A few days ago we gave all the details about spontaneous abortion or natural abortion, one of the most frequent reasons for blood loss in the first trimester of pregnancy.
We have talked about why it occurs, what needs to be done in case of a threat of abortion and the emotional aspects surrounding this disappointing situation. To know a little more about it, we will now know the different types of miscarriage that exist.
Depending on the moment in which it occurs and its characteristics, spontaneous abortion can be classified into several types.
Abortions in process
Incipient abortion: When the cervix is ajar it is a sign that the abortion is beginning.
Inevitable or imminent abortion: when the cervix is open and the passage of the fetus has begun.
Either of these two cases is vaginal bleeding and the pain of uterine contractions is accentuated, indicating that the cervix is dilating.
Medical variants of spontaneous abortion
Complete or consummate abortion: when after the fetal death all the products of conception have been expelled from the uterus, there is no more pain, bleeding is scarce and the cervix has been closed again. It does not usually require any treatment.
Incomplete abortion: when the contents of the uterus are not completely expelled after fetal death. It requires medical treatment to eliminate the remains that may have remained and thus avoid hemorrhages or infections, which pose a real risk to the mother. An incomplete abortion could lead to a septic abortion if the fetal or placental tissue that remain in the uterus is infected.
Deferred or Retained Abortion: When the embryo dies but the woman fails to remove the gestational sac for several weeks or even months. It usually occurs between weeks 8 and 12, pregnancy symptoms gradually disappear, the uterus stops growing and pregnancy tests become negative approximately 10 days after fetal death. It requires treatment (curettage) to remove the contents of the uterus.
Abortion due to detained egg: when the abortion is so early that the egg has been fertilized but the defined fetal tissue failed to form. It does not need any treatment and is eliminated with menstruation, most of the time going unnoticed.
According to the moment in which it occurs
Early abortion: when it occurs before the 10th week of gestation. 80% of abortions occur at this stage, even many go unnoticed.
Late abortion: when it occurs between the 11th and 20th week of gestation.
Recurrent abortion: is the loss of three consecutive pregnancies or more. Only at this point can one begin to think that there was some kind of problem to conceive. Having up to three spontaneous abortions in a row is considered normal.
