Early Symptoms of Fetal Arrest Pregnancy Fetal arrest means that after conception, the embryo stops developing, eventually leading to miscarriage. For women trying to conceive, fetal arrest is a frightening experience. Therefore, the early symptoms of fetal arrest in pregnancy are very important. Early prediction and timely treatment can get twice the result with half the effort. 1. Bleeding Generally speaking, the first three months of pregnancy is the most likely period for fetal arrest. flow