For a mother, a miscarriage is the last thing she would want to hear. It can pin her down psychologically, leading to trauma and stress in unfathomable measures. To understand miscarriage better: it is a condition wherein there is a loss of pregnancy within the first 22 weeks of getting pregnant. The primary symptom of a miscarriage is bleeding from the vagina. So if you experience vaginal bleeding during this phase, then consult a doctor for further guidance.

Why do they occur?
There are many reasons as to why a miscarriage may occur and no study has been able to put a finger on any one specific cause. Having said that, miscarriages are mainly caused due to the presence of unusual chromosomes in the baby. Chromosomes are genetic material that directs the growth and development of a baby. Chromosomes present in either excess numbers or less can hinder the development of the baby. If the miscarriage occurs during the second trimester (14th to 26th week), then it can be accrued to a health anomaly in the mother. A miscarriage may also occur because of a weak cervix as a weak cervix will not be able to hold a pregnancy. This condition is called cervical insufficiency and occurs when the woman is in her second trimester.

Is it possible to prevent them?
In most cases, miscarriages cannot be prevented. For women who have suffered multiple miscarriages, multiple medications might be required to help with their subsequent pregnancies. Following a healthy lifestyle is recommended as it can minimize the risk of a miscarriage. One must abstain from smoking and substance abuse and limit consumption of alcohol in order to keep the body in optimal condition. It is advised to maintain optimal weight levels and eat a well-balanced diet.

Post miscarriage
A miscarriage is a very traumatic experience for a mother to be; it can be emotionally debilitating. That is the reason counseling can help in times such as these. Start planning for a baby only once the symptoms have subsided and you have also had a period post the miscarriage. It is important to make sure that you are physically and emotionally ready to have a baby. Remember, a miscarriage doesn t mean the end of the world. One can enjoy a fully healthy and a successful pregnancy even after a miscarriage.

Miscarriage - Why it Happens?

Once the reality of the positive pregnancy test sets in, dreaming about the yet-to-arrive begins. Curiosity about gender, options for names, ways to manage, shopping ideas, etc., begin to get discussed. And then totally out of the blue the news comes that there is a miscarriage. This is one of the most depressing phases. It is very important for the family to be around and support each other. While the entire family is upset and hurt over the news, the mother needs most care as there is just not emotional but a huge physical component also to the episode. On the other hand, remember that miscarriages are extremely common, and is no indication of a fertility issue.

The first step would be to diagnose and confirm the miscarriage. After that, depending on whether it was complete or incomplete, some medical intervention might be required. In most cases, medications like misoprostol are given to expel the uterine contents. These help by clearing out the contents in about a couple of days' time. In some cases, a D and C might be required if your doctor suspects that medication will not suffice. This also helps identify if there is any issue in the uterus that could have caused the miscarriage.

While the above take care of the physical part, the emotional component also requires cautious management. Needless to say, this is trickier than the earlier one.

Mourn to your heart's content - When you have nursed a life within you and have lost it, it is very normal to cry for its loss. There would be a mix of emotions - shock, denial, confusion, anger, grief, depression, etc. Take some solace from that fact that this is nature's way of removing unhealthy fetuses.

Get someone to talk to - Need not be your husband, but anybody whom you can talk to without having to watch words. A sibling, a good friend, a close relative - your choice. Make sure you don't pick ones who will judge and sympathize with you. More than sympathy, you need someone understanding and knowledgeable.

Socialize more - As you would have kept to yourself post your positive test, use this time to socialize more and meet friends whom you have not regularly been in touch with. Close family members, your children (if you already have), society groups, movie groups, etc., help to a great extent.

Formal medical counseling: If you are not able to cope with your regular circle of family and friends, try seeking professional advice from counseling.

Spirituality - Whether you believe in temple or churches, spend some time there. Involve in some religious activity if you would like, this helps very often.

As much as it is painful and traumatic, it is not very uncommon or unnatural. Get back on your feet, the sooner you do, the better.

Miscarriage - Ways To Recover

A miscarriage is generally characterized by the loss of a fetus before the passage of around one forty days of pregnancy. In medical terminology, a miscarriage is usually referred to as a spontaneous abortion, precisely because it happens spontaneously. According to studies, about 50% of all pregnancies end up in miscarriages and around 80% of miscarriages occur within the first three months of pregnancy. If they happen to occur after the passage of twenty weeks of gestation, they are normally termed as late miscarriages.


Causes
The most common cause of miscarriages is primarily due to the presence of some fatal or critical genetic problem in the unborn baby, which may or may not be in any way related to the mother. Apart from this, there is a host of other causes which are held responsible for miscarriages. These may include:
1. Cervical insufficiency (weakness of the cervix)
2. Infection
3. Hormonal imbalances
4.  Physical problems in the mother
5. Medical problems in the mother
6. Immune system responses
7. Uterine abnormalities


Symptoms
Here are a few indicators of a miscarriage:
1. Bleeding (which can vary from light to heavy bleeding)
2. Abdominal pain
3. Weakness
4. Severe cramps
5. Fever
6. Back pain


Treatment
1. Treatment of miscarriages normally involves three steps - a pelvic exam, an ultrasound test and blood tests to confirm whether or not it is a miscarriage.
2. If the miscarriage is complete and yet the uterus is still not emptied of its contents, then it may be necessary for you to undergo a dilation and curettage operation.
3. If you have gone through multiple miscarriages in the past, then the treatment will probably involve a pelvic ultrasound, a hysterosalpingogram or a hysteroscopy.


Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Miscarriage

Miscarriage is the early loss of foetus within 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is also known as  spontaneous abortion . According to research, about 8-20% of the pregnancies end in miscarriage. Out of the total number of miscarriages, 80% of them end within 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Types of Miscarriages and their Symptoms 

Threatened Miscarriage   As the term suggests, in this condition the process of miscarriage might have begun. This is the initial stage of the process. In threatened miscarriage, there is slight bleeding accompanied by cramps and pain in the lower back, which is usually mild. The cervix (the lower part of the uterus) remains closed. 
Inevitable and Incomplete Miscarriage   In these conditions, there is bleeding along with an open cervix. When there is dilatation and thinning of the cervix, miscarriage is inevitable. In incomplete miscarriage, part of the tissue comes out and a part remains inside the uterus. In inevitable and incomplete abortions, the bleeding and cramps are more severe. 
Complete Miscarriage   Complete miscarriage is when the embryo has completely emptied from the uterus. The pain and bleeding reduce once the foetus is expelled. This can be confirmed through ultrasound. 
Missed Miscarriage   In Missed miscarriage, there is no sign of the life of the embryo and there is no expulsion of the embryo. It can be detected from the absence of heartbeat of the embryo found on ultrasound. 
Recurrent Miscarriage   It happens when there are two or three miscarriages one after the other. It affects about 1% of the pregnancies. 
Risk Factors 

Increased maternal age i.e., women above 35 years. 
Excess or insufficient chromosome in embryo. 
Placenta is the organ which links mother and the baby for blood supply. Problem in the development of placenta can cause miscarriage. 
Excessive smoking and drinking during pregnancy. 
Obese women have higher risk of miscarriage. 
Long-term health conditions like high blood sugar, high blood pressure, liver disease etc.
Infections like rubella, malaria etc. 
Weakened cervix, which is the result of previous injury or surgery, can also result in miscarriage. 
What are the symptoms of a miscarriage? 

Bleeding or spotting can be one of the symptoms of miscarriage. It should be kept in mind that not all pregnant women who suffer from spotting or bleeding, end in miscarriage. 
Lower backache starts before or right after bleeding, which can be persistent or you could have cramps which may be mild or sharp and can feel like more of pelvic pressure. 
Missed miscarriages are detected through ultrasound when the doctor finds that there is no heartbeat of the embryo or when the uterus is not growing. 
What are the treatment options in miscarriage? 

Medical   In most of the cases, there are no specific drugs to stop a miscarriage from occurring. In some cases, certain hormonal preparations help. There is no point in prescribing medicines for prevention of miscarriage if there is heavy bleeding. 
Surgery   Dilatation and evacuation (D&E) is a simple operation which is done under general/local anaesthesia. In this operation, the cervical canal is dilated and contents present in the uterus are evacuated. There is no cutting involved as it happens through the vagina. The process needs only five to ten minutes, but the patient has to stay in the hospital for about 3-4 hours. 
This process is opted when: 

There is heavy bleeding. 
The patient suffers from missed miscarriage. 
What can you do to prevent miscarriage? 

Nothing much can be done to prevent miscarriage in most of the cases. However, following supportive measures may help: 

There should not be overexertion during pregnancy. Moderate amount of physical activity is permissible. 
One should have a well-balanced diet. Studies have shown that a diet loaded with fruits and veggies helps in overall well-being during pregnancy. One should limit the consumption of caffeine. 
Avoid smoking, alcohol and certain drugs to prevent miscarriage. 
Avoid stress and anxiety. 
Report to Doctor (preferably Obstetrician) as soon as any symptom related to miscarriage appears.

Miscarriage - Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

Natural therapies are a great option to support your body and prepare it for pregnancy. As with any approach trying to decrease the chance of miscarriage, these steps will help to nourish and support the body, inviting a healthy pregnancy to occur.

Preparing ahead of time for your pregnancy is also important for decreasing the chance of a miscarriage, these steps must be practiced for at least 3 months before you become pregnant again. If you are currently experiencing a miscarriage contact your doctor or midwife right away.

Prepare for conception: The first step is to prepare your body with fertility cleansing. Fertility cleansing helps you to support the liver in cleansing the body of old toxins and excess hormones while encouraging the uterus to cleanse itself of  old  contents, increasing uterine circulation and tone.

Eat a nutrient dense fertility diet: The next step is to nourish and build up your body to be a healthy, baby friendly body. This can be done through eating a well balanced and nutritious diet. What you eat has a strong impact on:

The health of your eggs
Your hormonal balance
Creating a healthy placenta
Decreases chance of a miscarriage
Building nutrient storage for baby
Creating a healthy reproductive system
Build a healthy foundation: One of the major foundational steps to increase your chance of having a healthy pregnancy is to take some basic vitamins, minerals, and EFA s. There are specific vitamins and minerals that are necessary for a healthy reproductive system, hormonal balance, and ovulation. Essential fatty acids are also extremely important for miscarriage prevention.

Apply fertility or abdominal massage: Another important element of promoting a healthy conception is to increase circulation to the uterus. Through applying a simple massage method called self fertility massage you are able to increase the circulation to the uterus, clear adhesions and congestion.

4 Steps to Decrease the Chance of Recurrent Miscarriage

Recurrent pregnancy loss is termed as the occurrence of three or more miscarriages. Recently, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine has altered the definition and limited the number of miscarriages to two. A pregnancy loss can only be termed so if the pregnancy is clinically recognized and is ends involuntarily before 20 weeks. The pregnancy loss must be identified by a registered doctor to term it as pregnancy loss.

What are the major causes of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss?
There could be a lot of reasons behind recurrent pregnancy loss. Most of the pregnancy failure happens from reasons such as abnormalities of the genes, chromosomes and other random events. It is estimated that close to 15 percent of the pregnancies end up in miscarriages. While 30-60 percent of the pregnancies expire within the first 12 weeks, fifty percent of the women are believed to be not aware of the pregnancy in the first place. The risk of miscarriage, however, is less than 50 percent.

An advanced maternity age is another crucial factor towards recurrent 2pregnancy loss. The risk of miscarriage dramatically increases among these women owing to their poor quality of egg, abnormalities in the chromosome etc. At a time, it has been observed that either the father or the mother might have irregularities in the gene leading to early miscarriage.

An abnormality in the uterus might also be a reason for a miscarriage. Poor blood supply and inflammation of the uterus are two of the topmost reason for miscarriages among many women. While some women born with a defective uterus, some develop uterus anomalies due to lifestyle and unhealthy life practices.

Last but not the least, a woman s immune system might also play a pivotal role towards a miscarriage. Certain hormonal irregularities, diabetes and thyroid diseases might lead to a miscarriage. Then there are the environmental factors such as stress, occupational factors, lifestyle practices etc that contributes towards a miscarriage.

What are the tests conducted?
To evaluate the exact reason for repeated miscarriages, a doctor performs a detailed physical and surgical examination. Some other areas where a doctor sneaks into include family history, genetic history etc. A karyotype test might also be prescribed in case a doctor feels the need of doing so. The uterus cavity and the uterus are closely monitored to understand any potential lack in the anatomy. This is followed by a list of imaging tests that a doctor might prescribe. These include MRI, X-ray, hysteroscopy etc.

What are the treatment options?
The treatment options are decided based on the finding of the tests. Sometimes plain medicines along with antibiotics can cure the condition, while sometimes surgery might be required to fix any potential threat within the uterus. In any case, the probability of future pregnancy after treatment goes as high as 77 percent.


Recurrent Pregnancy Loss - Things You Should Avoid!

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