{"id":120563,"date":"2025-03-15T01:21:21","date_gmt":"2025-03-15T01:21:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/?p=120563"},"modified":"2025-03-15T01:21:21","modified_gmt":"2025-03-15T01:21:21","slug":"can-a-horse-have-a-miscarriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/can-a-horse-have-a-miscarriage\/","title":{"rendered":"Can a horse have a miscarriage?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/can-a-horse-have-a-miscarriage\/#Can_a_Horse_Have_a_Miscarriage\" title=\"Can a Horse Have a Miscarriage?\">Can a Horse Have a Miscarriage?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/can-a-horse-have-a-miscarriage\/#Understanding_Miscarriage_in_Horses\" title=\"Understanding Miscarriage in Horses\">Understanding Miscarriage in Horses<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/can-a-horse-have-a-miscarriage\/#What_is_Miscarriage_in_Horses\" title=\"What is Miscarriage in Horses?\">What is Miscarriage in Horses?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/can-a-horse-have-a-miscarriage\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_a_Horse_Have_a_Miscarriage\"><\/span>Can a Horse Have a Miscarriage?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Yes, a <strong>horse can have a miscarriage<\/strong>, also known as <strong>spontaneous abortion<\/strong> or <strong>pregnancy loss<\/strong>, which is a common event in equine reproduction, with up to <strong>30% of mares<\/strong> that conceive losing the <strong>fetus<\/strong> before <strong>foaling<\/strong>. The <strong>miscarriage<\/strong> can occur at any stage of <strong>pregnancy<\/strong>, but most losses happen in the first <strong>35 days<\/strong> of <strong>gestation<\/strong>, with the <strong>embryo<\/strong> being <strong>resorbed<\/strong>, and the <strong>mare<\/strong> may come back into <strong>heat<\/strong> at a longer interval after the last <strong>estrus<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_Miscarriage_in_Horses\"><\/span>Understanding Miscarriage in Horses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Miscarriage_in_Horses\"><\/span>What is Miscarriage in Horses?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Miscarriage, or <strong>spontaneous abortion<\/strong>, in horses refers to the <strong>termination of pregnancy<\/strong> before the <strong>fetus<\/strong> is viable, typically before <strong>300 days<\/strong> of <strong>gestation<\/strong>. This can occur due to various <strong>causes<\/strong>, including <strong>infections<\/strong>, <strong>genetic abnormalities<\/strong>, and <strong>uterine problems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>What are the signs of miscarriage in horses?<\/strong> The most common sign of <strong>miscarriage<\/strong> is the presence of <strong>fetal remains<\/strong> or <strong>placental tissues<\/strong> in the <strong>mare&#8217;s environment<\/strong>, such as the <strong>pasture<\/strong> or <strong>stall<\/strong>, with additional signs including <strong>vaginal discharge<\/strong>, <strong>udder development<\/strong>, and <strong>production of milk<\/strong> or <strong>colostrum<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What causes miscarriage in horses?<\/strong> <strong>Bacterial infections<\/strong> are the most frequently described <strong>cause of abortion<\/strong>, with other important <strong>causes<\/strong> including <strong>infections<\/strong> with <strong>equine herpesvirus (EHV)-1<\/strong> or <strong>-4<\/strong>, <strong>twin pregnancy<\/strong>, and <strong>umbilical cord anomalies<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What is early embryonic death in horses?<\/strong> <strong>Early embryonic death (EED)<\/strong> refers to <strong>fetal mortality<\/strong> that occurs before <strong>50 days<\/strong> of <strong>gestation<\/strong>, which can be divided into <strong>very early mortality<\/strong>, <strong>early mortality<\/strong>, and <strong>late embryonic mortality<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What causes stillbirth in horses?<\/strong> <strong>Bacterial infections<\/strong>, especially those related to <strong>Streptococcus spp.<\/strong>, are the most frequently observed <strong>cause of stillbirth<\/strong>, with <strong>non-infectious causes<\/strong>, such as <strong>dystocia<\/strong> and <strong>birth traumas<\/strong>, also being common.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How often do horses miscarry?<\/strong> Up to <strong>30% of mares<\/strong> that conceive will lose the <strong>fetus<\/strong> before <strong>foaling<\/strong>, with most losses occurring in the first <strong>35 days<\/strong> of <strong>pregnancy<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What is a phantom pregnancy in horses?<\/strong> A <strong>phantom pregnancy<\/strong>, or <strong>pseudopregnancy<\/strong>, occurs when a <strong>non-pregnant mare&#8217;s<\/strong> <strong>corpus luteum (CL)<\/strong> produces <strong>progesterone<\/strong> beyond the normal <strong>two-week lifespan<\/strong>, causing the <strong>mare<\/strong> to exhibit <strong>pregnancy-like symptoms<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What does a pregnant horse&#8217;s belly look like?<\/strong> A <strong>pregnant horse&#8217;s belly<\/strong> will be very <strong>big and round<\/strong>, but as the <strong>mare<\/strong> approaches <strong>foaling<\/strong>, the <strong>belly<\/strong> will <strong>drop<\/strong>, and some <strong>mares<\/strong> may develop <strong>edema (fluid retention)<\/strong> on their <strong>bellies<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What are the symptoms of miscarriage?<\/strong> The symptoms of <strong>miscarriage<\/strong> can include <strong>vaginal bleeding<\/strong>, <strong>pain or cramping<\/strong> in the <strong>pelvic area<\/strong> or <strong>lower back<\/strong>, <strong>fluid or tissue<\/strong> passing from the <strong>vagina<\/strong>, and a <strong>fast heartbeat<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What happens if an animal has a miscarriage?<\/strong> A <strong>miscarriage<\/strong> may lead to either a <strong>spontaneous abortion<\/strong> or <strong>resorption<\/strong>, with the <strong>mare<\/strong> potentially exhibiting <strong>no signs<\/strong> if the <strong>litter<\/strong> is <strong>reabsorbed<\/strong> at the start of <strong>pregnancy<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How long after an embryo dies do you miscarry?<\/strong> If it is an <strong>incomplete miscarriage<\/strong>, it will often happen within <strong>days<\/strong>, but for a <strong>missed miscarriage<\/strong>, it might take as long as <strong>three to four weeks<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What does a miscarried embryo look like?<\/strong> During <strong>bleeding<\/strong>, you may see <strong>clots<\/strong> with a small <strong>sac filled with fluid<\/strong>, containing the <strong>embryo<\/strong> and <strong>placenta<\/strong>, and possibly an <strong>umbilical cord<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How do you confirm a miscarriage at home?<\/strong> Other <strong>miscarriage symptoms<\/strong> may include <strong>mild to severe back pain<\/strong>, <strong>weight loss<\/strong>, <strong>white-pink mucus<\/strong> coming from the <strong>vagina<\/strong>, <strong>true contractions<\/strong>, and <strong>tissue with clot-like material<\/strong> passing from the <strong>vagina<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What is a horse&#8217;s uterus infection?<\/strong> A <strong>pyometra<\/strong> is an <strong>infection<\/strong> of the <strong>uterus<\/strong> that cannot <strong>empty<\/strong> or <strong>clear<\/strong> the <strong>infectious agents<\/strong>, causing the <strong>uterus<\/strong> to fill with <strong>pus<\/strong> and become a large <strong>abscess<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What is the most common cause of abortion in mares?<\/strong> <strong>Bacterial infections<\/strong> are the most frequently described <strong>cause of abortion<\/strong>, with other important <strong>causes<\/strong> including <strong>infections<\/strong> with <strong>equine herpesvirus (EHV)-1<\/strong> or <strong>-4<\/strong>, <strong>twin pregnancy<\/strong>, and <strong>umbilical cord anomalies<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How common are false pregnancies in horses?<\/strong> <strong>False pregnancies<\/strong>, or <strong>pseudopregnancies<\/strong>, are common in <strong>mares<\/strong>, occurring in <strong>5 to 10 percent<\/strong> of <strong>estrous cycles<\/strong>, and can be recognized by the <strong>mare&#8217;s<\/strong> failure to return to <strong>estrus<\/strong> after <strong>ovulation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can a Horse Have a Miscarriage? Yes, a horse can have a miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion or pregnancy loss, which is a common event in equine reproduction, with up to 30% of mares that conceive losing the fetus before foaling. The miscarriage can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but most losses happen &#8230; <a title=\"Can a horse have a miscarriage?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/can-a-horse-have-a-miscarriage\/\" aria-label=\"More on Can a horse have a miscarriage?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120563"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120563\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}