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Miscarriage - threatened - Overview

Alternative Names

Threatened miscarriage; Threatened spontaneous abortion; Abortion - threatened; Threatened abortion

Definition of Miscarriage - threatened:

A threatened miscarriage is a condition that suggests a miscarriage might take place before the 20th week of pregnancy.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Some pregnant women have some vaginal bleeding, with or without abdominal cramps, during the first three months of pregnancy. When the symptoms indicate a miscarriage is possible, the condition is called a "threatened abortion." (This refers to a naturally occurring event, not medical abortions or surgical abortions.)

Miscarriage occurs in about half of pregnancies with first trimester bleeding.

For more information, see: Miscarriage

Miscarriage

Early pregnancy

Reviewed last on: 11/21/2010
Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Katz VL. Spontaneous and recurrent abortion: etiology, diagnosis, treatment. In: Katz VL, Lentz GM, Lobo RA, Gershenson DM, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 16.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ACOG Committee opinion no. 462: Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol.2010 Aug;116(2 Pt 1):467-8.

Cunnigham FG, Leveno KL, Bloom SL, et al. Abortion. In: Cunnigham FG, Leveno KL, Bloom SL, et al, eds. Williams Obstetrics. 23rd ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2010:chap 9.

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