Miscarriage often has no reason

Miscarriages are difficult at best and the emotional impact can take a toll. Right away, a woman wants to know what happened and if it will happen again. Sometimes there is no easy answer, perhaps even, no answer at all.

A miscarriage is defined as a spontaneous loss of pregnancy before 20 weeks. They are much more common than people realize since many pregnancies are lost before the woman even knows she is pregnant. Often times a late period is really a miscarriage. At least 10 to 20 percent of pregnancies end this way.

The source of a miscarriage is very unlikely anything the mother did. Running, heavy lifting, having sex or hot showers do not lead to a lost pregnancy. Sometimes the fetus doesn’t develop normally so the pregnancy ends. A genetic or chromosomal disorder may be the reason.

You may discover there is a health issue which led to the loss. Some disorders that may bring about miscarriage are diabetes, thyroid disease, infections, hormonal imbalances and structural abnormalities with the cervix or uterus.

If you have a miscarriage, it is unlikely your doctor will advise anything other than waiting, probably three months, to try again. Your risk of miscarriage does not increase after having a single incident. Should a second loss happen, doctors will investigate more aggressively. A genetic analysis of both parents will be done to see if there is something there. A physical exam and perhaps other tests.

But the important thing is to know that miscarriage is no one’s fault and not due to any one’s action. It happens. Sometimes it’s nature needing to start over and sometimes there is a more substantive problem that needs attention. It is heart wrenching emotional to lose the source of your plans for the future. But you can try again.

Source: May Clinic, LA Times