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Miscarriage
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A miscarriage is diagnosed with:
- A pelvic exam, which allows the doctor to see whether the cervix is opening (dilating) or whether there is tissue or blood in the cervical opening or the vagina.
- A blood test, which checks the level of the pregnancy hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Your doctor may take several measurements of hCG levels over a period of days to learn whether your pregnancy is still progressing.
- An ultrasound, which helps your doctor find out whether the amniotic sac is intact, detect a fetal heartbeat, and estimate the age of the fetus.
If you have not had a blood test before, you may have one to see if you have Rh-negative blood.
Recurrent miscarriage. If you have three or more miscarriages, your doctor can test for possible causes, including:3
- Testing your blood for antibodies to check for antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.
- Using a karyotype to test your blood for parental chromosome abnormalities.
- Testing hormone levels to check for polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Using hysteroscopy or pelvic ultrasound to check for problems with uterine structure.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: April 18, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Femi Olatunbosun, MB, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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