Miscarriage and stillbirth

Kelly Brook has tragically lost her baby 5 months into her pregnancy. It was reported that Kelly was rushed into hospital last week but then suffered a miscarriage. Kelly has been dating former rugby union international Thom Evans and the pair have requested that everyone respects their privacy at this sad time. News comes not long after both Lily Allen and Amanda Holden also suffered miscarriages.

The loss of a baby after 24 weeks is known as a stillbirth and in many cases the cause of death is never known. Before 24 weeks the loss of a baby is known as a miscarriage.

Find out more about late miscarriages and repeat miscarriages here.

Miscarriage can be very distressing - but it's estimated that 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage. However, the vast majority of women who miscarry go on to have normal, healthy pregnancies. Read on for more information on miscarriage.

goodtoknow says: Symptoms of miscarriage include vaginal bleeding and lower stomach cramps. See your GP or midwife if you have bleeding, but don't panic, it could be nothing. Whatever you do, don't blame yourself if you have a miscarriage, it's highly unlikely to be the result of anything you have done wrong.

For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and help available after miscarriage from patient.co.uk, read on.

About 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. Always tell your doctor if you have vaginal bleeding when you are pregnant. Call an ambulance if bleeding is severe.

What is a miscarriage?

Miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy at any stage up to the 24th week. A loss after this time is called a stillbirth. Most occur before 13 weeks of pregnancy, but some occur later.

How common is miscarriage?

About 1 in 7 confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage. But, the rate of miscarriage is much higher than this. As many as 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. This is because in many cases a very early pregnancy ends before you miss a period, and before you are aware that you are pregnant.

The vast majority of women who miscarry go on to have a successful pregnancy next time. Recurrent miscarriages, that is 3 or more miscarriages in a row, occur in about 1 in 100 women.

- Next: What causes miscarriage?

More help and advice

- More on miscarriage
- Why am I bleeding?
- Real story: 'Life after my miscarriage'
- Common pregnancy worries: Your questions answered