# Doctor in the House? Medical Question.



## wainscottbl (Jan 4, 2015)

Any doctors or medical folks here?

Question: If a woman has a miscarriage, and dies within a month or so of that miscarriage, would a medical examiner be able to tell if the fetus died by miscarriage or abortion? Basically, this character had a miscarriage, but her significant other believes it was an abortion. After she dies, he wants to be sure. If not, how long after the miscarriage would it be possible to tell, if at all? TIA.


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## Cran (Jan 4, 2015)

wainscottbl said:


> Any doctors or medical folks here?
> 
> Question: If a woman has a miscarriage, and dies within a month or so of that miscarriage, would a medical examiner be able to tell if the fetus died by miscarriage or abortion? Basically, this character had a miscarriage, but her significant other believes it was an abortion. After she dies, he wants to be sure. If not, how long after the miscarriage would it be possible to tell, if at all? TIA.



Not a doctor, but if you do research beyond the social media, the first thing you'll find is that a miscarriage is an abortion - often called a spontaneous abortion, which is likely what the what the medical examiner's or coroner's report will tell the significant other (SO). The question is, will the SO understand this? That the distinction, as far as medical personnel are concerned, is between the different types of abortion, and the different ways each of these types can occur.

As far as I can ascertain, a timely (ie, shortly after death) autopsy can determine whether an abortion has occurred at any time during the deceased's life, and there seems to be high confidence in determining how the abortion occurred in cases of criminal (willful but unregistered) abortion; however, this confidence seems to be based in almost every instance on the abortion (or abortion attempt) happening very soon before the death of the mother.

Whether that confidence extends to determining the type of abortion after a month or more between the abortion and the death of the mother is a question best put to a forensic medical examiner or similar professional.


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## wainscottbl (Jan 6, 2015)

Well, I have along time until I get to that part. I might just ask the  doctor if I remember. My neurologist. I see him every three months or so. It's a weird question, but I can explain the reason--a writing project--and he should have an idea. He's a doctor. He did go to medical school. I do wish I had my old neurologist. I had a more bedside relationship with him. It would not be strange to ask. We used to discuss Dostoyevsky and his epilepsy, and how it effects thought and artistic ability. How Dostoevsky's epilepsy might be based on how his brained function--his interest in religion, his artistic ability, his faults, like a passion for gambling and supposed hatred of his father. Anyway, I am going to try and remember and ask.


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## Cran (Jan 6, 2015)

Don't be surprised if your neurologist doesn't know offhand. Modern medicine is so developed that specialisation is the norm; the knowledge and skills required are extensive, deep but narrowly focused.


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## Nellie (Jan 10, 2015)

wainscottbl said:


> How Dostoevsky's epilepsy might be based on how his brained function--his interest in religion, his artistic ability, his faults, like a passion for gambling and supposed hatred of his father. Anyway, I am going to try and remember and ask.



Van Gogh was an artist who also had epilepsy. One of my neuro's used to do intensive study of Van Gogh's illness and religion. At one time Van Gogh was studying to be a priest, but went into art instead. Many talented artists, poets, authors suffered from severe mental illness or some form of brain disorder like epilepsy. Let's talk about it:http://talkaboutit.org/flash.shtml


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## Nellie (Jan 10, 2015)

Cran said:


> Don't be surprised if your neurologist doesn't know offhand. Modern medicine is so developed that specialisation is the norm; the knowledge and skills required are extensive, deep but narrowly focused.



But there are neuroscientists that do know. Check out Dr. Ramachandran's research, Neurotheology.
http://clinicallypsyched.com/neurotheologywithgodinmind/


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