All You Need To Know About Miscarriages
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Miscarrage is spontaneous loss of pregnancy before the fetal (baby in the uterus) becomes viable or matured.
In Nigeria, this happens before 28 weeks from the last menstrual periods.
It was formerly called spontaneous abortion but because of the psychological feeling associated with induced abortion, the name was changed.
How common is Miscarriage?
About 10 to 20 out of hundred pregnancies end in miscarriages but the actual number may be higher, because some happen in early pregnancy, before you even know you are pregnant.
What makes up the symptoms of miscarriage?
- Bleeding from the vagina, which may be slight or heavy
- Pain in belly or cramp
- Tiredness
- Back ache
- Reduced pregnancy symptoms
How do you know if you have a miscarriage?
You have the above symptoms but in a particular type you may not have any sign.
Women with a long history of Infertility, losing a pregnancy can lead to anxiety and grief, comparable in nature, intensity and duration to the one experienced by people suffering from other types of major loss.
Some women may have feelings of sadness, anger, denial, relief or disappointment.
While others may feel guilty and wonder whether their actions cause the miscarriage. Having sex does not cause pregnancy loss.
What are the causes of miscarriage?
- Abnormal chromosomes, or genetic materials. This occurs when an embryo inherits an abnormal number of genetic materials called Chromosomes from either of the parent or both. The risk for pregnancy loss increases with the age of mother, moderately after 35 years and faster after 40 years. The risk is 25% below age 30 years but 52% above age 40 years.
- Trauma
- Maternal problems like Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Thyroid disease, Infection, Lupus erythematosus and other immune disorders, genetic conditions and cervical incompetence.
What Risk factors are associated with miscarriages?
Having two or more miscarriages following each other.
Chronic diseases.
Age above 35 years.
Obesity
Underweight
Inborn or Congenital abnormal uterus
Alcohol intake
Smoking
Hard drugs
The following factors does not cause miscarriage:
Exercise
Sex
Working once you are not exposed to radiation or toxic chemicals.
Emotional support after miscarriage
This is very important but often overlooked.
Losing a baby can be hard to bear.
Feeling of Grief, loss, loneliness, rude shock especially if discovered during routine ultrasound scan without symptoms.
One minute, you were happy and full of plans, the next minute, you were planning how to get rid of the pregnancy.
You have the feeling that you are a failure and inadequate mother.
You start searching your minds what you did wrong.
Some women after getting pregnant, started feeling like mothers but suddenly taking this away from them, creates a feeling of emptiness.
Fear and anxiety. Will you ever get pregnant again, after getting pregnant, will there not be a repeat miscarriage?
Emotional support from the caregivers,family, friends and well wishes are needed.
What are the different types of miscarriage?
1.Threatened miscarriage:
When there are signs that you are likely to miscarry a pregnancy.The bleeding occurs but no abdominal pain. The bleeding may stop and you carry the pregnancy and have a healthy baby. It may become worse and you lose the pregnancy.
2.Inevitable miscarriage: Heavy bleeding with strong tummy pain or cramp. The baby may come out with the heavy bleeding
3.Complete miscarriage.
The tissue has left the uterus.
There is heavy bleeding and strong tummy pain.
4.Incomplete miscarriage
Pregnancy tissue remains inside the uterus. There is heavy bleeding and strong pain in the tummy as the uterus is trying to remove the remaining tissue
5.Recurrent miscarriage: third or more miscarriages in a row
6.Missed miscarriage
This is a situation where the baby is dead inside the uterus or not growing and has not been physically expelled. No sign that something is wrong and the news comes as a shock .
It may be detected during a routine Ultrasound scan. Smaller than expected baby is found inside a pregnancy sac, but no heartbeat. The ultrasound scan may show an empty pregnancy sac or no sac.
How can you prevent miacarriage?
There is nothing to prevention miscarriage
Early Antenatal Registration.
Avoid Alcohol, smoking and illicit drug intake
Take Multivitamins
Limit caffeine intake.
Is it possible for you to have another pregnancy after early pregnancy loss?
Early pregnancy loss, in most cases, is a one time effect. Repeated pregnancy losses are rare. Causes will be found and treated. Even without detecting the cause, most women will go on and have successful pregnancies.
How long can you wait after early pregnancy loss to get pregnant?
You can become pregnant 2 weeks after pregnancy loss.
If you must wait, you will need to use a contraceptive method. I will advise an Intrauterine device.
If you want to become pregnant right away, you can wait for your menses, to make it easier to calculate the due date of the next pregnancy.
If you suffering from miscarriages, you can talk to our Fertility Specialist, Dr. G.L Yahaya at Continental Fertility Clinic.
What are the takeaways here?
Miscarriage is a spontaneous loss of pregnancy before fetal viability.
In Nigeria this is 28 weeks from the last menstrual periods.
Between 10 to 20 out of hundred pregnancies or more end in miscarriages.
Symptoms include bleeding per vagina, tummy cramps and reduced symptoms of pregnancy.
It may be caused by inheritance of abnormal chromosomes by the fetus, Trauma and a weak cervix.
Avoid Alcohol, smoking and the use of illicit drugs when pregnant. Register early for Antenatal care.
There are different types of miscarriages.