Miscarriage Rates: Helping Understand Why

Nov 15, 2023

Miscarriage rates around the globe are pretty high as 1 in every 4 women experience a miscarriage.

You are likely reading this because you yourself have experienced a miscarriage. First off - we are so sorry you're here in the first place, but we promise you are in good hands. We know exactly what you're going through and how you're feeling right now.

Miscarriages happen to 1 in 4 women but regardless of that stat - it is still a heartbreaking, confusing and unfair time. And while we share the 1 in 4 stat to ensure you know you are not alone, it does not negate the emotions you are feeling.

Oftentimes, it is comforting to understand a bit more information about some things in life. In this case: miscarriage rates.

Let's get into some miscarriage information and miscarriage rates that may help you understand and process your miscarriage.

What is a Miscarriage?

Firstly, it is extremely important to define what is meant when we say the term miscarriage.

Miscarriage is defined as a spontaneous loss of the fetus before the 20^th week of pregnancy.

What types of Miscarriages are there?

While the term miscarriage means the loss of the fetus before 20 weeks of pregnancy, there are different types of miscarriages that occur.

Different types of Miscarriage include:

Missed Miscarriage or Silent Miscarriage: during a routine ultrasound appointment, no fetal heartbeat can be detected therefore the pregnancy is not viable.
Chemical Pregnancy: refers to a miscarriage that generally occurs within the first 5 weeks of gestation, where an embryo forms and may even implant in the uterine lining but stops developing. During a chemical pregnancy, a very early positive pregnancy test will often become negative on follow-up testing.
Threatened Miscarriage: this is a term used by healthcare providers to describe symptoms of abdominal cramping and/or vaginal bleeding during pregnancy – these signs indicate that a miscarriage may occur, but has not been confirmed yet.

Miscarriage Rates by Trimester

80% of miscarriages happen during the first trimester, which is before the 12th week of pregnancy
Some studies suggest that the general risk of miscarriage drops to 1% by the 14th week of gestation
2-3% of pregnancies end in miscarriage in the second trimester
A loss following 20 weeks gestation, in medical terms, is no longer considered a miscarriage, but a late pregnancy loss or stillbirth

Miscarriage Rates and Age

Age plays a pivotal role in miscarriage risk.

After the age of 30, the risk of miscarriage increases
35-40 the risk of miscarriage becomes greater
40+ is the highest risk of miscarriage

Despite these statistics, individual health factors, pregnancy risks, and other health-related considerations can also influence miscarriage rates, underscoring the complexity of this issue.

Miscarriage and Mental Health Rates

We know that experiencing a miscarriage can be devastating, traumatic, and negatively impact your mental health

30% of patients met the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 1 month following a miscarriage, according to multiple studies
18% continued to meet the PTSD criteria 9 months after the miscarriage
24% of patients met the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder
11% met the criteria for moderate to severe depression 1 month following a miscarriage

So what does this tell us? Miscarriages are common. Miscarriage rates are high. And the mental health statistics show us that more needs to happen in order to support women and couples through this wildly common, yet terribly challenging, time.

It doesn't make it any less emotional or heartbreaking that this has happened to you, but sometimes there can be comfort in knowing others are experiencing this as well.

Matriiva offers on-demand support for Miscarriages happening between 0 and 20 weeks to ensure that those who feel like they are unsure how to navigate the emotional and physical elements get the support they need during this time.

You can view our Miscarriage Support Course here.