A
miscarriage could be explained as the loss of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. Miscarriage is a spontaneous abortion. The word "spontaneous" is the key word here
because the condition is not an abortion in the common definition of the term.
According to research, 50% of all pregnancies
end in miscarriage. Mostly, it often occurs before a woman misses a menstrual
period or even knows she is pregnant.
Most miscarriages occur within the first three months of
pregnancy. Miscarriages are less likely to occur after 20 weeks gestation.
SYMPTOMS:
- Bleeding
- Severe cramps
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Weakness
- Back pain
WHAT CAUSES MISCARRIAGE?
Most
miscarriages happen when the unborn baby has fatal genetic problems. Most at
times, these problems are unrelated to the mother.
Other
causes of miscarriage include:
- Infection
- Medical /
Health conditions in the mother, such as diabetes, thyroid disease etc
- Hormonal
issues
- Immune
system problems
- Physical
problems in the mother
- Uterine
abnormalities
A
woman has a higher risk of miscarriage if she is over 35 years of age.
CERVICAL
INSUFFICIENCY:
Wikipedia
defined cervical insufficiency (cervical incompetence) as a medical condition
in which a pregnant woman’s cervix begins to dilate (widen) and efface (thin)
before her pregnancy has reached term.
Symptoms
may occur before a miscarriage caused by cervical insufficiency. They may
include; feel of sudden pressure, her "water" may break, tissue from
the fetus
may be expelled without much pain.
An incompetent cervix can usually be treated
with a "circling" stitch in the cervix in the next pregnancy, usually
around 12 weeks. The stitch holds the cervix closed until it is pulled out
around the time of delivery. A stitch may also be placed even if there has not
been a previous miscarriage if cervical incompetency is discovered early
enough.
CAN
YOU GET PREGNANT FOLLOWING A MISCARRIAGE?
Yes. 85% of women who have miscarriages
have subsequent normal pregnancies and births. Having experienced a miscarriage
does not necessarily mean you have a fertility problem.
If you experience two to three miscarriages in a row, it’s
advised you stop trying to conceive, use a form of birth control, meet your health care provider for diagnostic tests so
as to determine the cause of your miscarriages.
Determine the timing of your next pregnancy
from your health care provider after all checkups to prevent another. Its
recommended one takes time to heal physically and emotionally before trying
again. Counseling is advised and pregnancy support groups to help with
emotional healing.
CAN
I PREVENT A MISCARRIAGE?
Miscarriages cannot be prevented, it’s spontaneous
and often occurs due to an abnormal pregnancy. It is advised a woman goes for a
general checkup before conception so as to reduce chances of miscarriages and
treat underlying health problems.
Sometimes, treatment of a mother's illness can improve
the chances for a successful pregnancy.
