Miscarriage

A miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. (Pregnancy losses after the 20th week are called preterm deliveries.)

A miscarriage may also be called a "spontaneous abortion." This refers to naturally occurring events, not elective or therapeutic abortion procedures, which a woman may choose to have done.

Other terms for the early loss of pregnancy include:

• Missed abortion (a loss of pregnancy where the products of conception do not exit the body)
• Incomplete abortion (not all of the products of conception exit the body)
• Complete abortion (all of the products of conception exit the body)
• Threatened abortion (symptoms indicate a miscarriage is possible)
• Inevitable abortion (the symptoms cannot be stopped, and a miscarriage will happen)
• Infected abortion