What is miscarriage
Miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week. About 10 to 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. But the actual number is likely higher because many miscarriages occur very early in pregnancy — before you might even know about pregnancy.
The term “miscarriage” might suggest that something went wrong in the carrying of the pregnancy. But this is rarely true. Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn’t developing as expected.
Miscarriage is a relatively common experience — but that doesn’t make it any easier. Take a step toward emotional healing by understanding what can cause a miscarriage, what increases the risk, and what medical care might be needed.
Most miscarriages occur before the 12th week of pregnancy.
Black women face a significantly higher risk of having a miscarriage than white, research suggests.
Of data on 4.6 million pregnancies in seven countries suggests the risk for black women is 43% higher than for white women.
It calls for people in the UK to be given support after their first pregnancy loss.
Currently, referral to specialist clinics usually occurs after three consecutive losses only.
But researchers estimate:
15% of pregnancies end in loss
1% of women will experience recurrent miscarriage
Some estimates of miscarriage rate are higher, but this is due to differences in how countries define pregnancy loss, which can be from a positive pregnancy test or from a scan.
The report also found that women who suffered a miscarriage, from all ethnic backgrounds, are more vulnerable to long-term health problems, such as blood clots, heart disease, and depression.
What causes miscarriage
About half of all miscarriages that occur in the first trimester are caused by chromosomal abnormalities — which might be hereditary or spontaneous — in the parent’s sperm or egg. Chromosomes are tiny structures inside the cells of the body that carry many genes, the basic units of heredity.
Genes determine all of a person’s physical attributes, such as sex, hair and eye color, and blood type. Most chromosomal problems occur by chance and are not related to the parents’ health.
Miscarriages are also caused by a variety of unknown and known factors, such as:
Infection. Exposure to environmental and workplace hazards such as high levels of radiation or toxic agents. Hormonal irregularities.
Improper implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterine lining.
Maternal age. womb abnormalities.
Incompetent cervix. (The cervix begins to widen and open too early, without signs of pain or labor in the middle of pregnancy.)
Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illegal drugs. Disorders of the immune system include lupus, an autoimmune disease. Severe kidney disease.
Congenital heart disease Diabetes is not controlled.
Thyroid disease., Radiation. Certain medicines, such as the acne drug
Severe malnutrition., Group B beta strep.
Note: There is no proof that stress or physical or sexual activity causes miscarriage, Sometimes, treatment of your illness can improve the chances for a successful pregnancy.
How do you know if you have a miscarriage?
The most common signs of a miscarriage are bleeding and cramping. Call your doctor if you think you’re having a miscarriage.
What are the signs of miscarriage?
Sometimes, there are no miscarriage symptoms and you don’t find out until an ultrasound, or you don’t feel pregnant any more. Usually, there are signs and symptoms. They include: vaginal bleeding or spotting, severe belly pain, severe cramping
Other things that are less serious than miscarriage can also cause these symptoms. But if you think you might be having a miscarriage, see your doctor right away just to be safe.
What happens during a miscarriage?
Miscarriages are different for every person, but there are some common symptoms.
Not all miscarriages are physically painful, but most people have cramping. The cramps are really strong for some people, and light for others (like a period or less). It’s also common to have vaginal bleeding and to pass large blood clots up to the size of a lemon. Heavy miscarriage bleeding can be scary or surprising, but it’s usually normal.
The bleeding and cramping can end quickly, or it may last for several hours. Your doctor can give you medicine and tips on how to manage pain and cramps during your miscarriage.
No matter how fast it happens or whether or not it hurts, miscarriage can be upsetting. Keep in touch with your doctor about what’s going on and how you’re feeling. Your doctor can let you know what is and isn’t normal, and give you resources for emotional support if you need it.
What can you expect to feel after having a miscarriage?
There’s no one way that all people feel after having a miscarriage. You may feel a mix of emotions, including disappointment, despair, shock, guilt, grief, and relief — sometimes all at the same time. All of these feelings are really normal, and usually, fade as time passes.
Take care of yourself physically and emotionally, and give yourself permission to grieve your loss if you need to. Grief and sadness are very normal responses to miscarriage. Try to surround yourself with supportive and loving people who will let you grieve and comfort you. If you have a partner, they may be grieving the loss and dealing with a range of emotions, too. Talking about your feelings and supporting each other can help you both copes.
The amount of time it takes to emotionally heal after a miscarriage is different for everyone. Give yourself as much time as you need to grieve. Most people feel better when they have someone supportive to talk to.
Even if you don’t think there’s anybody in your life you can lean on, know that you’re not alone. Your nurse or doctor can talk with you, or help you find a counselor or support group in your area. There are also many online support groups to connect with others who are going through the same thing as you. All-Options has a free hotline that gives you a private space to talk about your feelings after a pregnancy loss.
If you want to get pregnant again, your doctor or local Planned Parenthood health center can give you advice on planning your next pregnancy and help you figure out when it’s best to start trying again. They can also give you tips on preventing pregnancy and help you get birth control if you don’t want to get pregnant right now.
What if you have had more than 1 miscarriage?
If you’ve had 2 or more miscarriages in a row, your doctor might want to do some tests to help figure out if something specific is causing problems with your pregnancies. The tests will check for any hormonal imbalances, genetic disorders, or other problems. Some conditions can be treated to help you have a healthy pregnancy in the future.
What are the different types of miscarriages?
There are several types of miscarriages:
Threatened miscarriage — You have vaginal bleeding and may have mild cramps, but your cervix stays closed. Half of the time, the bleeding stops, and your pregnancy go on normally. The other half of threatened miscarriages become inevitable miscarriages and end in pregnancy loss.
Inevitable miscarriage — You have increasing bleeding, and your cervix opens. If this happens, there’s no chance for your pregnancy to continue.
Incomplete miscarriage — Some of the pregnancy tissue comes out of your uterus, and some stays inside. You may need follow-up treatment to remove the remaining tissue.
Complete miscarriage — All the pregnancy tissue comes out of your uterus. You usually don’t need any extra treatment.
Missed miscarriage — You have no cramps or bleeding. But ultrasound shows an embryo without a heartbeat or an empty pregnancy sac without an embryo. Usually, the tissue passes on its own, but you may need treatment.
Treatments for miscarriage include medicines or procedures that are very similar to those used for abortion. A nurse or doctor puts a thin plastic tube in your uterus during aspiration and removes the pregnancy tissue with gentle suction.
Miscarriages can be dangerous if they’re not treated. Call your doctor right away if you have any signs or symptoms of miscarriage.
What are the risk factors for a miscarriage?
A risk factor is a trait or behavior that increases a person’s chance of developing a disease or predisposes a person to a certain condition. Risk factors for miscarriage include:
Maternal age. Studies show that the risk of miscarriage is 12% to 15% for people in their 20s and rises to about 25% for people at age 40. The increased incidence of chromosomal abnormalities contributes to the age-related risk of miscarriage.
Certain health conditions in the mother as listed in the section, “What causes miscarriage?”
Can you get pregnant after I’ve had a miscarriage?
Yes. Most people (87%) who have miscarriages have subsequent normal pregnancies and births. Having a miscarriage does not necessarily mean you have a fertility problem. About 1% of people might have repeated miscarriages (three or more). Remember that usually a miscarriage cannot be prevented and often occurs because the pregnancy is not normal. Some researchers believe this is related to an autoimmune response.
Although there is no recommended waiting period to attempt pregnancy, it may be appropriate to discuss the timing of your next pregnancy with your healthcare provider. To prevent another miscarriage, your healthcare provider might recommend treatment with progesterone, a hormone needed for implantation in the uterus. If you have an illness, treating the condition can improve the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Can you get pregnant after you had a miscarriage?
Yes. Most people (87%) who have miscarriages have subsequent normal pregnancies and births. Having a miscarriage does not necessarily mean you have a fertility problem. About 1% of people might have repeated miscarriages (three or more). Remember that usually a miscarriage cannot be prevented and often occurs because the pregnancy is not normal. Some researchers believe this is related to an autoimmune response.
How is a miscarriage diagnosed and treated?
The healthcare provider will perform a pelvic exam and an ultrasound test to confirm the miscarriage. If the miscarriage is complete and the uterus is clear, then no further treatment is usually required. Occasionally, the uterus is not completely emptied, so a dilation and curettage (D&C) or dilation and extraction (D&E) procedure is performed. During these procedures, the cervix is dilated and any remaining fatal or placental tissue is gently scraped or suctioned out of the uterus. You will usually resume your menstrual period in about 4 to 6 weeks.
If a miscarriage was not confirmed, but you had symptoms of a miscarriage, bed rest is often prescribed for several days, and you might be admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. When the bleeding stops, usually you will be able to continue with your normal activities. If the cervix is dilated, you might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix, and a procedure to close the cervix (called cerclage) might be performed.
Blood tests, genetic tests, or medicine might be necessary if a woman has more than two miscarriages in a row (called repeated miscarriage). Some diagnostic procedures are used to evaluate the cause of repeated miscarriage.
Is a miscarriage painful?
Not all miscarriages are physically painful, but most people have cramping. The cramps are really strong for some people, and light for others (like a period or less). It’s also common to have vaginal bleeding and to pass large blood clots up to the size of a lemon.
