How to know if it is a spontaneous abortion or menstruation?

There are women who suspect that they may be embarrassed or suffer from a vaginal bleeding, making it difficult to identify whether this bleeding is only the menstruation that has resulted in a spontaneous abortion, especially if it has occurred within 4 weeks of the closing when it was due to be discharged.

Therefore, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist to carry out an evaluation of uterine bleeding and request tests such as hCG measurement and a transvaginal ultrasound to rule out ectopic embarrassment and abortion, for example.

Medical follow-up of uterine bleeding is important before an abortion or menstruation investigation to avoid complications such as anemia due to deficiency of the uterus, caused by excessive bleeding, as well as to receive adequate treatment in case an abortion is confirmed.

Differences between abortion and menstruation

In the following table, the differences between the bleeding of a menstruation and the bleeding of an abortion are shown. However, it is important to take into account that the signs and symptoms of menstruation vary greatly from one woman to another.

Some differences that can help the woman to identify if she has had a miscarriage or a delayed menstruation that has been delayed:

Some women may experience little pain during the period, while others experience severe cramping and bleed profusely, making it more difficult to identify whether it is menstruation or abortion. For this reason, it is most advisable to help the gynecologist whenever there is any concern about it, so that he can request the corresponding exams to identify the cause of the bleeding and direct the appropriate treatment.

Exams that help to identify the cause

In some cases, help to identify if it is an abortion or a delayed menstruation, the only way to confirm the diagnosis is to consult a gynecologist for a transvaginal ultrasound or a blood test to be performed. to evaluate the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone in blood, which is a hormone that is generated during embarrassment.

Quantitative hCG beta test:

The hCG beta test should be performed, at least, on different days to assess whether the levels of this hormone in blood are decreasing. In case this happens, it is known that the woman suffered an abortion.

However, if the values ​​increase, it means that you could still be embarrassed and that the bleeding was only caused by the embryo implanting in the uterine wall or for another reason, and a transvaginal ultrasound is recommended.

If the values ​​remain equal to and below 5 mIU / ml, it is probable that there was no embarrassment and, therefore, the bleeding is only a delayed menstruation.

Transvaginal ultrasound:

This type of ultrasound allows to obtain an image of the interior of the uterus and of the other reproductive structures of the woman as the tubes and the ovaries. Because of this, it is possible to identify if there is any embryo that develops in the uterus, in addition to evaluating other problems that may have caused the bleeding as an ectopic embarrassment, for example.

In more rare cases, the ultrasound may indicate that the woman in the embryo may not change in the uterus, even when the beta-hCG values ​​are altered. In these cases, the woman may be embarrassed and, therefore, it is advisable to repeat the examination around 2 weeks later, to assess whether it is possible to identify the embryo.

What to do if you suspect an abortion

The abortion is considered as such, the termination of the embarrassment before the 20th week of pregnancy, since the bleeding can last only 2 or 3 days and the symptoms improve in that period, when it is not necessary to attend the gynecologist.

However, when the pain is very strong or the bleeding is very intense, causing symptoms such as tiredness and mareo, for example, it is advisable to immediately go to the gynecologist or the hospital to start the appropriate treatment, which may include only the use of medication for relieve pain or a small emergency surgery to stop bleeding.

Furthermore, when the woman believes that she has had more than 2 miscarriages, it is important to consult a gynecologist to identify if there is a problem such as endometriosis, which is causing the abortions and which needs to be treated.

Learn more about abortion symptoms.