Miscarriage
Approximately 10% to 20% of confirmed pregnancies result in miscarriage. However, the true number is most certainly larger. This is because many miscarriages occur before a person realises they are pregnant. The word miscarriage may imply that something went wrong throughout the pregnancy's progression. This is seldom true. Many miscarriages occur because the unborn infant does not grow normally.
Let’s get deeper into the topic and discuss types, causes, risk factors and other symptoms of miscarriage.
Missed miscarriage
Missed miscarriage occurs when you lose a pregnancy but are unaware of the loss. There are no signs of miscarriage, yet an ultrasound indicates that the foetus has no heartbeat.
Complete miscarriage
A complete miscarriage means that you have lost the pregnancy and your uterus is empty. You have bled and passed foetal tissue. An ultrasound may confirm that you have had a complete loss.
Recurrent miscarriage
Recurrent miscarriage refers to three consecutive miscarriages. It affects around 1% of people.
Threatened miscarriage
You are experiencing pelvic pains and bleeding, but your cervix is still closed. Typically, the pregnancy progresses without more complications. Your prenatal care provider may continue to carefully monitor you throughout your pregnancy.
Inevitable miscarriage
You are bleeding, cramping, and your cervix has begun to open (dilate). You may leak amniotic fluid. A total miscarriage is possible.
Two sets of chromosomes combine during fertilisation when the egg and sperm connect. If an egg or sperm has more or fewer chromosomes than usual, the resulting foetus will have an aberrant number. As a fertilised egg develops into a foetus, its cells divide and multiply several times. Abnormalities throughout this phase can result in miscarriage.
Health Factors
Certain health factors, including uncontrolled diabetes, infections, or problems with your uterus or cervix, increase your risk of miscarriage.
Consult your prenatal care physician about the risk factors for miscarriage. They can talk about your risk after they've evaluated your medical history.
If the miscarriage is complete and your uterus has expelled all of the foetal tissue, no more treatment is typically required. Your pregnancy care provider will do an ultrasound to ensure that there is nothing remaining in your uterus.
If your body does not eliminate all of the tissue on its own or you have not begun to bleed, your prenatal care provider will propose removing the tissue using medication or surgery.
If a miscarriage was not confirmed but you had symptoms, your doctor may recommend bed rest for several days. You could spend the night in the hospital being observed. When the bleeding stops, you may be able to resume your daily activities. If your cervix is dilated, your doctor may diagnose you with an incompetent cervix and undertake a treatment to close it (cervical cerclage).
It may take longer for you to recover emotionally, particularly if you were aware you were pregnant when you lost. You may experience a wide range of emotions, including anger and despair, which may linger for a long period. Your partner may also be experiencing sorrow that takes some time to heal from.
To help you manage your emotions and feel better, you might ask your doctor to prescribe a therapist or bereavement counsellor. You may also wish to check into a support group. And confide in friends and relatives you feel comfortable talking to.
After a miscarriage, it is critical to provide time for physical and emotional healing. Counselling is provided to help you deal with your loss. A pregnancy loss support group might potentially be a helpful resource for you and your partner. Consult your doctor for additional information about counselling and support groups. Above all, do not blame yourself for your miscarriage. Allow yourself enough time to mourn.
If you've had three miscarriages in a row, see your doctor about conducting tests to determine the underlying problem. You should utilise birth control until you receive the findings. After reviewing the test findings, your practitioner may recommend discontinuing birth control and attempting to conceive again.
Let’s get deeper into the topic and discuss types, causes, risk factors and other symptoms of miscarriage.
What is a miscarriage?
A miscarriage (also known as a spontaneous abortion) is the unexpected termination of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks of gestation. The fact that it is referred to as a "miscarriage" does not imply that you did anything wrong while carrying the pregnancy. Most miscarriages are beyond your control and occur when the foetus stops developing.Types of Miscarriages
Your prenatal care provider could identify you with the following kinds of miscarriages:Missed miscarriage
Missed miscarriage occurs when you lose a pregnancy but are unaware of the loss. There are no signs of miscarriage, yet an ultrasound indicates that the foetus has no heartbeat.Complete miscarriage
A complete miscarriage means that you have lost the pregnancy and your uterus is empty. You have bled and passed foetal tissue. An ultrasound may confirm that you have had a complete loss.Recurrent miscarriage
Recurrent miscarriage refers to three consecutive miscarriages. It affects around 1% of people.Threatened miscarriage
You are experiencing pelvic pains and bleeding, but your cervix is still closed. Typically, the pregnancy progresses without more complications. Your prenatal care provider may continue to carefully monitor you throughout your pregnancy.Inevitable miscarriage
You are bleeding, cramping, and your cervix has begun to open (dilate). You may leak amniotic fluid. A total miscarriage is possible.Common Causes of Miscarriage
What causes a miscarriage?
Chromosomal abnormalities are the cause of around 50% of all losses in the first trimester (up to 13 weeks of pregnancy). Chromosomes are small structures found within the cells of your body that contain your genes. Genes dictate a person's physical characteristics, including sex, hair and eye colour, and blood type.Two sets of chromosomes combine during fertilisation when the egg and sperm connect. If an egg or sperm has more or fewer chromosomes than usual, the resulting foetus will have an aberrant number. As a fertilised egg develops into a foetus, its cells divide and multiply several times. Abnormalities throughout this phase can result in miscarriage.
Several reasons might lead to miscarriage:
- Infection
- Exposure to TORCH illnesses
- Hormone imbalances
- Improper implantation of a fertilised egg in the uterine lining
- How old you are
- Uterine abnormalities
- Incompetent cervix (your cervix opens too early in pregnancy)
- Lifestyle choices such as smoking, consuming alcohol, or taking recreational drugs
- Immunological disorders such as lupus
- Severe renal disease
- Congenital cardiac disease
- Diabetes that is not handled
- Thyroid illness
- Radiation
- Certain medications, such as the acne treatment isotretinoin
- Severe malnutrition
What are the risk factors for having a miscarriage?
A risk factor is a characteristic or behaviour that raises an individual's likelihood of getting a disease or condition. Risk factors for miscarriage include:Your age
According to studies, the chance of miscarriage is 12% to 15% for persons in their 20s and increases to around 25% by the age of 40. A large number of age-related miscarriages are caused by genetic disorders.Previous miscarriages
If you've had a miscarriage before, you have a 25% risk of having another one (just slightly more than someone who hasn't).Health Factors
Certain health factors, including uncontrolled diabetes, infections, or problems with your uterus or cervix, increase your risk of miscarriage.Consult your prenatal care physician about the risk factors for miscarriage. They can talk about your risk after they've evaluated your medical history.
What are some of the post-miscarriage symptoms?
Common post-miscarriage symptoms include spotting and minor pain. If you have any of the following symptoms, contact your healthcare practitioner right away since they might indicate an infection:- Heavy or increasing bleeding
- Fever
- Chills
- Intense agony
How will I know if I am experiencing a miscarriage?
You may be unaware you are suffering a miscarriage. The most common symptoms of a miscarriage include:- Bleeding that ranges from mild to major. You might possibly pass greyish tissue or blood clots
- Cramps and abdominal discomfort (typically more severe than menstruation cramps)
- Low back pain varying from minor to severe
- A reduction in pregnancy symptoms
Treatment options
If you lose a pregnancy, the foetus must be removed from your uterus. If any pieces of the pregnancy remain within your body, you may develop infection, bleeding, or other issues.If the miscarriage is complete and your uterus has expelled all of the foetal tissue, no more treatment is typically required. Your pregnancy care provider will do an ultrasound to ensure that there is nothing remaining in your uterus.
If your body does not eliminate all of the tissue on its own or you have not begun to bleed, your prenatal care provider will propose removing the tissue using medication or surgery.
Nonsurgical Treatment
Your prenatal care provider may advise you to wait and see if you can pass the pregnancy on your own. This might be the situation if you had a missed miscarriage. It might take many days to begin a miscarriage. If waiting for the tissue to pass is not safe or you want the tissue removed as quickly as possible, they may advise you to take a medicine that aids with the passage of the pregnancy through your uterus. These choices are often only accessible if you lose before the tenth week of pregnancy.If a miscarriage was not confirmed but you had symptoms, your doctor may recommend bed rest for several days. You could spend the night in the hospital being observed. When the bleeding stops, you may be able to resume your daily activities. If your cervix is dilated, your doctor may diagnose you with an incompetent cervix and undertake a treatment to close it (cervical cerclage).
Surgical Treatment
If your uterus hasn't discharged the pregnancy or you're bleeding significantly, your doctor may conduct a dilation and curettage (D&C) or dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedure. If your pregnancy has progressed past 10 weeks, surgery may be your only choice. During these operations, your cervix is dilated and any residual pregnancy-related tissue is gently scraped or suctioned from your uterus. These operations are performed in a hospital with you under anaesthesia.Recovering after Miscarriage
Physical recuperation might take 1 to 2 months. Your menstruation should begin between 4 to 6 weeks. Do not put anything in your body, even a tampon, and avoid having intercourse for 1-2 weeks.It may take longer for you to recover emotionally, particularly if you were aware you were pregnant when you lost. You may experience a wide range of emotions, including anger and despair, which may linger for a long period. Your partner may also be experiencing sorrow that takes some time to heal from.
To help you manage your emotions and feel better, you might ask your doctor to prescribe a therapist or bereavement counsellor. You may also wish to check into a support group. And confide in friends and relatives you feel comfortable talking to.
Can I get pregnant after having a miscarriage?
Yes. The majority of persons who miscarry (87%) go on to have normal pregnancies and deliveries. A miscarriage may not always indicate a reproductive issue. Remember that most losses are the result of a genetic defect, not anything you did.How soon may I get pregnant after a miscarriage?
The choice of when to start trying to conceive again is up to you and your prenatal care provider. Most individuals may get pregnant again after experiencing one "normal" menstrual cycle.After a miscarriage, it is critical to provide time for physical and emotional healing. Counselling is provided to help you deal with your loss. A pregnancy loss support group might potentially be a helpful resource for you and your partner. Consult your doctor for additional information about counselling and support groups. Above all, do not blame yourself for your miscarriage. Allow yourself enough time to mourn.
If you've had three miscarriages in a row, see your doctor about conducting tests to determine the underlying problem. You should utilise birth control until you receive the findings. After reviewing the test findings, your practitioner may recommend discontinuing birth control and attempting to conceive again.
Improving Chances of a Healthy Pregnancy
There is typically little you can do to avoid a miscarriage, but you may live a healthier lifestyle to increase your chances of having a successful pregnancy following one. You can try the following things:- Take prenatal vitamins: Begin taking a daily prenatal vitamin or folic acid supplement a few months before attempting to conceive. Folic acid may help prevent certain birth abnormalities.
- Eat a nutritious diet: Consume plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and avoid raw foods that may promote illness
- Physical Activity: Incorporate mild to moderate activity into your daily regimen, such as walking, running, or yoga. Avoid vigorous activities that may cause stomach pain or make it difficult to release eggs
- Limit caffeine: Limit your caffeine consumption to 200 mg per day, which is around 1-2 cups of ordinary coffee
- Avoid drugs: Do not consume alcohol, smoke, or use illicit drugs
- Maintain a healthy weight: Being underweight or overweight might raise the risk of miscarriage
- Manage stress: To help you cope with stress, try hobbies such as meditation or writing
- Get immunised: Get immunised to avoid infectious illnesses
- Address health concerns: Get a thorough preconception exam and address any underlying health issues with your doctor. If you have experienced repeated miscarriages, your doctor may check for infection risk factors
- Take time to recuperate: Allow yourself time to recover physically and emotionally after the miscarriage, and consider getting therapy to help you cope with your loss
- Use contraceptives: Wait to have sex until all miscarriage symptoms have subsided, and use contraception until you are ready to conceive again