Pregnancy is not just an important stage in the life of every woman. This is a new step, a new test. But pregnancy is not always a happy outcome. In some cases, a miscarriage occurs. This is spontaneous termination of pregnancy. Most often this happens in the early stages. There are plenty of factors provoking this phenomenon. How to recognize signs of a threatened miscarriage in the early stages?
Some statistics
As statistics show, every fifth pregnancy ends in a miscarriage. Many women may not notice this. Most often this happens 7-14 days after conception. This happens for many reasons. At the same time, there are practically no signs of a miscarriage at 2 weeks.
In some situations, spontaneous termination of pregnancy occurs when a woman realizes her interesting position. To avoid a recurrence of the tragedy in the future, you need to know what diseases, external factors can provoke a miscarriage, and how to avoid it.
Genetic Disorders
Specialists in the field of genetics believe that 75% of all miscarriages occur precisely due to genetic disorders of the fetus. Do not be scared. In many cases, such deviations are random. At the same time, viral diseases, negative environmental effects, radiation, etc. can lead to spontaneous abortion. In most cases, there are no signs of miscarriage. The photo confirms that in this way nature is trying to rid humanity of non-viable or unhealthy offspring.
Avoiding this is almost impossible. The risk of developing genetic abnormalities increases every year.
Hormonal disruption
From the moment of conception, global restructuring begins in the female body. It affects the hormonal background. A sign of a threatened miscarriage in the early stages may be low progesterone levels. Deficiency of this hormone can be caused by many reasons. However, with the timely detection of deviations, spontaneous termination of the current pregnancy can be prevented. For this, the expectant mother is prescribed hormonal drugs.
There is another pathology that can lead to disastrous consequences. In some women, the level of male hormones rises after conception. These substances inhibit the synthesis of progesterone and estrogen. It is these hormones that support the female body and allow pregnancy to proceed without deviations.
Often, adrenal and thyroid hormones can affect the outcome. Therefore, at the planning stage, it is recommended to check the status of these organs.
Immunological problem
Probably, many have heard about such a thing as Rhesus conflict. What does it mean? A similar phenomenon occurs when a child has inherited a negative Rh factor from his father. As a result, the female body perceives the fetus as a foreign organism and begins to reject it.
In this case, it is possible to prevent termination of pregnancy if a woman is prescribed timely drugs with progesterone. After all, this hormone plays the role of an immunomodulator.
Infections in a woman
At the moment, many diseases are known that are transmitted through sexual contact. Many of them are able to provoke a miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy. Signs of some diseases may not appear. This is worth remembering when planning a pregnancy. Dangerous pathologies include cytomegalovirus, chlamydia, herpes, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, etc.
Spontaneous interruption occurs with infection of the embryo, as well as with damage to the membranes. To reduce the degree of the disease’s effect on the child, treatment of the detected ailment should be started immediately.
Other reasons
Among other causes of miscarriage, experts distinguish:
- viral diseases, for example, flu, chickenpox, rubella, tonsillitis, etc .;
- impaired blood flow between the fetus and the mother's body;
- bad habits: drugs, alcohol, smoking;
- pathology of the internal organs of the fetus;
- nervous shock, stress;
- physical exertion, injury, lifting of heavy objects;
- scars on the abdominal cavity and uterus, a history of abortion;
- taking medications contraindicated in pregnant women;
- x-ray radiation.
Premature termination of pregnancy in the second and third trimester is most often provoked by the inflammatory process in the placenta or in the uterus.
Symptoms
What are the signs of an early miscarriage? For 2 weeks, a woman may not suspect of conception, and her spontaneous interruption can be mistaken for menstruation. And if the expectant mother already knows about her interesting situation? What signs of a miscarriage threat in the early stages should she pay attention to?
The most common symptoms include pain located in the lower abdomen, as well as bleeding. Unpleasant sensations can be heard in the lower back. If brown or red discharge is found, consult a doctor immediately. This will save the pregnancy. The chance is great if the allocation is scarce. If they are plentiful, then the risk of spontaneous interruption increases. The main sign of a miscarriage (after it) is bloody discharge mixed with pieces of soft tissue.
Symptoms of the threat of premature termination of pregnancy include uterine tone. Here are some points to clarify. It is worth starting to worry only if the tone of the uterus causes discomfort, and is also accompanied by pain. If such phenomena do not occur, the doctor will advise the expectant mother to avoid stress and reduce physical activity.
Symptoms of miscarriage at any stage of pregnancy are the same. Their difference lies only in the intensity of pain and in the number of secretions. Starting from the second trimester, damage to the bag with amniotic fluid is also added to the symptoms. This is accompanied by vaginal discharge with blood clots during urination. This causes severe pain in the stomach or shoulder. This is one of the signs of internal bleeding.
Minor symptoms
The first signs of a miscarriage in the early stages, a woman can take for the onset of menstruation. However, it is worth considering the existence of secondary symptoms of spontaneous abortion. It is they that make it possible to distinguish a miscarriage from menstruation:
- aching lower back pain;
- bleeding with an admixture of mucus;
- sudden weight loss;
- frequent loose stools;
- vomiting
- cramping pain.
If these signs of miscarriage occur, you should immediately seek help from a medical institution.
How does a spontaneous abortion occur?
To understand what signs of a miscarriage exist, it is worth understanding the process itself. It does not happen overnight. This process lasts from 2 hours to several stocks. At the same time, several stages are distinguished:
- There are signs of a threatened miscarriage. In this case, a drawing pain is localized in the lower abdomen. The increase in pain occurs gradually. As a result, they become paroxysmal. At this stage, spotting from the vagina appears. You should immediately seek help from a medical facility. Timely help can save the pregnancy, since the cervix is still closed.
- Detachment of the placenta. As a result of this phenomenon, the embryo begins to experience oxygen starvation. At this stage, it is impossible to stop the process of spontaneous abortion of the current pregnancy. The fetus dies.
- At this stage, the placenta exfoliates completely. The dead embryo still remains in the uterine cavity. From this moment begins the separation of the fetus.
- The final stage. A dead fetus leaves the uterine cavity along with the afterbirth.
After a miscarriage, the doctor should carefully examine the woman. If necessary, a cleaning is performed to remove the remnants of soft tissues.
Dangerous gestation
Knowing the first signs of a miscarriage in early pregnancy, many problems can be avoided. However, you can protect yourself by contacting specialists at the planning stage.
Most often, miscarriages occur in the 2-3rd week after conception. A woman may not even know about pregnancy. Therefore, such miscarriages are often mistaken for menstruation, since the symptoms are similar: pain in the very lower abdomen or lower back, discharge with blood.
Least of all miscarriages occur at a later date - up to 20 weeks. How this happens is described above. Spontaneous abortion after the 20th week is called stillbirth.
Frozen pregnancy
In medicine, there is the concept of "frozen pregnancy." She is also called a failed miscarriage. What it is? Over a sufficiently long period (up to 28 weeks), the cessation of fetal development is observed, and then its death. You can determine this condition by the following symptoms:
- general weakness;
- decrease in basal temperature;
- lack of toxicosis.
Varieties of miscarriages
Spontaneous abortions can be divided into several main varieties. Each of them is characterized by certain signs of a miscarriage. Let's consider them in more detail:
- Incomplete miscarriage. This condition is characterized by pain in the lower back and lower abdomen. In this case, the cervix opens. As a result, the integrity of the fetal membrane is violated. At this stage, bleeding and pain do not stop.
- Full. The embryo or fetus after death completely leaves the uterine cavity. In this case, bleeding stops, other signs of miscarriage in the early stages also disappear.
- Failed A dead embryo or fetus remains in the uterine cavity. A doctor can detect a dead pregnancy during an examination of the patient, while listening to a heartbeat. An ultrasound scan is performed for diagnosis. With this pathology, all signs of pregnancy disappear.
- Repeated. Often such a miscarriage occurs in those women who have had more than three spontaneous abortions in the early stages.
- Anembryonia. With this pathology, the egg is fertilized, but the fetus does not form. A woman may not have her period. In this case, all signs of pregnancy are noted.
- Choriadenoma. This pathology is a genetic error that occurs during fertilization. In this case, abnormal tissue grows in the uterine cavity instead of the fetus. A woman with such a disease can detect signs of pregnancy.
It should be noted that all of these abnormalities end with abortion or mechanical cleaning of the uterine cavity.
Diagnostics
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to diagnose a miscarriage only by signs. Therefore, women are recommended at the stage of pregnancy planning to undergo a thorough examination and pass all the necessary tests. If conception occurred suddenly, the doctor can determine the threat. For this:
- The condition of the uterus is determined: whether the organ is in good shape or not.
- Checks the compliance of the gestational age and size of the body.
- The cervix is checked: closed or not.
- Particular attention is paid to vaginal discharge.
At a later date, a transvaginal ultrasound is performed to identify the threat of abortion. This is the most reliable diagnostic method. During the procedure, the internal structure of the organ and the length of the neck are determined.
With the appearance of bloody discharge and other signs of a miscarriage, a woman can be transferred to a day hospital to monitor her condition. If nothing threatens the child, then she can be discharged home.
Effects
We examined signs of miscarriage in early pregnancy. But within the framework of a given topic, it is worth mentioning the consequences of such a phenomenon. After a miscarriage, the doctor can give two days for the remnants of the soft tissues to independently leave the uterine cavity. In this case, a woman should monitor what her discharge is. If the residues do not come out, then mechanical cleaning is appointed. For this, curettage is carried out. After the procedure, a long recovery period is required.
The first menstruation after a spontaneous abortion may be accompanied by prolonged bleeding. This may be due to the remains of the amniotic membranes in the uterine cavity. To diagnose this, an ultrasound is prescribed. If such shells are detected, repeated cleaning is performed. If the ultrasound showed that the uterus is clean, the doctor prescribes drugs to stop the bleeding and accelerate the process of organ reduction.
After a miscarriage, an inflammatory process may begin. This may indicate an increase in temperature. If you experience symptoms of inflammation, you should immediately consult a doctor.
If there are no complications, then the body recovers after a miscarriage after 30-60 days. However, do not forget about psychological trauma. Therefore, experts recommend contacting a psychologist if depression occurs. Specialists explain to women how to cope with an injury, how not to focus on a problem. The most important thing is not to experience the loss alone. As practice shows, the best tool in psychological therapy is a new pregnancy. However, before conception, you should prepare your body and eliminate the cause of the miscarriage.
Is it possible to prevent
As mentioned earlier, it is possible to prevent spontaneous termination of the current pregnancy if you seek help in a timely manner at the first sign of a threat. When symptoms of pathology are identified, the doctor prescribes bed rest. In some cases, a woman is forbidden to even get up. With the threat of a miscarriage, all physical activity is minimized.
Do not forget that the state of the fetus is negatively affected by any excitement, as well as negative thoughts. Therefore, a pregnant woman needs to avoid stress. To calm the nervous system, the doctor may prescribe an infusion of motherwort or valerian.
In some cases, a specialist may prescribe medication to block uterine contractions. In some cases, this helps to avoid premature termination of pregnancy. If necessary, the specialist conducts a second ultrasound. If insufficiency is diagnosed, in the hospital, stitches are placed on the uterus, allowing you to save the fetal egg inside the organ. The operation is performed under general anesthesia. At the same time, relaxing drugs are injected into the uterus.
Determination of the cause
Identifying the causes of spontaneous abortion will avoid a recurrence of the situation in the future. Therefore, a woman should undergo a series of examinations and a course of appropriate therapy. To determine the cause, the doctor may prescribe:
- Genetics consultation. At the same time, tests are carried out to determine the chromosomal and gene set of not only the mother, but also the father.
- Immunologist consultation. A specialist may order tests to identify autoimmune diseases that can lead to a miscarriage.
- Endocrinologist consultation. A specialist will help to relieve problems with the thyroid gland.
- Gynecological examination. It may be due to defects in the structure of the uterus that do not allow bearing a child.
Prevention
Finding out early signs of miscarriage is not so simple. Therefore, experts recommend adhering to certain prevention rules to maintain pregnancy:
- A woman's complete abandonment of bad habits. This applies to the abuse of alcohol, drugs, as well as smoking.
- Moderate physical activity.
- Maintaining an exceptionally right lifestyle.
If signs of pregnancy are detected, a woman should:
- Contact a medical institution for expert advice. If signs of a miscarriage are detected at an early stage, the doctor may prescribe special medications to preserve the fetus and create normal conditions for its development.
- Reduce the daily rate of coffee and tea.
- Refuse to exercise, weight lifting.
Finally
The first signs of a miscarriage do not always allow timely determination of the presence of a threat. Many women can lose a child, already knowing about its existence. However, a miscarriage should not be a reason for abandoning the desire to have a baby. According to statistics, the chances of a normal subsequent pregnancy are 80%.
However, with subsequent miscarriages, this figure is significantly reduced. Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, it is worth taking all the necessary tests and determining the cause of the miscarriage. If this disease, then its therapy is carried out. Pregnancy after a miscarriage and mechanical cleaning of the uterus is planned after 2 months.