me all about how I'm high risk, would have to be on bed rest, etc. etc.  Then, he did an in office ultrasound, and found the hearbeat had stopped.  Did he sympathize?  No.  Express any sorrow at all?  Nada.  Have the good grace even to look just the merest bit chagrined?  Nope, not a smidgen.  So, when he segued right into how we'd need to schedule surgery to remove the "products of conception," I simply could not cope with him anymore, and had to get out of there.  Thus, I ended up miscarrying at home, alone but for my then three year old, and having to have the D&C anyway, later.  Sigh!)

You know, the term "abortion" is, on its own, quite the innocent thing.  To "abort" something is simply to terminate it before it is finished.  It's the darned connotations of the word that make it so hard:  practically none of us can even hear it without thinking of *induced* abortion, Roe vs. Wade, pro life vs. pro choice, etc.  Bummer!  A spontaneous abortion is a bad enough thing without all that cultural baggage making it even worse.

Anyway, a "missed" spontaneous abortion can involve only a relatively small portion of tissue still remaining inside the uterus, and it's purely an awful thing--endless bleeding.  The D&C isn't exactly a barrel of laughs, but it's fast, typically involves quick recovery, and it *cures* the problem.

marriedlove (who likes to abort relationships with idiot doctors asap, lol)

[david'sgirl]

Thank you for your comment. The more research I've been doing, the more I see that a missed abortion is an out of date term referring to a missed miscarriage which seems like a bit of an oxymoron. But it just refers to the fact that very early on, even before it's possible to detect pregnancy, the fetus "dies" and is flushed out. It is so scary because other than some messed up periods, i didnt experience any symptoms. Has anyone else experienced this and can provide me with more information?

[david'sgirl]

Thanks again ladies. A chemical pregnancy usually is indicated by a positive hpt. By the time I tested, it was negative. But I just read that 50-60 percent of first time pregnancies end in early miscarriages.  I also read the following:
Here are a few good points about having a chemical pregnancy:

1. You know you are able to conceive. This means you are fertile.
2. You did nothing wrong

[luv_babies]

He's talking about a miscarriage. They are also called "abortions" because your bosy aborts the pregnancy because something is wrong. I am sorry for you. I wish your dr could have explained it better to you. Any other questions just ask. Hope that helps a little.

[anothergirl]

I'm not sure why but it also refers to later miscarriages that the body "misses", as in the fetus dies and is NOT expelled resulting in a required D&C.

[blondie72]

I had that - It was called a missed abortion or missed miscarriage.  I hated the term missed abortion.  I cried and said THAT IS NOT WHAT I HAD!!!!!!   It was hard to deal with that termanolgy.

[onelittleboy]

I believe this happens to many women and they just dont realize it.  Alot of times women that are ttc test all the time and get a postive really early and go on to have a miscarry.  It is sad, but happens alot.  I am sorry you experienced this and your doctor should have been more thorough.  Good luck.

[jgonzales]

I also had a missed abortion, (miscarriage) I was eight weeks along. miscarried in sept, 2005
I had no bleeding or nothing, my breasts weren't sore anymore, and that was about it, I still felt sick to my stomach and stuff.
I had made a appointment for a D&C, I didn't want it to pass through at home...
I'm so sorry for your loss.

[greenpixie]

I amy be wrong on this, but I also think you can refer to it as a chemical pregnancy.  Many women are not aware when this happens b/c it happens so early. Many women just assume that it is their regular AF.  Do a search on chemical pregnancies and see if this sounds like what you experienced.