A miscarriage, or spontaneous abortion, is a pregnancy that ends on its own within the first 20 weeks of gestation. According to the American Pregnancy Association, 10 to 25 percent of all pregnancies will end in a miscarriage. There are many different types of miscarriage. They include:
- Threatened Miscarriage: Uterine bleeding with cramping or a backache. The cervix is closed and bleeding is often happening because of implantation.
- Inevitable/Incomplete Miscarriage: Bleeding with an open cervix with back pain. A miscarriage will inevitably happen.
- Complete Miscarriage: The embryo and remaining products of conception have emptied out of the uterus. Bleeding should end soon.
- Missed Miscarriage: The embryo has expired but there is no expulsion of the uterus. A woman may not know she has miscarried.
- Recurrent Miscarriage: Three or more consecutive first trimester miscarriages. One percent of women will experience this.
- Blighted Ovum: Fertilized egg implants into uterine wall but does not grow.
- Ectopic Pregnancy: Fertilized egg does not implant into the uterine wall. It usually implants in a fallopian tube.
- Molar Pregnancy: Growth of abnormal tissue in the uterus because a genetic error occurred during the fertilization process.
After losing a baby by miscarriage, a woman will ponder what caused it. Although doctors can't always pinpoint a specific reason, the most common cause for a first trimester miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality. That means something is not right with the baby's chromosomes. It could be due to a bad egg or sperm cell or a problem during the fertilization process.
Some other causes for a miscarriage are:
- lifestyle factors, such as smoking, drugs or caffeine
- maternal age
- maternal trauma
- hormonal problems
- maternal health problems or infections
- egg did not implant into the uterine wall properly
Some early bleeding in a pregnancy is due to implantation but bleeding while pregnant is the most common sign for a woman to know a miscarriage could be occurring. Other signs include:
- white or pink mucus
- tissue that looks like hamburger passing from the vagina
- mild to severe back pain
- weight loss
- contractions
- sudden decrease in pregnancy symptoms
If the placenta and fetal tissue do not expel by itself after a miscarriage, the doctor may have to perform a dilation and curettage (D&C), that is scraping away any remaining products of the pregnancy in the uterus.
The woman and couple cannot forget about healing emotionally after a miscarriage. Keep communication lines open between doctors, family and friends and join a local support grief group.
Miscarriage is often a single event in a woman's reproductive years but whether it has not happened at all or has happened multiple times, here are some tips to keep healthy when trying to conceive.
- exercise regularly
- eat healthy foods
- manage stress
- keep weight within healthy limits
- take folic acid every day
- do not smoke or drink
Once a pregnancy has occurred, keep the baby healthy while in the womb by following these tips:
- keep the abdomen safe
- do not smoke or be around smoke
- do not drink alcohol
- do not drink caffeine
- check with the doctor before taking over-the-counter medications
- avoid environmental hazards such as radiation
- avoid contact sports
