A missed abortion, also known as a retained abortion, is a type of abortion characterized by the arrest of the pregnancy, although the embryo or fetus is not spontaneously expelled. The elimination of the gestational sac usually occurs a few weeks after the pregnancy loss or even months. For this reason, deferred abortions often go unnoticed.
Generally, missed abortions take place between the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. When a missed abortion is diagnosed, the gynecologist will perform a curettage to remove the remains of the embryo or fetus.