How long?

blindvictory · August 2011

To those of you who have suffered a natural, "at home" miscarriage: how long did it take you to fully pass all the tissue? Also, how much bleeding did you have?

Like I mentioned in a PP, I had all my contractions and pain Saturday from 6:30 in the morning until around 10 at night, but never passed anything. Sunday, I passed two very large pieces of tissue. And I thought I was done.

Until now. I went to the bathroom and passed what, by the looks of it, was more of the baby. I guess it didn't all come out at once yesterday. I bawled my eyes out and called DH, he's heading home from work. My midwife should be giving me a call soon; I called her office and they're going to have her call me to let me know what she thinks I should do. Looks like a possible D&C for me, which I was really, really hoping to avoid. (The thought of it just absolutely terrifies me, and for some reason the possibility of scarring just makes me scared for our future TTC efforts.) I wasn't having any more pain until when I passed everything a little while ago, and now I'm having some cramping. I'm not sure if my amount of bleeding is normal, either. I had so much bleeding pre-miscarriage, and I don't know if this is more of that or if this is normal, miscarriage-appropriate amounts.

TIA, ladies.

wendyssmith · August 2011

I don't have any answers for you since I miscarried the same day as you and am going through similar events. I just wanted you to know you're not alone and I'm sorry for what you're going through.

Best wishes and big hugs to you. I hope this all stops soon for both of us. My heart hurts.

kelandkeith540 · August 2011

So sorry to hear this is happening to you; we all feel for you.

I miscarried naturally back in July. I spotted for about two weeks and then I bled very heavily for about 3 days (this was what I consider the real miscarriage - terrible craps and lots of bleeding). I thought on a couple different occassions I had passed the sac (lots of tissue), but it wasn't until the third day of heavy bleeding that it really passed. The blood was heavy, as the dr told me it would be; but it wasn't nearly as scary for me as I was worried it might be. The sac passing was the strangest thing....I was not at all prepared for that. Not because I saw a baby or anything like that....it was more about the denisity of the sac. It literally fell out and "plopped" in the toilet.

Once I passed the sac, the bleeding slowed quite a bit...continued for maybe another 4-5 days.

Juelsr · August 2011

****Ticker Warning****

First, I am sorry for your loss.

Second, the most common answer to this question is that it is different for everyone. I can only share what I experienced. Initially I bled heavily for 3-4 days, with spotting/light flow for the next couple of days after that. Then, it stopped. Thought I was done. The OB had me come in every 2 weeks to monitor my Hcg levels, making sure everything was dropping as it should. (It was dropping, but slow) Four weeks after my miscarriage, I start bleeding again- what I thought was my period. Cramps a little more than usual. Bleeding tapers off, as my period usually does, and finally stop. Two days later, insane cramping, a rush of blood and I pass another mass. I mentioned it to my OB nurse when she called with my levels, and she seemed to think it was the last of things.

I have heard you can bleed 4-6 weeks, so I guess I'm somewhere in between. If you're truely against a D&C, don't let anyone rush you into it. My LO stopped growing at what they think was about 6 weeks. I wasn't diagnosed with a missed miscarriage until 10.5 weeks. Your body usually can take care of itself, but sometimes does need some help. Do what is best for you.

I apologize this is so long, I didn't intend to write a novel.

GracieBlue · August 2011

I spotted for four days then bled moderately for three days. On the 8th day I started bleeding heavily and passed the gestational sac. I continued to bleed heavily until day 12, then spotted again days 13-15.

cschmit117 · August 2011

I bled for 8 days. I had massive cramps day #1, day #2 and day# 3 tissue, then it tapered off and finally ended. Mine was a bit earlier than you though.

smilingeyes2308 · August 2011

Hey hun. I recognize you from the 1st tri board.

I miscarried this weekend as well. Mine started off as brown spotting last Sunday and turned bright red without notice Thursday night and I passed 2 large clots. Went to the ER and all of that stuff. Friday, still crampy and bleeding. Saturday I woke up around 4am with really bad contraction like pains and blood poured out of me (TMI, sorry) then I was in a lot of pain all day. Contractions every 20 minutes, but was only bleeding, not passing anything. Saturday, around midnight, my cramping finally eased up as I went to the washroom,..and without notice I felt something "fall" out of me. It was the sac, I'm pretty sure. It was about 1 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Oval shaped. Grey-ish, blue-ish and covered in blood. When I went for my emergency ultrasound on Friday they said all that was left was the sac so I knew that when I passed it, it should be over. However I myself am still bleeding and crampy (menstrual like) and I'm still bleeding and there's some little clots.

So my suggestion to you is to wait it out. It's only been a few days. You don't have to have a D&C unless you're at risk for infection..which if you are still crampy and bleeding then I would wait a few days to see if it anything else passes. Get your hCG levels tested to make sure they are dropping (if everything has passed, it should be at 0) If not then a D&C is probably needed. I had a D&C with my last m/c (in 2007) and it was okay, no scar tissue. My DR sent me for an u/s about 2 weeks after my surgery to make sure it healed properly. It's very rare that D&C's go wrong, and they don't affect future TTC. The thought is scary. I'm hoping when I go get my hCG levels tested soon that they are at 0.

However, when I had my last D&C I had to wait 3 cycles before having unprotected sex.

armb10 · August 2011

First I wanted to say I am very sorry to hear of your loss. This is just my experience with what has been happening. I started spotting for approx 4 days before I actually miscarried which happened two weeks ago Sunday. Since then my spotting is very very minimal however I am still passing tissue. My family dr was throwing around all different ideas as to what she thought was happening and what we should do. Like yourself a D&C was a last resort for me. I was given Misoprostol from my family dr actually 2 doses, although it helped me pass some more tissue I did not have serve bleeding or cramping. I finally went to get a Gyno assessment at a hospital Friday and my family dr thought for sure I would need a D&C. I had another ultra sound done (had one the day after my miscarriage which in my opinion was too early) and they found a very small mass of "product" left, so small they couldn't tell whether it is actually tissue or a blood clot. So the dr reviewed it, I had more blood work done which showed my beta levels had dropped significantly again and no risk for infection. The ultrasound also showed the my uterian wall thickness is almost back to pre-pregnancy. It was recommended after all this info was gathered not to proceed wtih a D&C and to allow my body to handle it as it has been all along. I will also be getting a weekly ultrasound and blood work until I pass the rest. The dr advised that because we want to conceive again soon he wanted to avoid the D&C to avoid any scaring and because the mass was so small and I was still passing "product" there was a very good chance it will happen all on its own. I hope you find this info helpful. I know I was personally getting very worried that it seemed to be lasting forever and that I still had what they called "retained product" but the dr reassured me that it happens often and that as long there was no sign of infection it was find to proceed this way. I am not saying if you decide to go with a D&C or if anyone else has had one conception is going to be more difficult as I have had friends who conceived no issues after a D&C. This is just what the dr told me.

Shayliz · August 2011

I spotted for 9 days before confirming a m/c, bled heavily w/ clotting for 3, and spotted for 3 more days after that. I don't know if there's a "normal" length of time - but I did have hours between clots at times where I thought it was starting to stop but would start back up later.

I hope your midwife is able to give you more insight on how it's all going.

lovejonesy77 · August 2011

*sig warning*

Yeah... unfortunately everyone is different. Here is my experience. I had no bleeding at all until Wed I had brown spotting and called the dr. Thursday I had heavy cramping, heavy bleeding... like a pad every 45 minutes. I seriously thought I was going to die, I had to lay down on the ground. I went to the bathroom and 2 large masses fell out. I didn't look, I couldn't bring myself to. I was freaked out and wasn't at home. I was at a photography workshop (taking pictures of babies which the timing really sucked, but I couldn't back out the night before). Right after, the pain and the bleeding eased up significantly. Then a week later I had an ultrasound to see if anything was left, but everything was out and I only had minor bleeding which stopped completely that night. You passing more tissue doesn't mean that you have to have a D&C, its a process and can take over a few weeks. I agree with the previous post though, if they think you may get a infection then they definitely will suggest a D&C. But you will probably just need to do a ultrasound to see if there is anything left. I am sorry you are going thru all this.

ryansmamaxo · August 2011

I had the same thing happen both times I MC'ed ~ it's a distinct feeling of something falling out of you. I'm not sure if the baby passed why it would be in multiple pieces, although I was not positive what mine was bc there was too much blood. Maybe you are just passing clots and tissue now.

How long?

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