Recurrent miscarriage is a condition when there has been three or more successive pregnancy losses. It is different from infertility as, infertility is the inability to conceive. For many cases, the cause of a recurrent miscarriage has not always been found. A number of factors can cause recurrent miscarriages of which some are treatable.It may not always be possible to identify a cause for recurrent miscarriage in a couple, even after extensive research and treatment procedures. Some of the common causes of recurrent miscarriage are described below:
1. Chromosomal abnormalities: Incompatible chromosomes can result into pregnancy losses. When an egg and a sperm meet, of which one of them is faulty, they can't line up properly resulting into chromosomal abnormality. Such conditions lead to miscarriages.
2. Uterine abnormalities or Incompetent cervixes: Miscarriages occur if the uterus is abnormally shaped since the embryo is not properly implanted or even if it gets implanted, it may not get sufficient nourishment to survive. If the woman has a weak cervix, it cannot hold the developing embryo, leading to miscarriage.
3.  Immunologic disorders: Under rare cases, the embryo itself is not accepted by the body. Antiphospholipid antibodies are those, which attack self tissues, such as embryos and prevent them from building up. This leads to recurrent miscarriage.
4. Untreated thyroid problems: Conditions such as thyroid or uncontrolled diabetes result in uterine conditions which make it tough for the embryos to survive.
5. Polycystic ovary syndrome: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome tend to have high levels of male hormones which, result in irregular menstruation and ovulation. This can prevent the lining of the endometrium from maturing that is required for holding the embryo.
6. Bacterial infections: There may be presence of a number of microorganisms inside the reproductive tract that may be harmless for the person. But there may be certain bacteria lined up in the reproductive tract, which can prevent development of embryo, thus leading to miscarriages.
7.  Lifestyle: Smoking and drinking are harmful lifestyle habits, which may increase the chance of miscarriage to a great extent. It is always advised to avoid smoking or drinking when you wish to conceive. Other lifestyle conditions, such as working in certain environments like hospital environments, farms, laboratories, etc, may lead to miscarriages; however, the exact reason has not been identified yet.

Reasons For Recurrent Miscarriage

What is Miscarriage?

Miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of the foetus before it is able to survive on its own outside the womb. Miscarriage usually occurs within the first trimester of the pregnancy. It is a very common complication in early pregnancies.

Miscarriage can be a common complication, but it can have devastating effects on the minds of the parents.

Signs and Symptoms of Miscarriage:

The most common visible signs are slight to heavy bleeding from the vagina. But the other common symptoms are:

Dizziness, light-headedness

Discharge from the vagina

Tissue discharge from the vagina

Cramping and pain in the abdomen

It is advised to go visit your doctor if you experience any of the above signs and symptoms.

What causes a miscarriage?

Chromosomal Abnormalities: A lot of miscarriages are caused due to mismatched chromosomes. Some women who have experienced miscarriage over two times may learn through tests that there are chromosomal abnormalities that may not affect them but prevent them from getting pregnant.

Abnormalities in the Uterus: Sometimes, the uterus may be too hostile to house a foetus. It can be a genetic disorder or a non-genetic disorder like fibroids or cysts that can lead to a spontaneous abortion.

Hormones: Low levels of progesterone in the body can lead to problems with implantation of the foetus.

Obesity: Studies have shown that every 1 in 4 women who are obese before the conception lose the foetus to spontaneous abortion.

Drugs and Toxins: Consuming alcohol or smoking during the pregnancy is seen to increase the risk of miscarriages manifold. Also, women who are exposed to toxins present in plastic such as Bisphenol A are seen to undergo miscarriage more often than women who are not exposed to such toxic substances. Coffee can be consumed in moderate levels during pregnancy.

Infections: Infections including Mycoplasma can infect the uterine lining and unknowingly cause complications such as miscarriage. Women who have undergone multiple gynaecologic procedures are seen to be at increased risks.

Diabetes: When the diabetes becomes uncontrolled, it can increase the risks of miscarriage.

7 Most Common Causes Of Miscarriage

The most devastating period for any pregnant women is a miscarriage. This normally happens because of genetic abnormality noticed in the fetus caused due to tripling of a chromosome. This is also called  spontaneous abortion  because the body rejects the random genetic abnormality. Apart from this, there are many other reasons for miscarriage namely blood clotting, deshaped uterus, uterine fibroids, unhealthy cervix and so on. Now, this could lead you to the next question - What can we do to prevent miscarriage?

Time to meet the gynecologist:
When there is tripling of chromosomes or genetic mismatch, the body actually rejects the fetus, thereby preventing birth of an unhealthy baby. But, if the miscarriage repeats several times, then you have to meet your gynecologist for further tests and appropriate medical intervention.

Symptoms of miscarriage:
In the normal course, when miscarriage occurs, the women would experience back pain or vaginal bleeding or blood in the vaginal mucus or cramping or abdominal pain. Ironically, sometimes the miscarriage may happen without any of these symptoms. It would get noticed only during routine scanning. However, in the normal course, the chance of a miscarriage is highest before the 12th week. But if miscarriage happens after the 12th week and before the 24th week, then it is called spontaneous abortion. Thereafter, it is known as a  still born  baby.

However, there are some steps that can help women prevent a miscarriage. These steps are briefly explained here.

Nicotine retards growth of fetus and it is for this reason the couple should shun smoking, months before they plan pregnancy. This change in lifestyle has remarkable effects in preventing miscarriage. Similarly, caffeine can also be the cause of miscarriage. Therefore, women should regulate their intake of coffee as per the advice given by the gynaecologist.
Women suffering from chronic ailments like lupus, problems with thyroid, epilepsy and such other ailments are prone to a miscarriage. Similarly, it is also advisable that women should get tested for STD/HIV because these ailments can cause a miscarriage. Women suffering from such ailments should be under constant medical care.
In addition to these, the women should take food rich in vitamins, proteins, Omega-3 and fibres. Further, they should also do physical exercises as per the instructions given by the gynaecologist. One should drink enough water so as to keep oneself sufficiently hydrated. Women must practice meditation, which helps in reducing stress.
The causes of a miscarriage are many; women should discuss about the issues relating to a miscarriage with their gynaecologist. This helps them take appropriate preventive steps against this unwanted situation.

Miscarriage - Can You Prevent it?

For some women, having their own children is not as easy as it seems. Suffering from more than two or more miscarriages is known as recurrent miscarriage. This experience affects every aspect of a woman s life from her mental and emotional health to her physical health and social well-being. 

It is important for a woman undergoing this experience to keep in mind that she can still give birth to a healthy baby even after recurrent miscarriages.

Look after your health: Miscarriages are not very uncommon and in many instances are a result of the woman s body not being able to take the strain if a growing fetus. Hence, pay attention to your health to prepare your body for future pregnancies. Avoid smoking, alcohol, caffeine and exposure to toxins that can cause fertility problems. Eat healthy food and start taking a multivitamin with folic acid on a daily basis. Exercise regularly, but avoid strenuous activities that involve heavy lifting or dangerous contact sports. Yoga is great for pregnant women or women planning a family as it tones your body keeps your stress levels low.
Talk to people: A miscarriage can affect your emotional health and self-image, but you must remember that you are in a way responsible for the miscarriage. Talk to other women who have had a similar experience and share your feelings with them. Men and women cope with a miscarriage in different ways and hence work on communicating your feelings with your partner. Do not suppress your feelings, but acknowledge them and work through them. You may also find it beneficial to talk to a counsellor or get involved with a support group.
Give yourself a break: It s ok to not attend your friend s baby shower when you ve recently suffered a miscarriage. Instead of surrounding yourself with your friend s babies and children, take a break and pay attention to yourself. Develop a hobby or find something to keep yourself busy. Take a holiday with your partner and find ways to reconnect with them. Find your own way of acknowledging the pregnancy. This could be in the form of writing about it, naming the baby or planting a tree in memory of the baby.
Get proactive: Don t sink into despair because of your miscarriages. Educate yourself about the various reasons you may have miscarried the baby by reading books or talking to medical professionals. This can help prevent future miscarriages.

Recurrent Miscarriage - How to Deal With It?

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

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.


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