Later miscarriage and stillbirth

Miscarriage

Distressed woman

Miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks. In most cases it can't be predicted or avoided.

How common is miscarriage?

One in four women experiences miscarriage at some point, and one in five pregnancies ends in this way. The most common time for a miscarriage is in the first 13 weeks. This is termed an 'early' miscarriage.

What causes miscarriage?

Because miscarriage is common and most women go on to have a normal pregnancy later, a cause isn't usually sought until a woman has suffered three. Then tests may be done, including examination of tissue samples from the miscarried fetus. However, it's thought that most miscarriages are the result of a genetic abnormality in the embryo or fetus. Half of all early miscarriages are caused by a chance abnormality that's unlikely to happen again. Some genetic abnormalities, however, are inherited. If you have repeated miscarriages, this would be investigated as a possible cause.

Other less common causes of miscarriage include:

* Abnormal hormone levels - can affect the body's ability to nurture a pregnancy.

* Problems with the cervix - if it opens too soon it can lead to late miscarriage.

* Problems with the uterus - it may be unusually shaped, divided in two by a thin membrane or there may be fibroids, all of which can restrict space for the foetus.

* Blood clotting disorders - blood flow affects the way early pregnancy is nourished and, later, how the placenta safeguards the foetus.

* Infection - blood infections and food poisoning, such as listeria, can (very rarely) lead to miscarriage.

Other problems that can lead to the end of the pregnancy include:

* Blighted ovum - pregnancy hormones make your periods stop because an egg is fertilised and a sac develops, but the fertilised egg doesn't grow any further (also known as 'anembryionic pregnancy' or pregnancy without an embryo).

* Molar pregnancy - the trophoblast (which would become the placenta) becomes a mass of fluid-filled cells. There may be no embryo, or only the early signs of one. This is very unusual and requires careful monitoring as rarely a molar pregnancy can lead to a cancerous tumour.

* Ectopic pregnancy - the foetus starts to develop outside the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. Symptoms include pain, fatigue and possibly bleeding. Surgery is required to end the pregnancy and prevent further complications.

Later miscarriage and stillbirth

Reasons for late miscarriages and stillbirths include:

* Poor nourishment by the placenta, which means the baby lacks oxygen and doesn't survive.

* An abnormality in the baby's development.

Sometimes babies die suddenly inside the womb without any apparent reason. In such cases, the mother often realises the baby has stopped moving - although you shouldn't assume this is the only reason for lack of movement if it happens to you. Babies vary in their activity levels, and may even sleep for long periods. If you think your baby has stopped moving, call the hospital. If there's any concern, it may be suggested that you come to the antenatal clinic so they can listen to the baby's heart. Miscarriage is not caused by lack of rest, lifting, stress, constipation, normal exercise or sex.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1036