Approximately 1 in 5 women in France will experience miscarriage during their lifetime

Article

Miscarriage, that is, spontaneous early pregnancy loss, is frequent but remains under-researched. A miscarriage can permanently impact the lives of those affected. The medical treatment of these miscarriages is also a topical issue: the French College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF) is currently revising its guidelines on the care of first trimester pregnancy loss. In this article, research by the Social Inequalities in the Risk and Aftermath of Miscarriage team (SOC-MISC) offers new information on the subject.2

^{What is a miscarriage?}

In everyday language, ‘miscarriage’, or ‘fausse couche’ in French, refers to the spontaneous, early loss of a pregnancy. The French expression—which translates literally as ‘false birth’—has come under scrutiny (Box 1) since it may suggest that the pregnancy is not real or that the sense of loss is unjustified; similarly, the corresponding English term ‘miscarriage’, if interpreted literally, might imply that the pregnancy was carried incorrectly, or that the mother did something wrong. However, these respective terms are used here because they are the most widely understood forms in each language and encompass the broadest range of experiences. In France, the definition of miscarriage has evolved over time: between 1993 and 2001, spontaneous pregnancy losses occurring up to the 28th week of gestation (counted from the first day of last menstrual period) were considered miscarriages. In 2001, the criteria were adjusted to include only pregnancies ending up to the 22nd week of gestation. After this point, they are referred to as stillbirths (in French, mort-nés or mortinaissances). Since 2008, moreover, a late miscarriage (between 14 and 22 weeks of gestation) may be reported to the civil registry as a stillbirth [1, 2].

^{Around 1 in 4 women who have been pregnant report experiencing a miscarriage}

The Fertility, Contraception, and Sexual Dysfunction survey (FECOND, 2009–2011) allows us to reconstruct the pregnancy histories reported by the survey respondents. Among women aged 40–49 at the time of the survey, whether they had ever been pregnant or not, more than 1 in 5 (22%) had experienced at least one miscarriage. More specifically, 17% of them had experienced one miscarriage and 6% had experienced two or more (Figure 1). Only 7% of women aged 20–29 at the time of the survey had experienced at least one miscarriage, but more than half of these respondents (68%) had never been pregnant. Lastly, among women aged 30–39 at the time of the survey, 17% had experienced one miscarriage and 5% had experienced multiple (Figure 1).

Overall, among women aged 40–49 who had ever been pregnant, around one quarter had experienced miscarriage.

Different types of data can be used to measure the prevalence of miscarriage, i.e., the share of pregnancies ending this way. Each data type presents its own advantages and limitations, but by combining them we can better quantify this risk.

According to the FECOND survey (Box 2), 14% of pregnancies reported by respondents of all ages ended in miscarriage (Figure 2); this figure is consistent with international literature estimates, which often place this proportion between 12% and 19% [3]. Furthermore, 8% of these miscarriages are late (beyond 14 weeks of gestation), meaning that 0.6% of all reported pregnancies end in late miscarriage. The large majority of miscarriages identified therefore take place during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Administrative data extracted from the National Health Data System (SNDS) for the 2013–2023 period indicate that around 10% of pregnancies ended in miscarriage; this figure is lower than that of the FECOND study and declines slightly over the time period in question. This discrepancy versus the survey results is explained by the fact that these administrative data are less accurate when it comes to identifying ­miscarriages (see Box 2) but are more accurate at recording voluntary terminations of pregnancy—abortions—than surveys (in which the latter tend to be under-reported) [5]. These two effects result in a lower proportion of miscarriages being observed among total pregnancies in the administrative data than in the survey data.

^{Higher risk of miscarriage before the age of 20 and particularly over the age of 34}

Age is the primary risk factor for miscarriage. For this analysis we use the administrative data only, since the population numbers by precise age at start of pregnancy in the survey data are too small. The probability that a pregnancy will end in miscarriage is relatively high in women under the age of 20, reaching over 10% before declining; it then increases again from the age of 34 (Figure 3). This J-curve is consistent with the findings of international literature [3]. Thus, in pregnant women aged 35, 8% of pregnancies identified in the administrative data result in a miscarriage. This proportion reaches 14% of pregnancies at the age of 40, 23% at age 45, and more at older ages. 

^{Miscarriage risk varies little by education or financial situation}

According to the FECOND survey, the rate of miscarriage remains at around 14% regardless of women’s level of education [6]. Furthermore, pregnancies in women who report facing no financial difficulties at the time of conception have a slightly higher risk of miscarriage than pregnancies in women who did face them, but these differences are not significant. These results are similar whether we take age into account or not (Figure 4).
 

^{Post-miscarriage care}

International medical standards define three possible approaches to a non-viable pregnancy: expectant (no intervention), medical treatment (primarily with misoprostol), and surgical treatment (aspiration). A miscarriage may also be complete by the time of the medical consultation. In this event, no treatment is necessary and medical examination can confirm the diagnosis of miscarriage.

In France, whether the miscarriage results in hospitalization or treatment by a physician elsewhere, it is covered by the social security system. In practice, very few miscarriages are managed only outside hospital: individuals either go directly to the emergency room or they are sent there by a community-based doctor for confirmation of the diagnosis and/or so that any necessary treatment can be initiated.

Furthermore, the proportion of miscarriages resulting in hospitalization is decreasing. This is not only the case in France but also across other European countries [4], possibly reflecting an increasing preference for the expectant approach or medical treatment, rather than for surgical intervention. The first two options are less invasive and do not require a hospital stay.

Some miscarriages also occur without any medical consultation, but the proportion they represent is difficult to quantify due to lack of data. The qualitative survey Miscarriages and Social Inequalities (Fausses couches et inégalités sociales, FISO), conducted in 2025 (see Box 2), shows that some women choose not to seek medical care if the miscarriage occurs very early in the gestation, if they have no doubts about what they are experiencing, or if they attribute the event to a ‘natural process’ that does not require medical treatment.

^{Towards better medical care: the beginnings of change}

Emergency gynecological care for miscarriage is often considered inadequate by those who experience it. For the very large majority of the 41 women interviewed in the FISO survey, there was a discrepancy between their needs and expectations and the care they received in hospital. For example, they waited in a space shared with pregnant women or women in labour; there was a lack of information about the treatment process and what to expect afterwards—especially during the expulsion of the embryo or fetus—; and no sick leave or referral for psychological support was offered. Finally, clumsy or even hurtful language was used by practitioners, and there was a lack of medical follow-up after the miscarriage.

These findings highlight the need to reassess the care provided in the event of early pregnancy loss. Changes are already underway, both at institutional level and in clinical practice. Since September 2024, a period of sick leave exempt from an initial waiting period (i.e., compensated from the first day of leave) is available to women who have had a miscarriage, but many care professionals remain unaware of this scheme. Furthermore, forthcoming new clinical practice guidelines for miscarriage management, which have been developed with the involvement of the SOC-MISC team, may help to improve the care experience of individuals affected. Lastly, experiencing a ­miscarriage can have repercussions on subsequent fertility behaviours and intentions, as well as on mental and physical health. These are issues that merit future research.

^Authors

M C Compans – https://www.ined.fr/en/research/our-researchers/marie-caroline-compans

Hélène Malmanche – https://www.ined.fr/en/research/our-researchers/helene-malmanche

Heini Väisänen – https://www.ined.fr/en/research/our-researchers/heini-vaisanen

^{Cite this publication}

M C Compans, Hélène Malmanche, Heini Väisänen.(2026). Approximately 1 in 5 French women will experience miscarriage during their lifetime Population & Societies, no. 646. https://doi.org/10.3917/popsoc.646.0001