Miscarriage
What can I do to avoid miscarriages?
by The Babble Staff
April 22, 2009
Miscarriage
THE BABBLE TAKE
Miscarriage is when a woman loses a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks, before the fetus is mature enough to survive outside the womb. (Losing a pregnancy after week 20 is called pre-term delivery, or stillbirth.) Most miscarriages are unavoidable and a result of deadly genetic or chromosomal problems in the fetus, problems that are usually not related to the mother. Other times miscarriages are brought about by external factors such as infection, stress, malnutrition, maternal trauma or drug or alcohol use. Experts say miscarriage is not commonly caused by activities such as sex, lifting heavy objects, working out, or nausea and vomiting. While having a miscarriage can be a sad and traumatic event, miscarriages are fairly common, especially early on in a pregnancy. About 80 percent of all known miscarriages occurring in the 7th to 12th week. Somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of all known pregnancies end in miscarriage. In many cases a woman may have a miscarriage without even knowing she was pregnant. It is estimated that about 50 percent of all fertilized eggs are lost. If you are having a miscarriage, or if you think you may be at risk for one, it is important to contact your health care provider.
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American Pregnancy Association
"The reason for miscarriage is varied, and most often the cause cannot be identified. During the first trimester, the most common cause of miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality — meaning that something is not correct with the baby's chromosomes. Most chromosomal abnormalities are the cause of a faulty egg or sperm cell or are due to a problem at the time that the zygote went through the division process."
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BabyCenter ®
"Call your doctor or midwife immediately if you ever notice unusual symptoms such as bleeding or cramping during pregnancy. Your practitioner will examine you to see if the bleeding is coming from your cervix and check your uterus. She may also do a blood test to check for the pregnancy hormone hCG and repeat it in two to three days to see if your levels are rising as they should be.
If you're having bleeding or cramping and your practitioner has even the slightest suspicion that you have an ectopic pregnancy, you'll have an ultrasound right away. If there's no sign of a problem but you continue to spot, you'll have another ultrasound at about 7 weeks."
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Mayo Clinic
"Miscarriage is a relatively common experience — but that doesn't make it any easier. Ending a pregnancy without a baby to hold in your arms is heartbreaking. Take a step toward emotional healing by understanding what can cause a miscarriage, what increases the risk and what medical care might be needed."
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iVillage
"Miscarriage is the most common pregnancy loss, followed by ectopic pregnancy and stillbirth. Others are a birth defect, especially one that is severe, as is the death of a newborn. Also, some birth mothers and surrogate mothers who gave up their babies for adoption, and some women who've had abortions experience pregnancy loss."
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March of Dimes
"The causes of miscarriage are not thoroughly understood. When a woman has a first-trimester miscarriage, her health care provider often cannot determine the cause. However, most miscarriages occur when a pregnancy is not developing normally. Usually, there is nothing a woman or her provider can do to prevent it."
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