Terms used in early pregnancy and pregnancy preparation
Miscarriage
Related terms · Early pregnancy miscarriage · Pregnancy loss
Miscarriage refers to the natural end of a pregnancy. Since a miscarriage cannot be determined by early pregnancy bleeding or abdominal pain alone, the progress is monitored via ultrasound and necessary blood tests.
Reviewed by Korean Medicine Doctor Choi Yeon-seung · Last updated 2026-08-26
Meaning and Distinctions
What is a miscarriage?
The current status and the timing for the next check-up are determined by the amount of bleeding, the location of pain, the gestational age, ultrasound results, and hormonal changes. A miscarriage refers to the natural end of a pregnancy. Since a miscarriage cannot be determined by early pregnancy bleeding or abdominal pain alone, the progress is monitored through ultrasound and necessary blood tests.
- Easily confused terms
- A threatened miscarriage refers to a condition where the pregnancy may continue despite bleeding or pain, while recurrent miscarriage refers to a medical history of repeated miscarriages.
- Why this is checked during medical evaluation
- This is used to first confirm the safety of the current pregnancy, and in cases of recurrence, to establish necessary evaluations and recovery plans before the next pregnancy.
- What to record for your visit
- If you experience severe pain on one side, shoulder pain, a feeling of fainting, heavy bleeding, or a fever, please visit an OB-GYN or seek emergency care immediately.
Women's Health Glossary
Compare similar terms here
You can check a brief definition before proceeding to a detailed explanation.Implantation BleedingImplantation bleeding is a common term for the small amount of bleeding that may occur in early pregnancy, approximately 2 weeks after ovulation. Implantation or pregnancy status cannot be confirmed by color and amount alone.Abnormal Uterine BleedingAbnormal uterine bleeding is a broad term for bleeding where the timing, amount, or duration of menstruation differs from your usual pattern.
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Check guides where this term is used
- Condition GuideThreatened MiscarriageThreatened miscarriage refers to a state where there is bleeding or pain in early pregnancy, but the ultrasound shows the pregnancy is still progressing. This may include spotting, red bleeding, or lower abdominal cramping, but the outcome cannot be predicted by the amount of bleeding alone. Heavy bleeding, severe one-sided pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, or fainting must be evaluated immediately due to the possibility of ectopic pregnancy and massive hemorrhage.→
- Condition GuideRecurrent MiscarriageRecurrent miscarriage is evaluated as having had two or more miscarriages, and a common cause is a coincidental chromosomal abnormality in the embryo. In some cases, parental chromosomal translocation, structural issues such as uterine shape, adhesions, or fibroids, antiphospholipid syndrome, or endocrine diseases like uncontrolled thyroid disease are involved. However, even after investigating medical history, blood, genetics, and uterine structure, the cause remains unexplained in more than half of the cases. This does not mean that a single stressor or daily habit is the cause, nor is it the patient's fault. If you are currently pregnant and experiencing bleeding, abdominal pain, dizziness, or fainting, seek an immediate obstetric evaluation rather than scheduling a cause-investigation test.→
- Medical Evaluation GuideWhen non-menstrual bleeding occurs, what should be checked first alongside the possibility of pregnancy?Rather than whether the blood is brown, the next course of action is determined by the possibility of pregnancy, one-sided pelvic pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, new bleeding after menopause, or repeated bleeding after sexual intercourse. If there is a possibility of pregnancy combined with one-sided pain, shoulder pain, or dizziness, or if bleeding continues to the point where you must change menstrual products every hour, do not wait for your next appointment and seek a medical evaluation immediately. Bleeding after menopause requires a medical evaluation even if the amount is small; if bleeding after intercourse repeats, please check with the timing of the bleeding and your most recent cervical screening results.→
- Women's Health ColumnHow should infertility or IVF treatment and Korean herbal medicine be coordinated within one plan?→
Evidence and Update Information
The following materials were referenced to verify the basis and scope of the definitions and treatment explanations.