
Miscarriage + Loss
Miscarriage + Pregnancy Loss
Miscarriage, also known as pregnancy loss, is a spontaneous and typically unexpected loss of a pregnancy before the baby can survive outside of the womb.
Our Top Miscarriage Articles
- Beth’s ectopic pregnancy story
- Our favorite miscarriage gifts
- Why you don’t have to attend a baby shower after miscarriage

Medical terms are at odds with the way most (though not all) women experience such loss. Scientifically, the baby is called an embryo or a fetus, and the miscarriage is referred to as an abortion. But, to most pregnant women, this is a personal loss that causes emotional grief, anxiety, depression, guilt, and self-blame. For the record, self-blame is totally unnecessary.Â
How many pregnancies end in miscarriage? Estimates suggest that up to 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, though many before a woman knows she’s pregnant. You can join the 1 in 4 community on Instagram.
Signs of Miscarriage
There are a few warning signs that you can look out for. Many pregnant women panic when they notice bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy.Â

Call your doctor if you experience red bleeding, but don’t panic. There are many reasons bleeding can occur during pregnancy that don’t result in pregnancy loss.
There are many potential causes of bleeding in early pregnancy, including implantation bleeding, subchorionic hematoma, and more.Â
Miscarriage Symptoms
Symptoms can include any or all of the following:Â
- light spotting to heavy bleeding
- back pain
- blood clots
- cramps.Â
A potential sign can be loss of regular pregnancy symptoms, but pregnancy symptoms themselves are not directly associated with miscarriage. Pregnancy symptoms may also regulate due to hormonal changes, and some women experience pregnancy with no symptoms at all.Â
Miscarriage Causes
There are a few causes that can induce a miscarriage, but Undefining Motherhood wants to be clear on one main point first: the miscarrying mother is not at fault. Exercising, drinking coffee, going to work, or having sex do not induce miscarriages.
Rather, miscarriages are almost always caused by genetic or physiological circumstances.
- Fetal genetic abnormalities: sometimes, during conception, chromosomes don’t work together to form a baby that can survive outside the womb
- Physical anomalies within the mother’s body: things like uterine abnormalities, blood clots, pools of blood in the gestational sac, major autoimmune disorders, et cetera
- Extreme trauma: car accidents and other tragic events that injure the womb

Note that trauma must be extreme. Many women endure experiences like bad car accidents and still carry a successful pregnancy. Research estimates that 50% of miscarriages are caused by genetic fetal abnormalities.Â
The Truth About Pregnancy Loss
Miscarriage is a tragic event that affects millions of women and their partners. At Undefining Motherhood, we want you to feel like you can openly talk about your loss and get to know other mothers who share similar experiences.
You are not alone!


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Rainbow Babies Having a child after pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or neonatal death can be both exciting and terrifying. A child born after these traumatic events is usually called a rainbow baby. But while this rainbow baby definition is simple, the actual meaning of having a rainbow baby is much more complex. After suffering from recurrent […]
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The effervescent Dolly Parton once said, “If you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain.” While she probably wasn’t thinking about having a baby after a miscarriage or loss when she said this, it’s incredible how much the quote applies to a rainbow baby pregnancy. Becoming pregnant with a rainbow baby […]
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Learn how to give rainbow baby gifts for mom and baby that both honor the loss of infant angels and celebrate the hope that rainbow babies bring.
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I remember sitting in a dark Broadway theatre, excited to see Hamilton for the first time. The music was upbeat, the actors were phenomenal, and I was enthralled. And then it happened. The words started pouring out much like the tears streaming down my cheeks, and I found myself unable to breathe, heaving sobs, fully […]
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Miscarriage gifts don’t take away the pain of pregnancy loss. But having been through 4 losses myself and worked with thousands of women experiencing loss, I can confidently say that there’s something especially helpful about having loved ones take the time to create a care package or send gifts for miscarriage. What most people don’t […]
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Most of us underestimate what it will be like grieving during the holidays. “The most wonderful time of the year” often leaves people experiencing grief filled with emotions they may not have expected–most commonly, those of sadness and loneliness. This was my experience during the holidays when I was going through recurrent miscarriage. And I […]
International Wave of Light 2023: A Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Event
As the seasons shift and a chill graces the air, October brings me back to one of the most bittersweet moments of the year: the International Wave of Light. This ceremony is an integral part of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and it holds a sacred space in my heart and in our community. […]
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, a month of remembrance that honors parents and families who have experienced miscarriage, chemical pregnancy, molar pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, embryo loss, termination for medical reasons (TFMR), stillbirth, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and other types of baby loss. First Published: October 15,2018… Last Updated: October 5, 2021 […]
Support After Stillbirth: What Not to Say & What TO Say
There are a lot of things I want to say in regards to how to give support after a stillbirth. Let’s say you heard the tragic news that someone you care for is going through an unimaginable loss and you want to do something for them; you want to support them. But you want to […]