Miscarriage: why it occurs, the main doubts and treatments

Miscarriage: why it occurs, the main doubts and treatments


The worst news for a pregnant woman is knowing that the embryo inside her belly has not survived. Check out the top questions about miscarriage

Pregnancy loss is a “common” experience in a woman’s reproductive life. About 15% of first pregnancies do not develop into full term. Although the number is large, the episode is still painful when it occurs. It is defined when a pregnancy, for some reason, does not result in a live baby. It could happen up to 20 weeks of gestationor if the weight of the fetus is less than 500 grams.




The most common is called from the medical literature early abortion. “It is the picture that presents itself before the 12th week of pregnancy,” explains Carlos Moraes, gynecologist and obstetrician member of Febrasgo (Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Associations). The term, however, does not appeal to most mothers who have gone through this painful experience.

The reason is in the definition of the word. In the English language, “abortion” is a deliberate termination of pregnancy through a medical procedure, while a gestational loss“maladministration”, it is against the will of the mother. Even if there has been no change in language, the explanation of the event can reassure the couple.

Losing the child spontaneously means a good reading of the body which, faced with genetically malformed embryos, interrupts the process of maintaining the pregnancy, says gynecologist Alberto d’Auria, clinical director of the Hospital e Maternidade São Luiz, in São Paulo.

The expert underlines this many women are not even aware they are pregnant. Sometimes menstruation is three days late and that’s the problem. Others have bleeding and cramping. These symptoms, however, need not be a cause for despair. Some mothers lose blood and experience pain in the first trimester, without compromising the evolution of the pregnancy.

When the miscarriage occurs more than twice, it is necessary to investigate whether there are other factors causing the problem. Diabetes, thyroid and uterine dysfunction, and infections lead to fetal loss. Autoimmune diseases, in which a woman’s body sees pregnancy as a foreign protein, or a lack of progesterone can also cause miscarriages. Since these situations are not predictable, it is necessary to observe the situation and then investigate its causes.Albert warns.



Illustration of sad and tired woman

How does miscarriage happen?

Pregnancy loss up to 12 weeks is the most common and its main cause is the child’s genetic problems. “The embryo that forms is not healthy and it is a natural process to terminate the pregnancy,” explains Carlos. It could happen due to chromosomal abnormalities and maternal reproductive tract abnormalities, like a bicornuate uterus. Depending on the period in which the loss occurs, the fetus is completely expelled from the uterus itself.

What are the symptoms of miscarriage?

The main symptom is bleeding. The discharge is usually preceded by bright or dark red blood as the uterus contracts and cramps, informs the Ministry of Health. .

During pregnancy, is all the bleeding a concern?

Up to the fifth week of pregnancy, Bleeding may occur due to embryo implantation. It lasts a day or two and is considered normal. 20% to 30% of pregnant women will have a bleeding episode by week 20 of their pregnancy, and only half of those will result in a leak, MS points out. But, if you have any symptoms, notify your doctor.as only he can assess whether there is cause for concern.

Why is the first trimester of pregnancy the most critical?

Why it is in the first three months of pregnancy that most losses occur, early (up to 12 weeks) or late (up to 20 weeks). It works like natural selection, as the body tries to reject the embryo that is not well formed.

Is treatment necessary after a miscarriage?

If the fetus and the placenta they were completely expelled from the uterus, no action is required. If this does not happen, it is possible to administer drugs that cause the expulsion of the material or to carry out procedures for this purpose, as is the case with curettage. The most important treatment is the psychological one, to help the couple do it dealing with feelings of hurt and guilt that may arise.

After having a miscarriage, how long should a woman wait before trying to get pregnant again?

Depends. If there had been the expulsion without going through interventions, just wait for your period to come normally and, in the next cycle, it is possible to become pregnant. According to MS, about 15 days after the event the body would already be fit. However, doctors suggest waiting at least three months – especially if the woman has undergone curettage or other surgery. The guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) is more extensive, with remainder of 6 months. Keep in mind that while one miscarriage occurs the risk of another increases, most mothers manage to get pregnant again and have a healthy baby.

How to prevent miscarriage?

It is important to evaluate the causes of the leak. There is no prevention for chromosomal alterations. However, what every woman can and should do is pre-conception testing to find out if there is any genetic alteration or autoimmune disease – as well as taking folic acid three months before pregnancy. There are risk factors for this to happen againsuch as age over 35, reproductive abnormalities and diabetes, inform the Member State.

Source: Terra

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