How Common Is a Missed Miscarriage?

If you’ve experienced a pregnancy loss, you’re not alone, not even close. Miscarriage is believed to affect up to 1 in 3 pregnancies, including those that happen before someone even realizes they’re pregnant.

Out of all miscarriages, the majority are chemical pregnancies, very early losses that happen before five weeks, often before someone even knows they’re pregnant. These account for roughly 50–75% of all miscarriages. 

Missed miscarriages are the next most common type. This happens when the embryo or fetus has stopped developing in the first trimester, but the body hasn’t yet recognized the loss. Missed miscarriages make up about 5–10% of miscarriages, or 1–5% of all pregnancies. That means they’re far more common than most people realize. 

Chances are, several women you know have experienced one of these two types of pregnancy loss, even if they’ve never spoken about it.

What causes a missed miscarriage?

The most common cause is chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo, something that happened completely by chance during fertilization. These issues prevent the pregnancy from developing normally, but the body doesn’t always recognize the loss right away.

Other possible (but less common) causes:

• Uterine abnormalities

• Hormonal imbalances

• Autoimmune or clotting disorders

But most of the time, missed miscarriages are not caused by anything you did or didn’t do.

Does this affect your chances of conceiving again?

In most cases, no. One miscarriage, even a missed miscarriage, doesn’t mean something is wrong with your fertility. Many people go on to have healthy pregnancies afterward.

You might want to talk to your doctor if:

• You’ve had two or more miscarriages

• You’re over 35 and trying again

• You have known conditions like PCOS or endometriosis

Even then, many people still conceive naturally with no medical intervention.

What can help next time?

While you can’t prevent every loss, there are a few things that can support a healthy pregnancy:

• Take a prenatal vitamin with folate daily

• Start supplements 2–3 months before trying again (especially CoQ10, vitamin D, iron if needed)

• Manage underlying conditions like thyroid issues or insulin resistance

• Reduce alcohol, smoking, and stress if possible

The Lume app can support you every step of the way

The Lume app, available on iOS and Android, is designed to help you feel more informed and less alone. You can take a Fertility Readiness Assessment, listen to Fertility 101 audio courses, and find daily affirmations to support your emotional well-being as you prepare to try again. You're not broken — and you don’t have to go through this on your own.