A silent miscarriage is one where the body undergoes the same process of a miscarriage, but the woman does not experience any obvious signs or symptoms. It is also known as a missed miscarriage, asymptomatic miscarriage, or an unrecognized miscarriage.
In a silent miscarriage, the baby stops developing but the body does not recognize the change and does not go through the usual changes associated with a miscarriage. The pregnancy may continue to a point where the woman believes she is still pregnant, but the baby has stopped developing. This can happen any time before the 20th week of pregnancy.
When the body does not recognize the changes that have taken place, it does not produce the hormone that signals the body to expel the baby and the placenta. This means that the baby and placenta remain inside the body, leading to a silent miscarriage.
In some cases, the woman may experience some signs of a miscarriage, such as vaginal bleeding or cramping. However, in many cases the only sign of a silent miscarriage is a lack of pregnancy symptoms. If the woman does not have a regular prenatal care routine, she may not be aware that anything is wrong until she has a routine ultrasound.
When a silent miscarriage is detected, the woman will need to be monitored for any remaining tissue in the uterus. In some cases, the remaining tissue will need to be removed surgically. This is done to prevent infection and other complications. After the procedure, the woman will need to be monitored for signs of infection or other complications.
It is important for women to talk to their healthcare provider if they have any concerns or questions about a potential silent miscarriage. The healthcare provider will be able to provide information and support to help the woman through the process.