When and what causes a miscarriage

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

This ends at least every tenth pregnancy.

What is a miscarriage

A miscarriage is the spontaneous termination of a pregnancy up to 22 weeks. By this time, the fetus reaches a mass of 500 g, and, from the point of view of WHO DEFINITIONS AND INDICATORS IN FAMILY PLANNING MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, the child can already be saved. Therefore, from the 22nd week, they talk about premature birth.

However, the dates can float. Thus, in the United States, miscarriage is considered miscarriage - the loss of pregnancy before the 20th week, and in the UK, Miscarriage - up to the 23rd. In any case, this is not too important. For the reason that the vast majority of miscarriages occur before 12 Miscarriage, or even up to 7 Miscarriage weeks.

Miscarriages are far more common than Most Americans Don’t Know the First Thing About Miscarriages believes.

It is estimated that 10 to 25% of all Miscarriage pregnancies end early in pregnancy.

Moreover, this statistics applies only to those cases when women already knew that conception had occurred.

In general, according to the Miscarriage of physicians, every second pregnancy is terminated. Most often this happens even before it has been confirmed.

What are the symptoms of miscarriage

A threat to pregnancy can be assumed by such signs of Miscarriage.

• Unusual pain in the lower back or abdomen. It can be dull, sharp, or cramping.
• Vaginal bleeding. This is a dangerous symptom, even if nothing hurts.
• Bloody clots from the vagina.

If you experience these symptoms, especially for up to 12 weeks, contact your gynecologist immediately or even call an ambulance.

Perhaps nothing terrible is happening. According to the Miscarriage of the American organization Mayo Clinic, most women who have bleeding in the first trimester successfully carry on pregnancy. But this is the case when it is better to overshoot.

Why do miscarriages happen?

In most cases, miscarriages are a law of nature. Scientists do not know exactly how the mother's body determines that it is not worth bearing this fetus. But attempts to stop this process are usually pointless Miscarriage. It is also not always possible to predict the loss of pregnancy.

These are the most common causes of Miscarriage. Causes of miscarriage.

Fetal chromosomal abnormalities

Chromosomes are structures that contain genes. And genes, in turn, are a kind of instructions according to which the development of a future person takes place. It is they who determine how and when the main organs will form, what will be the blood type, the shape of the nose, the color of the hair.

If there are too many chromosomes or, on the contrary, not enough, the mother's body simply rejects the unsuccessful, non-viable version of the fetus.

Placenta problems

The placenta is a special organ that connects the circulatory systems of the mother and the fetus. The placenta forms around the 12th week of pregnancy. If something went wrong during this period and the organ did not form, the pregnancy will be terminated, because the fetus cannot be carried out without it.

Chronic diseases afflicted by the mother

For example:

• diabetes mellitus (if not controlled);
• hypertension;
• autoimmune diseases;
• kidney disease;
• disorders in the thyroid gland.

Chronic diseases are more common than Miscarriage. Causes result in late miscarriage - that is, after 12 weeks.

Infections

Some infections caused by viruses or bacteria can also interfere with fetal development and cause miscarriage. Such dangerous diseases include:

• rubella;
• cytomegalovirus;
• bacterial vaginosis;
• HIV;
• some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis;
• malaria.

Food poisoning

This happens if a woman has eaten any food contaminated with pathogens. Here are the types of food poisoning that are dangerous for pregnancy.

• Listeriosis. Most often occurs after consuming unpasteurized dairy products such as blue cheese.
• Toxoplasmosis. You can get infected if you eat raw or undercooked meat.
• Salmonellosis. May be caused by eating raw or undercooked eggs.

Features of the structure of the uterus

Non-malignant neoplasms (fibroids) or even an abnormal shape of the reproductive organ can lead to miscarriage.

The condition of the cervix sometimes plays a role. In some cases, her muscles are weaker than needed to carry the fetus. This can cause the cervix to open before 40 weeks, leading to miscarriage or premature birth.

Taking certain medications

Many drugs can affect the course of pregnancy, including those that are considered harmless, for example, based on ibuprofen or skin creams with retinoids (they are used to treat acne). Therefore, if you are taking any medications or planning to do so, be sure to check with your supervising gynecologist.

What increases the risk of miscarriage

There are many known (and, as Miscarriage physicians suggest, unknown) factors that can affect the gestation of pregnancy.

• Mother's age. The risk of Miscarriage of miscarriage in women aged 35 years is 20%. After 40 years - 40%, and after 45 years - 80%.
• Bad habits. These include smoking, alcohol and drug use.
• Obesity Miscarriage.
• Exposure to environmental toxins or radiation.
• Eating disorders or too harsh diets. In general, any dietary habits that prevent the fetus from getting the required amount of nutrients.
• Habitual miscarriage. This is the name of a condition in which a woman has already had three or more spontaneous abortions.

Risk factors include stress. Although the association between psychological stress and miscarriage: A systematic review and meta ‑ analysis does not currently exist conclusive evidence that anxiety or depression can lead to a miscarriage, there is some evidence to support this, there is still Miscarriage. Therefore, the advice to calm down, to be less nervous, which gynecologists give to expectant mothers, at least have the right to life.

What does not lead to miscarriage

Contrary to many myths, pregnancies cannot Miscarriage. Causes to prevent:

• active sex life;
• physical exercises. Including high-intensity activities such as running or cycling;
• any daily activity, including work (if it is not initially associated with harmful working conditions, such as exposure to toxins);
• spicy food;
• air travel;
• momentary fear.

What to do if you have a miscarriage

In any case, you need to visit a gynecologist. As a rule, the body gets rid of the remnants of excess tissue itself. But sometimes the uterus needs help: either take a medicine that opens its cervix, or turn to surgical methods. To find out if everything is in order, the gynecologist will suggest that you do a transvaginal ultrasound.

If you are afraid that the miscarriage may recur, talk about it again with your gynecologist. Most likely, you will need to take a blood test, check for infections, and examine the uterus. Together with a partner, you can go to a geneticist to identify possible chromosomal abnormalities. However, it is not a fact that surveys will show anything: there are still too many mysteries in this matter.

One of the hardest things to do after a miscarriage is coping with feelings of loss and not blaming yourself for what happened. Everyone experiences problems differently, but just in case, remember:

• If the pregnancy is interrupted, then, most likely, the fetus did not have a chance, no matter how cynical it may sound.
• It is not our fault that the human body is so complex and so difficult to reproduce.
• Miscarriages are frequent, and after them most women become pregnant and give birth without too many problems. Less than 5% of women have two consecutive miscarriages, and only 1% have three or more.
• It's okay to worry and be sad.
• If you find it difficult, you can always seek psychological help from a psychotherapist.

What can be done to prevent miscarriage

Talk to your gynecologist who is monitoring your pregnancy. He will tell you how to reduce your risk. For example, she will advise you to go out to crowded places less often so as not to catch rubella or the flu. Or he will recommend giving up smoking, alcohol, certain types of food (the same meat with blood or soft cheeses with mold).

However, in most cases, a miscarriage, if it should happen, is unlikely to be prevented. This is not the parents' fault, but a complex, albeit terrible, from our point of view, selection mechanism.

This material was first published in October 2017. In April 2021, we updated the text.