A spontaneous abortion is the ending of pregnancy before week 16, before the embryo or foetus can survive outside the uterus. In popular speech it’s called a miscarriage.
A spontaneous abortion makes an end to 50-60% of the pregnancies. This usually happens before the girl knows she is pregnant.
With girls who know they are pregnant 10-15% will miscarry. In about 75% of these cases this will happen within the first trimester. It often occurs because the foetus is not developing properly.
The first sign of a miscarriage is blood loss and cramps. It can easily take some days or a week before the foetus comes out. The girl may also have chills or fever.
A miscarriage can be very distressing. Painful feelings of loss and grief are common. To cope with it you might want to talk with someone, getting the support you need.