Miscarriage: An Overview

What is a miscarriage?

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 20 weeks. It is usually your body’s way of ending a pregnancy that has had a bad start. The loss of a pregnancy can be very hard to accept.

You might wonder why it happened or blame yourself. But a miscarriage is no one’s fault, and you can’t prevent it.

Miscarriages are very common. About 1 in 4 pregnancies end in a miscarriage.1 It is also common for a woman to have a miscarriage before she even knows that she is pregnant.

What causes a miscarriage?

Most miscarriages happen because the fertilized egg in the uterus does not develop normally. A miscarriage is not caused by stress, exercise, or sex. In many cases, physicians don’t know what caused the miscarriage.

The Risk of Miscarriage is lower after the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy.
What are the common symptoms?

Common signs of a miscarriage include:

Bleeding from the vagina. The bleeding might be light or heavy, constant or off and on. It can sometimes be hard to know whether light bleeding is a sign of miscarriage. But if you have bleeding with pain, the chance of a miscarriage is higher. Pain in the belly, lower back, or pelvis. Tissue that passes from the vagina.

How is a miscarriage diagnosed?

Call your physician if you think you are having a miscarriage. If your symptoms and a pelvic exam do not show whether you are having a miscarriage, your physician can do tests to see if you are still pregnant.

How is it treated?

No treatment can stop a miscarriage. As long as you do not have heavy blood loss, a fever, weakness, or other signs of infection, you can let a miscarriage follow its own course. This can take several days.

If you have Rh-negative blood, you will need a shot of Rhogam. This prevents problems in future pregnancies. If you have not had your blood type checked, you will need a blood test to find out if you are Rh-negative.

Many miscarriages complete on their own, but sometimes treatment is needed. If you are having a miscarriage, work with your physician to watch for and prevent problems. If the uterus does not clear swiftly enough, you could lose too much blood or develop an infection. In this case, medicine or a procedure called a dilation and curettage (D&C) can more swiftly clear tissue from the uterus.

A miscarriage doesn’t happen all at once. It usually takes place over several days, and symptoms vary. Here are some tips for dealing with a miscarriage:

Use pads instead of tampons. You will probably have vaginal bleeding for a week or so. It might be like or slightly heavier than a normal period. You might use tampons during your next period, which should begin in 3 to 6 weeks. Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) for cramps. Read and follow all instructions on the label. You might have cramps for several days after the miscarriage. Eat a balanced diet that is high in iron and vitamin C. You might be low in iron because of blood loss. Foods rich in iron include red meat, shellfish, eggs, beans, and leafy green vegetables. Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, and broccoli. Speak to your physician about whether you need to take iron pills or a multivitamin. Speak with family, friends, or a counselor if you are having trouble dealing with the loss of your pregnancy. If you feel very depressing or depressed for longer than 2 weeks, speak to a counselor or your doctor. Speak with your physician about any future pregnancy plans. Most physicians recommend that you move until you have had at least one normal period before you try to get pregnant again. If you don’t want to get pregnant, ask your physician about birth control options.

After a miscarriage, are you at risk for miscarrying again?

Miscarriage is usually a chance event, not a sign of an ongoing problem. If you have had one miscarriage, your chances for future successful pregnancies are good. It is uncommon to have three or more miscarriages in a row. But if you do, your physician might do tests to see if a health problem might be Causing the Miscarriages.

Why and when do miscarriages typically happen? What are the warning signs and can they be prevented? Parents television host Juli Auclair talks to an Ob/Gyn to an those questions and much more.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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