Definition

1. Verb:
   • To miscarry: To experience the spontaneous, premature expulsion of a fetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently.
   • To have a miscarriage: The act of a pregnancy ending on its own, typically before the 20th week.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cô ấy rất buồn vì đã sẩy thai. (She is very sad because she miscarried.)
  • Nguy cơ sẩy thai cao hơn trong ba tháng đầu của thai kỳ. (The risk of miscarrying is higher in the first trimester of pregnancy.)
  • Bác sĩ nói cô ấy đã sẩy thai. (The doctor said she had a miscarriage.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "sẩy thai" is used specifically for a spontaneous, natural loss of pregnancy. It is distinct from an induced abortion ("phá thai" or "nạo thai").
• It can be used both transitively and intransitively in Vietnamese. For example: "Cô ấy sẩy thai" (She miscarried - intransitive) and "Cô ấy đã sẩy thai đứa con đầu lòng" (She miscarried her first child - transitive, though the intransitive form is more common).

Variants and Related Words

• Sảy thai: An alternative, equally common spelling of "sẩy thai". Both spellings are correct and used interchangeably.
• Tiểu sản (noun): A formal or medical term for a miscarriage. It literally means "minor birth" and refers to the same event as "sẩy thai".
• Sinh non (verb): To give birth prematurely. This refers to a live birth that occurs too early, whereas "sẩy thai" typically refers to a pregnancy loss before the fetus is viable.
• Phá thai (verb): To have an abortion; to terminate a pregnancy intentionally. This is a different medical procedure from a spontaneous "sẩy thai".

Synonyms

• Miscarry (verb): The direct English equivalent.
• Lose a pregnancy (verb phrase): A more descriptive synonym.
• Have a miscarriage (verb phrase): The most common way to express this in English.

Related Phrases

• Bị sẩy thai: To suffer a miscarriage. This phrase emphasizes the experience of the person.
  • Chị tôi đã bị sẩy thai hai lần. (My sister has suffered two miscarriages.)
• Nguy cơ sẩy thai: Risk of miscarriage.
  • Hút thuốc làm tăng nguy cơ sẩy thai. (Smoking increases the risk of miscarriage.)
• Dấu hiệu sẩy thai: Signs/symptoms of a miscarriage.
  • Chảy máu âm đạo bất thường có thể là dấu hiệu sẩy thai. (Abnormal vaginal bleeding can be a sign of a miscarriage.)

verb

1. to miscarry