Miscarriage

DEFINITION

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 probably much higher because many miscarriages occur so early in pregnancy that a woman doesn’t even know she’s pregnant.

Miscarriage is a somewhat loaded term — possibly suggesting that something was amiss in the carrying of the pregnancy. This is rarely true. Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn’t developing normally. However, because these abnormalities are rarely understood, it’s often difficult to determine what causes them.

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.

CAUSES

Abnormal genes or chromosomes

Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn’t developing normally. Problems with the baby’s genes or chromosomes are typically the result of errors that occur by chance as the embryo divides and grows — not problems inherited from the parents.

Examples of abnormalities include:

• Blighted ovum. Blighted ovum occurs when no embryo forms.
• Intrauterine fetal demise. In this situation the embryo is present but has stopped developing and died before any symptoms of pregnancy loss have occurred.
• Molar pregnancy. A molar pregnancy is a noncancerous (benign) tumor that develops in the uterus. A molar pregnancy occurs when there is an extra set of paternal chromosomes in a fertilized egg. This error at the time of conception transforms what would normally become the placenta into a growing mass of cysts. This is a rare cause of pregnancy loss.

Maternal health conditions

In a few cases, a mother’s health condition might lead to miscarriage. Examples include:

• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Infections
• Hormonal problems
• Uterus or cervix problems
• Thyroid disease

What does NOT cause miscarriage

Routine activities such as these don’t provoke a miscarriage:

• Exercise
• Having sex
• Working, provided you’re not exposed to harmful chemicals or radiation.

SYMPTOMS

Most miscarriages occur before the 12th week of pregnancy.

Signs and symptoms of a miscarriage might include:

• Vaginal spotting or bleeding
• Pain or cramping in your abdomen or lower back
• Fluid or tissue passing from your vagina

If you have passed fetal tissue from your vagina, place it in a clean container and bring it to your health care provider’s office or the hospital for analysis.

Keep in mind that most women who experience vaginal spotting or bleeding in the first trimester go on to have successful pregnancies.