Losing a baby through miscarriage is a heartbreaking event. A miscarriage can happen at any time, but there are always ways to prevent it and limit the risk of it happening.
Most women who have had a miscarriage will still be able to carry a normal pregnancy to term. Here's what every woman needs to know about miscarriage, from different types to risk factors, from symptoms to diagnosis.
A miscarriage, known in medical jargon as a spontaneous abortion, is the unexpected end of a pregnancy usually occurring during the first 20 weeks of gestation. During a miscarriage, an embryo or fetus is spontaneously expelled from the uterus, but cannot yet live in the outside world. After 20 weeks, the loss of a fetus is called a stillbirth instead of a miscarriage. Just because miscarriage usually happens early in pregnancy doesn't mean it isn't painful. The important thing to remember in this case is that the miscarriage is not your fault. And while many parents can't or won't talk openly about this topic, know that it happens a lot more often than you might think.
One in 5 confirmed pregnancies ends in miscarriage, but it's not uncommon for many women to miscarry without even knowing it. Even if you've never heard of anyone in your family or group of friends having had a miscarriage, chances are someone in your inner circle has had one. So if you are facing a miscarriage, know that you are definitely not alone. Although you may have heard some people say that miscarriages are more common today than they were in the past, in fact they have always existed, it's just that they can be detected more often from nowadays thanks to the advent of affordable home pregnancy tests.
Even though miscarriages are common in every population of women worldwide, there are certain factors that can increase your risk:
Studies have revealed that older mothers are more likely to have miscarriages. Most likely because their eggs and their partner's sperm are more susceptible to defects. About one in three pregnancies after the age of 40 ends in miscarriage.
Researchers have found that vitamin D and vitamin B deficiencies can increase a woman's risk of miscarriage. Research has shown that some women have difficulty conceiving and/or maintaining a pregnancy due to folic acid or vitamin B12 deficiency, which can be treated with proper supplementation. Other vitamins, such as vitamin A show the opposite trend:high levels can be dangerous during pregnancy. Ensuring you have the right vitamin levels can help reduce these risks. Note that outside of prenatal vitamins, most studies have not shown that vitamin supplements affect the risk of miscarriage.
Thyroid hormones affect the whole body and can alter levels of other hormones, including those that play a role in pregnancy. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism have been linked to miscarriage risks.
Obese women, especially those with a BMI of 30 or more, have a much higher risk of miscarriage.
Women smokers have an increased risk of miscarriage compared to people who have never smoked. Studies have also shown that high levels of alcohol consumption around the time of conception by the mother or father can increase miscarriage cases. If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, now is a good time to quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption.
Exposure to lead, mercury, organic solvents, and ionizing radiation has been found to increase the risk of miscarriage. These toxins are probably not found in your home, but are sometimes present in work environments associated with intensive agriculture or industrial manufacturing facilities.
Getting pregnant again within six months of your last pregnancy could increase your risk of miscarriage, although this has not been definitively proven. Since this short interval between pregnancies can lead to other complications, including premature birth, it's best to give your uterus more time to recover.
Most miscarriages can be avoided this way. So unless your doctor has diagnosed a specific risk factor, such as a thyroid imbalance or a blood clotting disorder, they will usually recommend a healthy lifestyle, which includes:
Last point to know:most women who have had a miscarriage can have a happy pregnancy in the future. If you have had recurring miscarriages, 3 or more in a row, your doctor may suggest a test to try to find a specific cause.
