Common causes of miscarriage
A miscarriage occurs when a
pregnancy terminates before 20 weeks and research suggests that around 10-20
percent of pregnancies end in this way.
An exact figure is hard to pinpoint,
since many women miscarry before they even realize they’re pregnant and pass it
off as a very heavy period.
The majority of miscarriages
happen in the first trimester (weeks 0-12) and most are caused by chromosomal abnormalities which prevent the fetus from developing normally. Chromosomes are tiny thread-like
structures that carry our genes and dictate all our traits, from our eye color
to what size our feet will be. Each of our cells has 23 pairs – 46 in all. One
chromosome per pair comes from the father and one comes from the mother. Sometimes
a cell can split unevenly which results in too many or too few chromosomes in
the developing embryo. If the embryo has a chromosomal abnormality it is
usually miscarried. Chromosomal abnormalities are more common in women over 35, so they’re at a higher risk of
having a miscarriage.
Rarely, a pregnancy can develop
outside the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. Called an ectopic pregnancy, it’s not capable of surviving and will normally
spontaneously miscarry.
Some
women do have more than one miscarriage (this can often be related to an
immunological condition where her body rejects the baby as foreign tissue in
the same way that transplant patients reject organs – immunising the mother
with the father’s anti bodies prior to conception can solve this problem) but
even for a woman who has had three miscarriages there’s a 60 percent chance
she’ll go on to have a successful pregnancy.
Pregnancy after miscarriage
Getting
pregnant after a miscarriage will be an emotional ride fraught with anxiety
about your unborn child, and mixed with happiness that this pregnancy seems to
be progressing. While your pregnant friends complain about tiredness and morning sickness, for you these will be signs
that this pregnancy is doing well. Every day will feel like a milestone until
you reach that three-month mark, when the chances of miscarrying dramatically
decrease. You’ll probably worry about whether every twinge you feel is normal right up until
your baby is born, but plenty of women go on to have successful pregnancies and
births after suffering one or more miscarriages.
It’s
usual not to feel elated with this pregnancy as you remember the last one, but
the best thing you can do for you and your baby is keep positive. Try to talk
over your feelings with your partner, who will probably be experiencing similar emotions as you. You can also talk to
your OB-GYN
or nurse-midwife if you feel stressed in this pregnancy.
Although
it can be difficult to prevent miscarriage, there are steps you can take to
make sure that your pregnancy is as safe and healthy as possible. These
are much the same as those you'd follow to avoid a first miscarriage. For instance, it's advisable
that you quit smoking, follow a healthy diet and cut alcohol and caffeine consumption down to a minimum.
It can be very helpful to talk
to other people who’ve gone through miscarriage, so if you feel that you need
to talk to someone about your loss but don't know who, why not visit the chat section of the gurgle site in order to find support from women who’ve had
similar experiences. In addition, The March of Dimes can offer information on
pregnancy and newborn loss (www.marchofdimes.com).
The information in this feature is intended for
educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the
health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a
doctor or other healthcare professional.
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Last Modified: 03/05/2007
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