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Miscarriage
Miscarriages, unfortunately, are not uncommon. 1 in 5 pregnancies will result in a miscarriage. But behind this scary statistic is this important and reassuring fact: the majority of women who suffer a miscarriage will go on to have a healthy pregnancy in the future.
Most miscarriages happen during the first trimester. Your chances of having a miscarriage decrease as your pregnancy becomes better established.
If you've had a miscarriage, you may feel tempted to blame yourself, but in all likelihood it's not your fault.
Miscarriages happen for different reasons:
Genetics: Henry Lerner, author of "Miscarriage: Why It Happens and How to Reduce Your Risk", explains that to form a perfect embryo, each egg and sperm needs to carry an exact replica of the parents' genetic material. Because it's a precise, delicate process, sometimes it doesn't happen quite right. This results in an embryo that can't make it to term.
Structural Problems: Issues with the uterus — a septum (a wall made of tissue), polyps, etc. — can make it difficult for the embryo to grow, causing a miscarriage.
Hormones: Hormonal imbalances may make it difficult to support a pregnancy. Age, thyroid problems, and diabetes may all contribute to hormonal imbalances.
Infections: Sexually transmitted diseases and untreated urinary tract infections can cause miscarriages. Before you start trying to get pregnant, it's a good idea to get a clean bill of health from your doctor or midwife.
Immunological Problems: Basically, pregnancy demands that your body host a foreign entity in the form of your partner's half of the contribution. Sometimes a woman's body will reject an embryo due to immunological issues.
Environmental Factors: Smoking, certain medications, and too much caffeine can lead to problems in pregnancy and even miscarriage. But there are other environmental factors outside of our control. These include pollution in our food, water, and living spaces.
Generally your doctor or midwife won't order testing until you've had at least three miscarriages. This can be very frustrating if you've already suffered one or two and want to get testing now, but remember that most miscarriages are random events. However, if you are over 35 years old and suffer a miscarriage, you should undergo an evaluation before three losses because your fertility is decreasing rapidly.
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