What is Incomplete Abortion?
Incomplete abortion (also called incomplete early pregnancy loss or incomplete miscarriage) occurs when some pregnancy tissue remains inside the uterus after a miscarriage has started but not fully completed. 1
Simple Definition
Incomplete abortion is defined as the presence of tissue inside the uterine cavity, typically with blood flow visible on ultrasound, or a persistent gestational sac that remains after an early pregnancy loss has begun. 1
What This Means in Plain Terms
- The pregnancy has ended, but the uterus hasn't expelled everything yet. 2
- Some pregnancy tissue (called "products of conception") is still inside the uterus. 1
- This tissue usually has blood vessels running through it, which can be seen on ultrasound. 1
How It's Different from Other Types of Miscarriage
Incomplete abortion is distinct from:
- Complete abortion: All pregnancy tissue has passed, nothing remains in the uterus. 1
- Missed abortion: The pregnancy has stopped developing but nothing has started to pass yet. 2
- Abortion in progress: The gestational sac is moving down through the cervix and actively being expelled. 1
Common Symptoms
- Vaginal bleeding that may be heavy or persistent. 2
- Cramping pain in the lower abdomen. 2
- Partial passage of tissue - some tissue has come out but not everything. 2
Why It Matters
Incomplete abortion requires treatment because:
- The retained tissue can cause continued heavy bleeding. 2
- There is increased risk of infection (up to 38% with expectant management). 2
- The uterus cannot return to normal until all tissue is removed. 2
Modern Terminology Note
The medical community now prefers the term "incomplete early pregnancy loss (EPL)" rather than older terms like "incomplete abortion" or "retained products of conception," though all these terms describe the same condition. 1 The word "miscarriage" is often preferred by patients and can be used interchangeably. 1