If you have large blood clots, it may be due to a miscarriage.

Talking to your healthcare provider about your symptoms can help determine if you have had a miscarriage.

Continue reading to learn how a miscarriage looks, what occurs, and how it feels.

Appearance of a Miscarriage

Illustration by Tara Anand for Verywell Health

This punch in of bleeding is usually light.

If your bleeding is equal to or heavier than a period, you may be having a miscarriage.

Beyond Appearance: How Miscarriage Feels

Most people who miscarry experience cramps.

Cordelia Nwankwo, MD

You might feel these in your stomach, or lower back.

How Much Bleeding Is Normal?

Miscarriage bleeding can be heavy.

Once cramping begins, its usually quickly followed by bleeding.

In addition to physical pain, miscarriage can trigger emotional pain.

How Miscarriage Looks on Ultrasound

Most people who experience miscarriage have pain and bleeding.

Some people, however, have no symptoms.

Oftentimes, missed miscarriages are diagnosed when you go for a routine ultrasound.

On an ultrasound, a miscarriage is clear because the embryo or fetus has no heartbeat.

Also, the fetus often measures smaller than the pregnancys gestational age since it has stopped developing.

Period Blood Clots vs. Miscarriage Clots

Period clots and miscarriage clots are quite similar.

Both are small clumps of blood that are often bright or dark red with a gel-like consistency.

However, if you are very early in pregnancy, it may be hard to tell.

You may even find yourself moving throughthe stages of grief and mourning.

Remember, miscarriages are common and not your fault.

In most cases, people go on to have healthy pregnancies.

If you need mental health help, reach out to support groups and therapists.

If youre having a miscarriage you might notice cramping, followed by two to four hours of heavy bleeding.

Youll likely see clots and may notice gray or white tissue.

If you have an ultrasound, it will show that the fetus has no heartbeat.

It also may show the fetus is smaller than expected because it has stopped developing.

It’s important to take care of your mental and physical health at this time.

Planned Parenthood.How do I know if Im having a miscarriage?

UC Davis.What are the signs of early miscarriage?

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.What happens after a miscarriage?

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