Early Miscarriage: What Are The Causes?
- 20 Oct, 2021
- IVF and Infertility
- infertility
- Medically Reviewed By:
Dr. Nishi Singh - Author: Prime IVF Centre
The unfortunate event when a woman experiences a spontaneous loss of her pregnancy in the first trimester- before 12 weeks is termed as an early miscarriage. A miscarriage is frequently mistaken to be a period. Read on to know more about the possible causes, miscarriage causes, and prevention what you need to know if you are having a miscarriage, and recovery following it.
Table of Contents
Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye
1. What is a miscarriage?
- When a pregnancy ends unexpectedly before the fetus is able to survive on its own is called an early miscarriage or a chemical pregnancy.
- A miscarriage is common among the first few weeks of the pregnancy. Sometimes, if you do not know that you were pregnant, it is interpreted as an extra heavy menstrual flow.
- About one third to one-half of the pregnancies go through the phase of an early miscarriage.
- In about 15 to 20% of women who know they were pregnant, miscarriage occurs.
2. What are the signs of an early miscarriage?
Some signs indicate an early miscarriage has occurred. These include
- Spotting- Miscarriage mostly begins with spotting that progresses and takes a while to subside.
- During early pregnancy, bleeding starts lightly and slowly increases, This is an important indication of early miscarriage.
- Mucus discharge from the vagina - In some women, a light pink colored vaginal discharge may occur.
- Loss of weight
- Vaginal bleeding - The early pregnancy loss is accompanied by little or very heavy bleeding
- Abdominal cramps - When the uterus is trying to expel the contents, cramps in the abdomen may be experienced, and one of the common loss of pregnancy symptoms.
- Severe pain in the abdomen - When the uterus contracts, you may experience pain in the lower abdomen. This is one of the signs of early miscarriage.
- Pain in the back - Along with the uterine contractions, the muscles in the lower back also contribute to the expulsion of the uterine contents.
- Pain in the hips sometimes extending to the legs is common in early miscarriage.
- Bleeding has clots in it - The products of conception detach from the uterine wall and are expelled through the vagina in the form of clots.
- Lumps of blood appear in the vaginal bleeding. This is one of the important chemical pregnancy symptoms.
Some of the first signs of a missed miscarriage include:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Abdominal cramps
- Backache
3. What are the common causes of early miscarriage?
Abnormal chromosomes:
- About 50% of the miscarriages are due to the presence of chromosomal abnormalities.
- The baby receives two sets of chromosomes- one from each parent
- When any one of the sets of chromosomes are defective, miscarriage may occur.
- Some of the common conditions are:
- When the embryo fails to grow
- The embryo grows but does not progress appropriately as weeks progress.
- The placenta fails to develop correctly
- Two sets of chromosomes received from each of the parents have abnormalities
Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions in the mother may contribute to an early miscarriage such as:
- Congenital heart disease
- Severe renal disease
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Hormonal imbalances that affect the further growth of the fetus
- Dangerous levels of high blood pressure
- Intake of certain medications such as methotrexate, retinoids, NSAIDs, etc
- Chromosomal rearrangement in either of the parents
- Immune disorders such as lupus
- Thyroid disorders in the mother
- Streptococcal infections
- Malnutrition
- Blood clotting disorders
- The presence of STD s such as syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV, etc
- An incompetent cervix causing it to open early in labor causing the expulsion of the fetus
- Structural abnormalities of the uterus
Lifestyle
Certain lifestyle factors also influence the chances of a miscarriage:
- Smoking
- Drinking
- Drug abuse
- Prescription overuse
- Unhealthy body weight
Environmental factors
- Exposure to gases used in anesthesia
- Food poisoning
- External trauma
- Occupation chemical exposure including fumigants
- Use of drugs that are damaging to the growing fetus
Food poisoning
- Food poisoning occurs when ingested food contains organisms such as viruses or parasites, or other chemical food contaminants.
- These contaminants cause infection and induce a variety of changes in the body that induce premature uterine contractions resulting in miscarriage.
Medications
You must avoid the following medications during pregnancy to reduce the risk of miscarriage:
- Antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, sulfonamides
- Diclofenac
- Misoprostol
- Antimalarial drug such as primaquine
- Warfarin
- Lorazepam
4. What to do after an early miscarriage?
If you are sure you have had a miscarriage, you will need to do the following:
- You need complete rest - It may take a while for the body to recover from the miscarriage. Rest and a relaxed environment will provide the much-needed recuperation for the body
- Visit a gynecologist- He/ She will confirm that the miscarriage has taken place completely through an examination and an ultrasound
- Your hormone levels will be tested to ensure that the contents of the uterus have been pushed out completely.
- If the miscarriage has been incomplete, then a D&C ( dilatation and curettage ) along with medication may be necessary.
- After a D& C, the fetal tissue is sent for a laboratory examination to determine the cause of the miscarriage.
- Avoid strenuous activities for up to two weeks
- Abstain from the use of tampons for two weeks following the.
- Continue all the medications that your doctor has advised. This helps to prevent infections and other complications.
- Stay away from an intense workout.
- Do not douche the area or resort to the use of a vaginal wash
- It is best to avoid sexual intercourse for two weeks following the miscarriage.
- Exploring the common causes of miscarriage helps to avoid them in future.
5. Recovery after a miscarriage
Recovering after a miscarriage involves both physical and mental recuperation
Physical recovery
- Miscarriage is a traumatic event to the body and you will need adequate rest to help your body recover
- Drink at least 2 to 3 liters of water every day
- Eat a balanced diet that contains the right amount of iron, calcium, vitamins, and minerals.
- Take prescribed pain killers - they will make you comfortable and help you heal well
- Maintain good hygiene - Use pads for as long as you have bleeding. Change them once every few hours and maintain good hygiene.
- Keep a check on your temperature levels- A temperature of more than 100 degrees may indicate an infection during the period after a chemical pregnancy.
- Use hot/ cold compress to relieve pain and cramps.
- Maintain protein intake and include cheese, eggs, poultry, etc
- Resort to healthy fats such as wood pressed oils, butter, ghee, etc in moderation.
- Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, strawberries, dates, raisins, etc.
- If you are not planning to get pregnant any time soon, choose the right contraceptive after consulting your doctor.
Mental recovery
- Overcome the shock and denial- You need to accept that you have lost the fetus.
- Guilt and anger- It is not your fault and does not garner negative feelings against other pregnant women or others. These negative emotions will only prove detrimental to your own self.
- Keep yourself away from the stress- Divert yourself from the physical and mental pain. Give some time for the hormones to get back to pre-pregnancy levels and you will feel better with time.
- Channelize on exploring the cause- It is very important to find the root cause of teh miscarriage. This will help to prevent it in future pregnancies and avoid undue stress.
- Open up Discuss with other women who have gone through it and their experiences will reassure as well as teach you how to cope better with this early pregnancy loss.
- Exercise when you are ready- After consulting with your doctor, start with light activities such as walking. Enjoying your activity releases endorphins in your body that help you with the mood swings and help you heal better.
- Dealing with depression- If you are feeling depressed, talk to a professional who can help you overcome it and heal mentally.
6. How long after a miscarriage to try again
- Your body needs to heal - The WHO recommends waiting for six months but consult your doctor for the right time. Generally, two menstrual cycles are a good time for a break.
- Exploring the cause of miscarriage- Depending on the cause, your wait time may vary. Sometimes uncontrolled blood sugar levels or hypertension may be the cause. In such cases, you have to wait until the levels are stabilized to minimize the risk of miscarriage in the future.
- If the cause is a genetic abnormality, then genetic counseling is important to evaluate the medical history, the possibility of eliminating the risks, and exploring the chances of a healthy baby.
- Maintaining a healthy body weight to get the system ready for pregnancy soon.
Takeaway
Prime IVF center is the best IVF center in Delhi was started with the sole aim of providing services to couples struggling with infertility. We have a great level of commitment to patient care and maintain high ethical standards. Our experts realize that infertility treatment is the only hope of sunshine for many couples hoping to start a family. You will receive the best possible comprehensive care. Drop into experience the best care and the most advanced treatments and realize your dream of becoming a parent.
