Treatment for miscarriage

Treatment for miscarriages largely depends on whether the patient has had a complete or incomplete miscarriage. If the miscarriage was complete, no medical treatment will be required but the patient will be offered emotional support in the form of counselling.

If the miscarriage was incomplete, this means some of the foetal tissue will still be in the mother’s body. The first step is to remove the tissue, either by means of taking medication, having surgery or waiting for the tissue to come out naturally.

Surgery is usually recommended if the patient is experiencing heavy bleeding or there is a high chance that the tissue has become infected; surgery is also recommended when the other two methods have failed. The surgical procedure is known as ERPC (evacuation of retained products of conception); it involves using suction to remove the remaining tissue and is carried out under general anaesthetic. The procedure is considered to be very safe but there is a possibility of complications, as with all surgical procedures. Possible complications include:

• Infection
• Damage to the womb
• Severe bleeding

Taking special medication causes the cervix to open to allow the tissue to pass out; this type of treatment is successful in 85 percent of cases. The tablets usually cause similar symptoms to a period.

Once the treatment is complete, you may wish to discuss what to do with the remains with your doctor or midwife; some people choose to leave the decision to the medical team, while others wish to have a burial or cremation service.

Treatment for recurrent miscarriages

Some women suffer numerous successive miscarriages; this may occur as a result of problems with the structure of the womb, underlying health conditions or as a result of having Hughes syndrome. Hughes syndrome is currently the only cause of recurrent miscarriages which can be treated; treatment involves taking medication (including aspirin and heparin) to reduce the chances of the blood clotting. There is more information about tests to discover the causes of recurrent miscarriages in the relevant section of this guide.