THE BASICS OF RECURRENT PREGNANCY LOSS FROM A COLORADO FERTILITY CLINIC

Spontaneous miscarriages are not rare. Rather, they are quite common. Out of every 100 fertilized eggs, only 20 to 25 pregnancies actually come to term. When a woman finds out that she’ll become a mom, it is usually the best moment of her life. Then the first problem comes in picture: Will the baby be all right? Those women, who experience pregnancy loss are haunted by many questions: “What happened? Am I wrong? What if it happens again?”

By definition of American Society for Reproductive Medicine, recurrent pregnancy loss is a disease, distinct from infertility, defined by two or more failed pregnancies.

According to this source, after three or more losses, a thorough evaluation is required. Although approximately 25 percent of all recognized pregnancies result in miscarriages. Also, less than 5 percent of women will experience two consecutive miscarriages, and only 1 percent experience three or more.

Causes of Miscarriage

Miscarriage may be prevented, and treated. Therefore, we must know how miscarriage happens. In 50 percent of such cases, the cause of miscarriage isn’t known. Therefore, miscarriage cannot be prevented, or cannot be treated.

• Malformations – There are miscarriages in early pregnancy, which are mostly a random error of nature during formation of the embryo.

• Lack of pregnancy hormones – A small percentage of miscarriages are caused by a lack of pregnancy hormone in the early phases. This usually happens with pregnancy as a result of the process of in vitro fertilization.

• Thrombophilia – There is a situation where the baby’s heart stops beating, which is due to the disturbance in the blood of a pregnant woman. This disorder is called thrombophilia.

• Infection – In the later stages of pregnancy (14, 15, 16 weeks, and so on), miscarriage can be caused by infections in a pregnant women (or fetus). Around week 20 and onwards, weakness of the cervix can lead to miscarriage. Infection is treated with varying appropriate treatments. When there is a weakness of the cervix, the doctor conducts an intervention, called cervical cerclage.

• Other causes – There are a number of other causes of miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, using of illegal and harmful drugs, disorders of immune system, severe kidney disease, heart diseases, diabetes (which is not under control), thyroid disease, radiation, some types of medication, and severe malnutrition.

Symptoms of Miscarriage

• Bleeding that progresses from mild to severe
• Serious cramps
• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• Weakness
• Backache

Diagnostic Evaluation for Pregnancy Loss with a Fertility Clinic

• Ultrasound –By using an ultrasound, the doctor determines the condition of the embryo. The doctor will determine how the embryo looks, and if there is any anomalies. A doctor can easily figure out the proper development of the baby.

• Amniotic fluid – Then they will look at the amount of amniotic fluid.

• Laboratory tests – There are numerous blood tests that help with the diagnosis of miscarriage.

Miscarriage Treatment

As there are different treatments for miscarriage, there are also many types of pregnancy loss.

• Doctors often advise women to rest. Woman should abstain from sexual intercourse. She should avoid strenuous physical activity.

• Taking of progesterone is recommended by Denver fertility doctors.

• Avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

• A woman with an Rh-negative blood type produces antibodies against the Rh-positive cells, including those in her baby. Regularly monitoring Rh-positive mother’s blood to reduce antibodies is important. Also the mother must take Rh immunoglobulin.

Final Thoughts

If the miscarriage causes severe pain or extensive bleeding or if it takes longer, women should talk to their doctor about using medicines or carrying out operations. This surgery is called curettage, where the uterus is cleaned. If a woman has had two or more miscarriages consecutively, blood tests, genetic tests, and medications may be required.

According to statistics, 85 percent of women who experience miscarriage have a normal pregnancy and normal childbirth in the future. If a woman has had a miscarriage, it does not mean that there is a problem with fertility. On the other hand, approximately 1 to 2 percent of women have recurrent pregnancy loss.