Motherhood is still the main happiness for many women. Unfortunately, the unfavorable environmental situation, the deterioration in the quality of food, work and rest in many cases lead to the appearance of certain problems that arise during pregnancy. The article is devoted to the following questions: what is anembryony, what causes it and what leads to it.
Unwanted pregnancy
Recently, cases of non-developing pregnancy have become more frequent, one of the varieties of which is anembryony. Statistics say that up to 20% of women experience difficulties during pregnancy, are at risk of miscarriage in the early stages.
Another important cause of miscarriage is anembryony, that is, the absence of a fetal embryo. Currently, the following classification of anembryonic pregnancy has been adopted:
- type I anembryony;
- type II anembryony.
In type I, a woman’s uterus corresponds (in size) to the fifth to seventh week of pregnancy, and the fetus is not visualized. Moreover, the diameter of the fetal egg is 2-2.5 cm.
Type II anembryony is diagnosed if the embryo is absent, but the fetal egg continues to develop at the usual rate. Ultrasound shows that the embryo is absent. In some cases, its remains are visualized, most often the vertebral fold. Pregnancy after anembryo - occurs in normal mode in most women, experts say.
Main symptoms
The fact that there were big problems with pregnancy, a woman may not be aware at all. Symptoms, as such, are absent, on the contrary, all signs of pregnancy are obvious:
- enlarged uterus;
- the mammary glands swell;
- toxicosis is manifested - the rejection of individual odors and products;
- change in taste preferences.
Pathology is detected by ultrasound, but sometimes a miscarriage occurs. The next pregnancy after anembryo will have the same symptoms, only a woman will be attentive to herself, her health. Medical supervision will be more stringent.
Anembryonia: important causes
At the first stage, for doctors, the most important thing is to find out the causes of miscarriage, although pregnancy after anembryo occurs in most patients. And here again, unfortunately, scientists are not ready to give a clear and understandable answer. Some experts put forward the version that the absence of an embryo in the fetal egg is a consequence of genetic disorders.
One of the reasons, according to other doctors, is the wrong chromosome recruitment in parents. And here various options are possible:
- healthy egg and diseased sperm;
- pathological egg and healthy sperm.
In both cases, there is a high chance that the development of the fetus will be interrupted naturally or artificial termination of pregnancy will be required for medical reasons.
Other causes of anembryo
Analysis of the clinical cases of miscarriage of the child allows us to conclude that there are other reasons, including:
- bacterial or viral infections;
- various inflammatory processes in the uterine cavity;
- the influence of an aggressive external environment, chemical, radiation, toxic substances;
- drinking alcohol, smoking, taking toxic, narcotic drugs;
- taking certain medications;
- hormonal disorders of the pregnant woman.
But the elimination of these causes contributes to the fact that pregnancy after anembryo will proceed, as usual. Scientists continue to study the causes, paying attention, first of all, to the immune system and genetics, which are the least studied.
Pathogenesis
Chronic endometritis is one of the important causes of miscarriage. As well as a viral-bacterial infection, in the presence of which a protective immune mechanism is activated in a woman's body. But, if immunodeficiency states are observed, then a chronic viral infection develops without encountering resistance, and at the same time provokes the development of chronic endometritis.
The cytokine system also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of miscarriage. Lack of activity of lymphocytes leads to the fact that the balance of the cytokines produced by them is disturbed. Sometimes this leads to an excess of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Accordingly, the inflammatory process becomes pronounced, because of this there are problems in the interaction of cells. In this case, the penetration depth of the cell may be excessive or, conversely, insufficient.
Anembryonia and its clinical presentation
Perinatal pathology includes a fairly large list of fetal diseases, various pathological conditions, including anembryonia. The clinical picture can occur in different women in different ways. At the initial stage, all the above-mentioned signs of pregnancy are manifested, in cases of cessation of fetal development, they disappear.
Fading of pregnancy can be accompanied by general malaise, fever, dizziness. The following signs can speak about the death of the fetal egg:
- nausea stops;
- no vomiting;
- the appearance of blood discharge.
Anembryony does not manifest itself in any way, the fetal egg can continue to grow, the uterus grows, the mammary glands swell. Only ultrasound can help identify this pathology.
Diagnosis
Experts unanimously assure that early diagnosis leads to the fact that it will be easier for a woman to become pregnant after anembryo. Early detection of pathology contributes to:
- reduce the risks associated with the next pregnancy;
- shortening the survey time.
Medical termination of pregnancy at an early stage of pregnancy allows you to maintain a woman's health and minimize negative consequences. If anembryonia is detected, the patient should be hospitalized as soon as possible.
Surgical intervention
One of the clinical causes of miscarriage is when menstruation begins during pregnancy. Identifying the causes is important for determining the next steps. If this is associated with the threat of a normally developing fetus, then the woman is put on preservation, various medications and physiotherapeutic measures are used.
With anembryony, the fetal egg is evacuated, vacuum aspiration is used in the early stages. Surgical treatment consists in removing the fetal egg, washing with antiseptic solutions of the uterine cavity. Drug treatment is also used, in some cases antibiotics. Early detection of anembryo allows treatment in 95% of cases without intervention in the uterine cavity. This leads to a decrease in the risk of complications (inflammatory, infectious, surgical, etc.), as well as to a decrease in the level of psychogenic injuries.
Preventive actions
An important role in the life of patients who survived anembryony is played by prevention. It consists of a complex of various events, including:
- restoration of normal microflora in the uterine cavity;
- increased immunity due to the appointment of immunomodulators;
- restoration of hormonal levels;
- work to reduce the effects of psychogenic traumatic conditions.
Prevention of miscarriage is also the conduct of hormonal therapy, the administration of oral contraceptives for six months.
Forecasts of specialists
The results of numerous studies conducted by experts in different countries are as follows. Embryo rejection is caused by various reasons, the knowledge of the specific cause of the patient allows you to take timely measures to maintain the normal course of pregnancy.
If anembryo is detected, the only way is to evacuate the fetal egg, leveling the effects of surgical intervention. In the postoperative period, it is necessary to carry out rehabilitation therapy, strictly follow all the recommendations of the doctor.
The statistics are as follows: subject to therapeutic prescriptions, pregnancy occurs in 85% of cases, if not observed - in 83%, the indicators are not so much different from each other. But it is important to consider the following figures: childbirth occurs during rehabilitation therapy - in 70% of cases, in its absence - in 18% (!).
So, anembryonia is a serious pathology that can only be treated surgically. It is impossible to save a pregnancy in this case, since in fact it does not exist. Carrying out surgical intervention and rehabilitation therapeutic measures give high chances for the next normal pregnancy and childbirth.