Did I have a miscarriage if I had clots during my period?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am 26 years old and sexually active. Last month, I anticipated getting pregnant and hence, was sexually active during my ovulation. I started having funny symptoms like bloating, cravings and headache. I so much felt like I was pregnant. A day before my expected date of the period (27th day of the cycle), I did a pregnancy strip test, and it turned out to be negative. On the 28th day, I got my period and had a larger number of blood clots than the normal bleeding. I feel like I was pregnant despite the fact that my period came on the expected date. Is it possible that it could be a miscarriage?

Kindly guide.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The symptoms you mentioned could be due to pregnancy, which may not have been healthy, and we cannot predict. If it had been healthy, you would have had a weak positive urine pregnancy test. So, most probably you were not pregnant. We have other possibilities like pelvic infection, polyps, or fibroids. Regarding pelvic infection, sexually transmitted infection around the uterus will cause discharge from the vagina, yellow or white or grayish, with or without itching or foul smell, more after sex or after periods.

Throbbing pain in the lower abdomen before periods, bleeding is reduced, dark red or brownish color, with fleshy masses or clots, and pain at the end of sex. This would need an evaluation by gynecologist and treatment with antibiotics and antifungals for both you and your partner. The less common cause at this age would be polyps or fibroids, and it needs a scan. If you have been trying for around one year to get pregnant, then you can plan to get investigated for a cause. Kindly see if the following checklist of investigations has been done.

For a male, blood sugars and semen analysis should be performed at least twice in an interval of four weeks, preferably in an infertility center under the guidance of an andrologist.
For a female, blood sugars, thyroid profile, and ultrasound scans to evaluate the uterus, ovaries, and adnexa.

It is a must to confirm tubal patency. The tube is the connection between the uterus and the ovaries. It is a bridge where sperm meets the egg and forms a baby. It is the size of a hair follicle and cannot be seen on scans. Being such a small opening, the tube can get blocked easily. So, check with HSG (hysterosalpingography X-ray with dye), SSG (sonosalpingography with dye) or laparoscopy. If all the above are found to be normal, then nothing can stop you from getting pregnant.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.