| Miscarriage | 348.000000000000 | Miscarriage | Miscarriage | M | English | Pregnancy | Adult (19+) | Body | Reproductive system | Healthy living and prevention | Prenatal
Adult (19+) | Abdominal pain;Bleeding | | 2009-09-11T04:00:00Z | | | | | | 10.3000000000000 | 52.3000000000000 | 1261.00000000000 | | Flat Content | Health A-Z | <p>Detailed information on miscarriage, which is also referred to as spontaneous abortion. Symptoms, diagnosis, and coping techniques are discussed.</p> | <p>The terms spontaneous abortion and miscarriage both refer to loss of a baby within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. However, most doctors use these terms to describe pregnancy loss in the first trimester, as this is the time when the risk for miscarriage is highest. Pregnancy loss between the end of the first trimester and the 20th week is referred to as late miscarriage. The risk of having a miscarriage increases with age and is higher with twins or multiples.</p> | | <h2>Key points</h2>
<ul><li>Seek emergency medical attention if you have vaginal bleeding, uterine cramping and low backache that become progressively worse.</li>
<li>There is no specific treatment for threatened miscarriage.</li>
<li>If you have a miscarriage, know that there is no way that you could have caused your miscarriage.</li>
<li>After having a miscarriage, allow yourself time to grieve and seek out resources in your community for support.</li></ul> | <h2>Symptoms of miscarriage</h2><p>Any vaginal bleeding during the first half of pregnancy is assumed to be a threatened miscarriage. The bleeding may be light and it may range from a brownish discharge to bright red bleeding. Keep in mind that most women who have bleeding during early pregnancy carry to term and deliver healthy babies. </p><p>If you are actually having a miscarriage, you will also have uterine cramping or low backache. Your bleeding and cramping will become progressively worse. You may feel severe pain and soak several pads in an hour. You might pass large blood clots or grayish or pink material. If you have any of these symptoms, seek emergency medical attention right away. </p><p>In rare cases, some women have a missed abortion, where the embryo dies but remains in the uterus without bleeding. In these situations, all signs of pregnancy usually disappear and there will be a brownish discharge. If this happens to you, it is important to visit your doctor and discuss your treatment. </p><h2>Diagnosis and management of miscarriage</h2><p>If you start to bleed during pregnancy, you may be given an ultrasound to see if the unborn baby is developing. This can be done as early as six weeks of pregnancy. The good news is that if, at eight weeks, the ultrasound shows a healthy baby with a heartbeat, their chances of surviving are very high. By weeks 14 to 16, if the ultrasound shows that the baby is healthy, there is a 99% chance that they will survive. </p><p>Blood tests that measure a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) can also be used to detect miscarriage.</p><p>There is no specific treatment for threatened miscarriage. If you have mild bleeding and cramping and your cervix is closed, you will be cautiously monitored using ultrasound and blood tests for hCG. </p><p>If your bleeding and cramping become progressively worse and you do actually have a miscarriage, you may need to wait a few days until all of the products of conception have passed out of your uterus. You may be asked to save all the tissue that passes, so that your doctor can send it for testing. Then you will have an ultrasound to make sure that the uterus is clear of all fetal tissues. If the ultrasound shows that there is still some tissue in your uterus, you will need to either take medicine to help you pass the tissue or have a procedure called a dilatation and curettage (D&C) to clear it out from your uterus. You and your health-care provider will decide what course of action is best for you based on the specifics of your situation. </p><h2>Causes of miscarriage</h2><p>If you have a miscarriage, you may feel guilty and think that you may have done something to cause it. However, there may be some reassurance in knowing that there is no way that you could have caused your miscarriage. That cigarette you smoked or the alcohol you drank in the first few weeks is unlikely to have caused your pregnancy loss. </p><p>By far the most common reason for miscarriage is a problem with the development of the unborn baby. Miscarriage could be nature’s way of ending a pregnancy when the child would be unable to survive. Problems that can lead to miscarriage in the first trimester include: </p><ul><li>abnormal sperm or egg cells </li><li>problems with implantation of the fertilized egg cell into the uterus </li><li>chromosomal abnormalities or other birth defects </li><li>defects in the placenta </li><li>injuries to the unborn baby </li></ul><p>About one-third of miscarriages that occur before nine weeks of pregnancy are due to a condition called blighted ovum, where the baby does not develop at all and the embryo sac is empty.</p><p>Other reasons for miscarriage include hormonal problems, abnormalities of the uterus, or a condition called incompetent cervix, in which the cervix is weak and opens up before the baby is ready to be born. Many of these conditions might not be diagnosed unless you have recurrent miscarriages. </p><h2>Recurrent miscarriage</h2><p>Recurrent miscarriage is three or more consecutive miscarriages in the first trimester of pregnancy. About 1% of couples have recurrent miscarriages. It is difficult to determine the exact reason for recurrent miscarriage. However, there are a few suspected causes: </p><h3>Uterine abnormalities</h3><p>About 10% to 15% of patients with recurrent miscarriage have abnormalities in the structure of their uterus. The reason why uterine abnormalities lead to pregnancy loss is not known. </p><h3>Endocrine problems</h3><p>The endocrine system is responsible for the secretion of hormones in the body. One endocrine condition called luteal phase defect is considered a prime cause of miscarriage. Luteal phase defect is an inadequate secretion of the hormone progesterone during the menstrual cycle. Because of this, there is a delay in the development of the lining of the uterus, where the fertilized egg usually implants. </p><h3>Genetic abnormalities</h3><p>Chromosomal abnormalities are found in 3% to 5% of couples who have recurrent miscarriages. If you are having recurrent miscarriages, it is helpful if you and your partner undergo genetic testing. If a chromosomal abnormality is found, genetic counselling is available to help you make decisions about future pregnancies. </p><h3>Autoimmune disorders</h3><p>Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system produces antibodies against the body’s own tissues. Some women have an autoimmune disorder that causes them to make antibodies called antiphospholipid antibodies which can cause miscarriage. The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies is associated with a higher risk of miscarriage, fetal growth restriction, and fetal death in the second and third trimesters. A drug called heparin is often used to improve the outcome for both mother and baby. </p><h3>Incompetent cervix</h3><p>This is an important cause of pregnancy loss, especially in the second trimester. In this condition, the cervix painlessly and gradually opens, the fetal membranes rupture, and the immature baby is born before it can survive outside the womb. If you have been diagnosed with incompetent cervix, you may need surgery to reinforce the cervix. This is usually done after the first trimester, when the unborn baby is determined to be viable by ultrasound, and before the cervix starts to dilate. </p><h2>What to do after you have had a miscarriage</h2><p>After having a miscarriage, you will need to heal, both physically and emotionally. Try to rest and take it easy for a while. Losing a baby is one of the most traumatic events you may ever experience. Remember that the miscarriage is not your fault. Allow yourself to grieve, and share your feelings with your partner and your health-care provider. Seek out resources in your community, or elsewhere, and join a support group if you can. </p> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/miscarriage.jpg | | | | | | | | | False | | | |
