# miscarriage

/mɪˈskɛɹədʒ/ (US) · /mɪskˈæɹɪdʒ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/miscarriage
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

the natural loss of a pregnancy before the baby is developed enough to survive outside the mother. It is a medical event that happens early in a pregnancy.

For teachers: the spontaneous expulsion of a human foetus from the womb before it is viable. Often used in the phrase 'miscarriage of justice' to describe a failure of the court system.

## Examples

- She was very sad after her miscarriage.
- The doctor explained that a miscarriage often happens because the pregnancy is not developing normally.

## Pitfalls

- Not "she had a miscarriage of her baby" but "she had a miscarriage" — The word 'miscarriage' already implies the loss of a pregnancy; adding 'of her baby' is redundant.

## Usage notes

- Countable when referring to a specific event; uncountable when discussing the medical phenomenon in general.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.