Miscarriage
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.
