Abortion - threatened

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Early pregnancy

Miscarriage

Threatened miscarriage; Threatened spontaneous abortion

Bed rest or pelvic rest (abstaining from intercourse, douching, tampon use) may be recommended, but there is no evidence to show that these actually reduce the rate of miscarriage.

The use of progesterone is controversial. The potential benefit is the relaxation of smooth muscle, including the muscles of the uterus. However, this may increase the potential risk of an incomplete abortion or an abnormal pregnancy. Unless there is a luteal phase defect, progesterone supplementation should not be used.

The probable outcome is good when the pregnancy continues to progress and all the symptoms disappear.

• Spontaneous abortion
• Moderate to heavy blood loss
• Anemia
• Dead fetus syndrome
• Infection

It is imperative for a woman who knows she is (or is likely to be) pregnant and who has any signs or symptoms of threatened abortion to contact her prenatal health care provider immediately.

Review Date: 08/08/2005
Reviewed By: Sharon Roseanne Thompson, M.D., M.P.H., Clinical Fellow, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.