Miscarriage vs Abortion: What's the Difference?
There is often confusion in understanding miscarriage vs abortion. While both involve the termination of a pregnancy, there are some key differences between the two.
The main difference between abortion and miscarriage is that abortions are induced, while miscarriages occur naturally. In other words, an abortion is a planned termination of a pregnancy, while a miscarriage is an unplanned one. Read the blog to learn the difference between miscarriage and abortion.
Abortion is a legal procedure by which a woman can end her pregnancy deliberately. It can be done till the 24th week of gestation. A pregnant woman can abort her pregnancy using medicines or surgery if she doesn’t want to deliver the baby.
It is better to abort in the early stages of pregnancy to reduce risks. As it involves going through emotional turmoil, the patient must consider carefully and take the advice of specialists before going ahead with the procedure.
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Miscarriage is the ending of the pregnancy naturally before the 20th week. Miscarriages are also called spontaneous abortions. The majority of miscarriages are unavoidable and happen when the foetus stops developing.
Miscarriages are very common in the first trimester of pregnancy. The most common signs of miscarriage include bleeding of tissues and clots, abdominal cramps and lower back pain.
Miscarriage and abortion are two very different things. Miscarriage can happen for various reasons like problems related to the uterus or placenta.
Abortion, on the other hand, is a deliberate termination of a pregnancy. It can be done for various reasons, including if the pregnancy is unwanted or if there are health problems for the mother or baby. The difference between abortion and miscarriage are:
Parameters |
Abortion | Miscarriage |
Duration |
Planned termination before 24 weeks | Loss of pregnancy before 20 weeks |
Choice |
Deliberate termination | Not a choice |
Process |
Abortions are induced | Miscarriage is natural |
Medical Intervention |
Required | Happens spontaneously |
Prevention |
Can be prevented | Cannot be prevented |
Law |
Legal | No laws required |
Trauma |
Not a tragedy | Can lead to physical and emotional trauma |
There can be various factors for terminating a pregnancy. Miscarriage can happen for many reasons, such as health-related or lifestyle. In rare cases, an accident or assault also causes miscarriage. In comparison, abortion is a decision based on the mother.
Some of the common causes of miscarriage are:
On the other hand, a woman may choose abortion for the following reasons:
Miscarriages are due to natural and unpreventable causes, which need medical intervention to reduce the risks. In contrast, abortion is a safe procedure with fewer risks.
The risk of miscarriage includes:
The risks of abortion include:
A doctor can perform D&C method to remove all the foetal tissues in the case of miscarriage. It is a safe procedure that uses a surgical instrument to clean the uterine lining.
Your doctor will give you guidelines on what to eat and drink before the surgery. As its name implies, a D&C consists of two steps:
The abortion method depends on the gestational age of the pregnancy. There are two types of abortion, Medical Abortion and Surgical Abortion.
Both miscarriage and abortion are two ways in which a pregnancy is terminated. An important point to note here is that neither of these events can prevent a woman from becoming pregnant again, provided the treatment is done by qualified specialists.
Our experts at HexaHealth are always ready to provide you with the necessary assistance and support should you require any advice or treatment for miscarriage or an abortion. Check out our website and get in touch with a HexaHealth expert today.Miscarriage is the loss of pregnancy without the consent of the mother, whereas abortion is a conscious decision to terminate a pregnancy.
Last Updated on: 5 September 2024
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