If you are pregnant, you might be worried about the possibility of miscarriage or loss of pregnancy. (This is called “miscarriage” when the pregnancy ends before the 20th week). Most of the time, this happens when you don’t have control over it. In reality, it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for miscarriage. Learning what causes it can help to relax your mind. It can also help you to improve your chances of having a healthy, full-term pregnancy.
What is a miscarriage?
Miscarriage, also called spontaneous abortion, is a spontaneous end to a pregnancy. About 1/3 to 1/2 of all pregnancies end up with a miscarriage before a woman misses a menstrual cycle or even knows she is pregnant. About 10% to 20% of women who know they are pregnant are going to miscarry.
Miscarriage is most likely to occur within the first 3 months of pregnancy, before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Just 1% of miscarriage happens after 20 weeks of gestation. This is a late miscarriage.
Why Do Miscarriages Happen?
According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), a genetic abnormality in the pregnancy is the most common cause of miscarriage. But there are many other causes, including:
- Thyroid problems,
- Diabetes,
- Immunological disorders,
- Drug abuse, and more
Here are the 7 reasons for miscarriage:
1. Chromosomal Abnormalities
The reason for up to 70% of the miscarriage in the first trimester and 20% of the miscarriage in the second trimester is a glitch in the genes of the fetus. During fertilization, sperm and egg both carry together 23 chromosomes to create perfectly matched pairs. This is a complex process, and a minor glitch may result in a genetic or chromosome abnormality.
The rate of miscarriage in women below the age of 20 is about 12 to 15 per cent. And the rate doubles when women reach the age of 40. There is nothing that can be done to prevent miscarriage due to chromosomal abnormality. And after a miscarriage has begun, nothing can be done to stop it.
2. Thyroid Disorder
Thyroid disorders may lead to infertility problems or cause repeated miscarriage. In cases where a woman’s thyroid level is low, her body will try to compensate for this by producing hormones that can inhibit ovulation. A thyroid that releases so many hormones can interfere with the ability of the estrogen to perform its work. This may make the uterus unfavourable for implantation or lead to excessive uterine bleeding.
3. Diabetes
Women with diabetes need to consult with their primary care provider to improve their sugar control. Uncontrolled insulin-dependent diabetes in the first trimester will lead to increased miscarriage rates. And this will mark a rise in the risk of major congenital disabilities.
4. Immune Disorders
The reason for repeated miscarriage may be certain autoimmune diseases cause Women that have an autoimmune disease, especially diseases such as lupus, produce a considerable amount of antibodies to their own body tissues. These antibodies raise the risk of miscarriage due to extreme preeclampsia or placental insufficiency. Early detection of immune disorder and proper treatment with drugs such as heparin and aspirin can increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy.
5. Physical Complications
Physical complications with the mother may be a common cause of miscarriage. This usually happens in the second or third half of the year. Here are a few examples:
- Uterine fibroids can interfere with the implantation of blood supply of the fetus.
- Some women are born with a septum, a rare uterine disorder associated with miscarriage.
- Women can develop scar tissue bands in the uterus as a consequence of surgery or second-term abortion. This scar tissue can prevent the egg from becoming properly implanted and may obstruct blood flow to the placenta.
Before pregnancy, a doctor can detect uterine defects by way of specialized X-rays. Most cases may be treated, which may reduce the risk of miscarriage.
6. Hormonal imbalance
Sometimes the body of a woman does not produce enough of the hormone progesterone. This hormone is required to help the uterine lining support the fetus and help the placenta to hold up. Because this isn’t very common, we normally wouldn’t test it unless a woman had multiple miscarriages. Medication can improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy.
7. Infection
Infections such as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and listeriosis can cause miscarriage. Like genital herpes and syphilis, STI is an illness caused by having sex with someone infected. If you think you may have an STI, inform your health care provider right away. Early testing and treatment will help protect both you and your child. Listeriosis is a kind of poisoning of food. If you think you have listeriosis, please contact your provider right away. Your provider can treat you with antibiotics to help keep you and your child safe. Any infections may cause miscarriage, but they are not likely to cause repeated miscarriage.
How Do I Decrease My Risk of Miscarriage?
In many cases, miscarriage cannot prevent miscarriage—especially where the cause is chromosome abnormalities that are not life-compatible. Even so, before you conceive, doctors advise you to improve your health to give your pregnancy the best chance to fight.
Generally, we advise women considering pregnancy:
- Visit their OB-GYN to check health conditions and medications,
- To take prenatal vitamins 2 to 3 months before they begin to conceive,
- Ensure that all their vaccines are up-to-date,
- Review their diet,
- Ensure that they limit or eliminate alcohol and caffeine in their diets. Those who use recreational medications are advised to stop.
Bear in mind, though, that you may not be able to prevent miscarriage from happening to you even though you followed all the advice.
The Bottom Line
Genetic factors, diet, and the environment play an important role in a healthy pregnancy. In certain cases, underlying medical conditions may cause early termination of pregnancy. The risks of miscarriage are significantly reduced as the pregnancy progresses. General knowledge of the risk factors will help to prevent pregnancy loss. If you are trying to conceive or are in the early stages of your pregnancy and have questions about your health, please contact a gynecologist to address your concerns. Having a healthy body is the first step towards a healthy pregnancy.
