Missed miscarriage and pregnancy tests

Home and clinic pregnancy tests detect a hormone made during pregnancy. The result does not show whether the pregnancy is developing normally, and a positive result may persist for a while after the pregnancy has stopped developing.

A missed miscarriage may have few or no outward symptoms. Clinicians use an ultrasound, interpreted with pregnancy dates and sometimes a repeat assessment, to establish whether development has stopped. A negative test also needs clinical context and does not explain bleeding or pain by itself.

Arrange assessment with your maternity or gynaecology team if you have a positive test with unusual symptoms or concerns about a scan. Do not use repeated home tests to decide between waiting, prescribed medicine or a procedure. Ask how follow-up will check recovery and when testing may become negative.

Seek urgent care for heavy bleeding, severe or increasing abdominal pain, faintness, dizziness, fever, chills or feeling very unwell. These warning signs need assessment regardless of the pregnancy-test result.

Ask what your scan and hormone results mean together, whether another assessment is needed, how long a test may remain positive, and which changes should lead you to urgent care.