What Causes Miscarriage

A miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of foetus before it is viable. A foetus is viable when it has the potential to survive outside the womb. The medical term for a miscarriage is spontaneous abortion. Usually, a miscarriage is the loss of a foetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. Miscarriage is one of the most common complications associated with early pregnancy. It is said that 50% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage -- most often before a woman misses a menstrual period or even knows she is pregnant. More than 80% of miscarriages occur within the first trimester of the pregnancy. Although miscarriage is relatively common, it can cause extreme mental trauma and devastation.

Signs and Symptoms of Miscarriage

• Miscarriage may be recognised mainly by vaginal spotting or bleeding, which can vary from a slight brownish discharge to very heavy bleeding. Some other symptoms include:
• Cramping and pain in the abdomen
• Fluid discharge from the vagina
• Tissue discharge from the vagina
• Feeling faint or light-headed
• Fever
• Weakness
• Backpain

Causes of Miscarriage

The causes of miscarriage are not well understood. There can be various causes of miscarriages, some of which are enumerated below.

• Chromosomal Abnormalities: Chromosomes are tiny structures inside the cells of the body which carry many genes. Genes are responsible for a person's physical characteristics, such as sex, hair and eye color, and blood type. Sometimes, when the egg and sperm meet, either one of them is faulty and then the chromosomes are not set properly. In that case, the resulting embryo has a chromosomal abnormality and the pregnancy usually results in a miscarriage. Miscarriages that occur during the first trimester are mainly related to chromosomal abnormalities in the baby.

• Uterine Abnormalities: Abnormally shaped wombs and the development of fibroids in the womb can put a developing foetus at severe risk. If you have a uterus that is “abnormally” shaped miscarriage occurs because the embryo either can’t implant or once it gets implanted, it can’t get the nourishment it needs to survive.

• Incompetent Cervixes:  The cervix is the neck of the womb. When the muscles of the cervix are weakened, they tend to open up too early during pregnancy resulting in miscarriage. Towards the end of the first trimester the foetus has grown large enough that the cervix starts to bulge. If the cervix gets weak, it can’t hold the foetus in.

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Women with PCOs have too-high levels of the male hormone testosterone which can also cause irregular ovulation and menstruation. This occurs when the ovaries are very big which causes hormonal imbalances in the womb.

• Placental problems: If abnormal development of the placenta occurs then the blood supply from the mother to the baby is limited. This can also be a cause of miscarriage.

• Lifestyle factors: habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illegal drugs can lead to miscarriage.  Women who work in certain environments—like operating rooms, farms, dental offices and hospital laboratories—have a higher rate of miscarriage for unknown reasons.

Miscarriage Myths

There are many misconceptions regarding miscarriage. Many people believe that indulging in sex and/or exercising can result in miscarriage, when in reality there is no evidence to suggest this. Some women believe that their mood can affect their baby - which isn't true. Nearly half of miscarriage cases have no apparent cause.