The Enigma of Miscarriage: Find Out The Causes, Signs And Expectations

Miscarriage – the loss of a baby in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy- is one of the most common pregnancy-related heartbreaking issues. In a matter of fact, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), about 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage.

It’s smart to learn everything you can about the reason why it happens, and how to tell if it’s happening to you. Even if not, someone you know could be going through it and might need your support.

What is a Miscarriage ?

Miscarriage, which is mostly defined as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks, is the most common type of pregnancy loss. Statistics made by ACOG display only the number of miscarriages in confirmed pregnancies; experts believe the actual number is way higher.

“We estimate that is about 30 to 40 % of all conceptions result in a pregnancy loss” says Helain Landy, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Georgetown University Hospital. “This is mostly cause many women miscarry before they even know they’re pregnant, or before it has been confirmed by a doctor or a health-care provider.”

More than 80 percent of miscarriages occur in the first trimester, which is why many women decide to wait before sharing their pregnancy news until they pass the 13th week.

The Most Common Miscarriage Causes

Many women blame themselves or their behavior if they have a miscarriage, yet, in most cases, there’s nothing you have done to cause it – as there’s also nothing you can do to prevent it. Miscarriage is not caused by moderate workout, intercourse, or a small cup of coffee. According to American Pregnancy Association (APA), the most common cause is a chance genetic abnormality in the embryo.

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Issues that could cause miscarriage include:

Chromosomal problems

During fertilization, the sperm and egg each bring 23 chromosomes together to create 23 perfectly matched pairs of chromosomes. This is a complicated process, and a minor glitch can result in a genetic abnormality that prevents the embryo from growing. Researchers blame genetics for most miscarriages. And as you age, these glitches are more likely to occur.

Hormone Imbalance

It relate about 15 percent of all miscarriages to unbalanced hormones, such as insufficient progesterone levels that prevent your fertilized egg from implanting in your uterus.

Uterine Problems

The uterine fibroids inside the uterus can interfere with implantation or blood supply to the fetus. Some women are born with a septum, an uncommon uterine defect linked to miscarriage, while others develop bands of scar tissue in the uterus from surgery or second-term abortions that can keep an egg from implanting properly or may hamper blood flow to the placenta. A doctor can determine uterine defects through specialized X-rays and most can be treated.

Chronic Illness

Chronic illnesses like autoimmune disorders, lupus, heart disease, kidney and liver disease, and diabetes cause as many as 6 percent of recurring miscarriages.

High Fever

No matter how healthy you are normally, if you develop a high fever during early pregnancy, you may experience a miscarriage. A high core body temperature is mostly damaging to the embryo before 6 weeks.

Other Miscarriage Risk Factors

Factors that can sometimes result in a miscarriage are including:

• Drug use
• Smoking
• Excessive drinking
• Listeria (which is a bacteria that maybe in undercooked meats, raw eggs, and unpasteurized dairy products)
• Maternal trauma (such as a car accident)
• Certain medications
• Advanced maternal age (over 35 years old)
• Infections (like Lyme disease or Fifth disease)
• Air pollution (Fertility and Sterility published a study done in 2017 and found that increased short term exposure to nitrogen dioxide is associated with a higher risk of a miscarriage)

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The Most Common Miscarriage Symptoms

Blood spots in early pregnancy are usually common, but it should never consider it normal, and it always alerts a call to your gynecologist, Dr. Landy says. Although if spotting is happening, that does not always suggest a miscarriage, it is an absolute sign that something abnormal might go on in the pregnancy, she states.

“Even if everything looks normal, the fact that the patient has had spotting will be kept in the back of our minds as doctors throughout her pregnancy.”

Some women might not experience any symptoms of miscarriage at all. Possible miscarriage symptoms besides bleeding includes:

• Gentle to severe cramps
• Back or abdomen pain
• Loss of pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea or vomiting
• White-pink mucus
• Passing tissue or clot-like material

Stopping a Miscarriage From Happening

Unfortunately, there’s no way to stop a miscarriage from happening once it has already begun. According to Dr. Landy, however, it is fundamental to be seen by your doctor and treated to prevent hemorrhaging and/or any infections.

The Chemical Pregnancy

A chemical pregnancy happens when an egg is fertilized but never implants in the uterus. The fertilized egg signals the body to make hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin, commonly referred to as the pregnancy hormone), which can cause an early positive pregnancy test – even 3 to 4 days before the woman’s first missed period. “Unluckily, because the egg fails to develop and implant properly, it would find no clinical evidence on an ultrasound exam, and the pregnancy is not clear nor attainable.” Dr. Landy says.

What Happens During a Miscarriage

“Depending on the medical situation, the physical process of losing a pregnancy can be different from person to person,” says Jennifer Jolley, M.D., Assistant Professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Some women will start to experience bleeding and cramping, which is usually caused by contractions that are working to banish the contents of the uterus. If it happens swiftly, the miscarriage is usually completed by the body with no further complications.

“If the woman is afraid that the bleeding would continue heavily without effective passage of the tissue, the recommendation is usually to proceed with a quick evacuation of the uterus–a D&C,” Dr. Jolley explains. “If not done, it could become dangerous for the woman.”

Dilation and curettage, or D&C as it’s commonly called, is a surgical procedure to complete the miscarriage. Dilation will open the cervix if it is still closed, and curettage removes the contents of the uterus using a variety of suction and scraping instruments.

The Right Timing to Try for Another Baby After a Miscarriage

Your doctor or midwife might suggest to wait for a certain amount of time before trying to conceive again, although you may not feel ready to consider trying to conceive another baby for a little while, and that’s more than okay for the sake of your health.

My Chances of a Miscarriage During My Next Pregnancy – Are They High or Low?

The probability of a successful and healthy pregnancy after a miscarriage are in your favor: According to the APA, at least 85 % of women who have endured a miscarriage will go on to have a healthy, full-term pregnancy afterwards.

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