Miscarriage is one of the least talked about issue when it comes to pregnancy. It is one of the most prevalent factors that affects pregnancy adversely, but most people often tend to ignore it.
What is Miscarriage?
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is when the fetus dies inside the body of the mother within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is the most common type of pregnancy loss. Data from American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) shows that about 15% to 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage.
Another important point to be noted is that 80% of miscarriage cases occur in the first trimester i.e. during the first three months. This is one of the reasons why women tend to wait up until the 13th week before they announce their pregnancy.
Many women blame themselves for miscarriage. They believe that their own behavior among other things are the reasons that lead to miscarriage. But the fact remains that none of those are the reasons for a miscarriage and there is nothing one could do to prevent it.
Common factors leading to miscarriage
Hormonal Imbalance: Around 15% of miscarriage occur due to hormonal imbalance such as low level of progesterone which halts fertilised egg from being implanted in your uterus.
Chromosomes: The sperm and egg each bring 23 pairs of chromosomes to form 23 perfectly matched pairs of chromosomes. Any problem caused in this process would certainly result in miscarriage.
Chronic illness: Chronic illness like heart diseases, kidney or liver problems etc. can cause 6% of recurring miscarriage.
High Fever: If one has more than 102 degree body temperature during the early stages of pregnancy, it is most likely to lead to miscarriage. A high body temperature is harmful to the fetus before the first six weeks.
Drugs: If you consume any kind of drug it can affect the fetus and cause a miscarriage.
Smoking and Excessive Drinking: Just like drugs, even smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol may cause miscarriage.
Symptoms of Miscarriage
Miscarriage usually occurs during the early stages of pregnancy. Some of the women may not even experience any symptom of miscarriage at all.
The following are some of the common symptoms:
- Mild Cramps
- Stopping of pregnancy symptoms like nausea or vomiting
- Mild Cramps
- Back or abdomen pain
- White-pink mucus
- Vaginal bleeding
- Discharge of tissue or fluid from vagina