According to statistics, every fifth pregnancy ends in a miscarriage. The reasons why the fetus dies in both early and late pregnancy are many. Consider how to understand that a miscarriage has begun, how doctors diagnose it, what the therapy is, and how to provide first aid to a woman who has begun to reject the fetus. We also consider preventive measures that help to prevent pregnancy failure in the future.
What is a miscarriage?
After conception, the embryo can spontaneously withdraw, in this case they say about the failure of pregnancy, which is called a miscarriage. The death of the fetus can occur both a few days before a miscarriage, and in a few hours. Often it happens in the first trimester of pregnancy. If a woman has more than two miscarriages in a short time, experts talk about miscarriage and prescribe appropriate therapy.
Types of miscarriages:
- spontaneous can happen even in the first month after conception (sometimes a woman may not be aware of the spontaneous miscarriage that has begun, since the fetus comes out in the form of menstruation, but more abundant and with blood clots);
- early miscarriage occurs before the 3rd month of pregnancy (the fetus is still small in size);
- the latter occurs in the second trimester and often such babies die (in the third trimester, babies can already be saved with modern equipment and a doctor’s qualifications; there are good chances of nursing children from 500 g, but not always and not in all regions of Russia).
A termination of pregnancy that occurs before the 22nd week is called a miscarriage, if this happens later, then it is classified as premature birth.
In addition to the most common causes of miscarriage, an important factor is the age of the woman. Often, 40-year-old expectant mothers ask if a miscarriage can begin. Experts say that they are really in a high-risk zone, so they often offer 40+ women to plan a pregnancy, as well as closely monitor its course.
The diagnosis of “threatened miscarriage”, regardless of the degree, with proper treatment and compliance with the doctor’s instructions, ends in the vast majority of cases by delivery on time.
What is the difference between early and late miscarriages?
Miscarriages are divided into two main groups. If the beginning miscarriage occurs before 12 weeks of fetal development, they speak of an early spontaneous abortion, from 12 to 22 weeks - this is a miscarriage at a later date. After this period, the child is considered viable and, under certain conditions, he can leave, although a long rehabilitation is required.
Early miscarriages are distinguished from later miscarriages by a smaller amount of blood and a minimal risk of side effects and consequences. If spontaneous abortion occurs at a later date, it is accompanied by heavy bleeding, the development of sepsis is possible and often leads to the inability to have children in the future.
The reasons for development are also different. In the early stages, termination of pregnancy often occurs due to mechanical stress (lifting the load, too active lifestyle), various infections, stress and hormonal failure. In later stages, miscarriages are associated with the fact that the uterus does not stretch under the influence of fetal growth and begins to gradually release it. Often, premature placental abruption occurs.
Causes of an Early Miscarriage
This may have different premises. Among the main reasons for the onset of a miscarriage at an early stage are the following:
- Infections caused by infections. It can be either a sexually transmitted disease or a regular virus, as a result of which the fetus is rejected.
- Abortion In women who have had abortions in the past or underwent other surgical interventions in the uterine cavity, the risk of developing a miscarriage is high. Since as a result of such manipulations, disturbances were introduced into the normal functioning of the reproductive system.
- Genetics. A miscarriage that occurs early in pregnancy can be triggered by genetic abnormalities in the fetus. If a certain element incompatible with life develops in one of the chromosomes of the embryo, it is rejected. According to statistics, this factor in 70% of women is the main cause of early miscarriage.
- Severe stress. Depression or severe stress experienced by the mother in the first trimester of pregnancy can affect the fetus and cause a miscarriage.
- Hormonal disbalance. With a large amount of male hormone (testosterone) and progesterone deficiency, a normal pregnancy is impossible.
- Rhesus conflict of mother and fetus. If the mother and the child have a different Rhesus factor, the mother's body perceives the fetus as a foreign body and rejects it.
- Heat. If a woman in the early stages holds a temperature of over 38 degrees for several days, intoxication of the body begins. This leads to a decrease in her immunity, the chances of holding the fetus are significantly reduced.
- Uncontrolled medication. Potent analgesics and antibiotics can cause an early miscarriage.
- Wrong way of life. The way a future mother behaves, what she eats, significantly affects the development of the fetus.
Reasons for a late miscarriage
The vast majority of women are diagnosed with an early miscarriage, but there are those who may have spontaneous abortion during pregnancy 13 to 22 weeks. In this case, it is not associated with genetic abnormalities, since the fetus is already almost formed.
Factors that lead to a late miscarriage:
- isthmic-cervical insufficiency or underdevelopment of the cervix - can be caused by hormonal disorders or mechanical damage during the previous delivery;
- uterine pathology - inflammatory processes, neoplasms in the uterine cavity, as well as abnormalities of its development (two-horned, saddle-shaped, unicorned uterus - all this can provoke a miscarriage);
- placental defects: hypoplasia, delayed maturation, calnosis (cyst formation) - this can lead to premature detachment;
- thrombosis of the vessels of the umbilical cord - as a result, the baby's source of food is blocked and the fetus dies over time (in this case, they say that a miscarriage began during a frozen pregnancy);
- Rh factor - is indicative in the second trimester of pregnancy.
Also, in the late term, spontaneous abortion can begin if the mother has a number of chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, gestosis). Often a miscarriage can be triggered by emotional or physical stress.
Symptoms of a beginning trimester miscarriage
Symptomatic spontaneous abortion begins in almost all women the same way - smearing discharge with blood impurities appears. They look like not periods. This is due to the fact that the fetus is rejected gradually and this process can take several weeks. Some people confuse with menstruation, but blood clots appear that resemble a bubble that burst. The color of the discharge can be scarlet or, conversely, dark red.
Other symptoms of a beginning miscarriage:
- nausea appears, sometimes even vomiting;
- pain in the lumbar and lower abdomen;
- disturbances in the work of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea).
This symptomatology can be present not only during spontaneous abortion, but also with a slight hormonal failure during pregnancy, as well as when the fetal egg is attached to the uterine wall. To determine this, the doctor conducts a diagnosis.
Symptoms of a Late Miscarriage
Such a pathological process as a late miscarriage is reversible. At the same time, experts distinguish several types of spontaneous late abortions and, depending on the form, decide whether to maintain a pregnancy or not.
Classification of late abortions:
- the threat of abortion develops when the uterus is in good shape, while the condition of the fetus and placenta is satisfactory (miscarriage in this case can be avoided);
- a miscarriage has begun - the cervix is slightly opened and the fetus begins to be rejected;
- abortion in use - both the fetus and the membranes surrounding it partially come out of the uterus (this can be a complete or incomplete miscarriage);
- missed pregnancy - the death of the fetus can also cause a miscarriage (in this case, no conservative treatment helps).
There is also such a thing as an inevitable miscarriage, when pregnancy is not possible to maintain, even with early diagnosis.
Symptomatically, a late miscarriage is similar to an early miscarriage. It is accompanied by pulling pains in the lower abdomen, and there may not be any discharge. For some, spontaneous abortion after the 13th week, on the contrary, is accompanied by heavy bleeding, but they occur periodically.
If the fetus froze, then the first signs may appear 3 to 4 weeks after this. Symptoms are uncharacteristic of a normal miscarriage, since there is no discharge. But the woman feels weak, possibly dizziness and fever. Also, you can not hear the baby's movements.
Diagnosis of spontaneous abortion
Having figured out how a miscarriage begins in the early stages of pregnancy and noticing these signs in itself, a woman must definitely consult a specialist. He will conduct an appropriate diagnosis of the condition of the fetus and mother. With the help of diagnostic measures, it is possible to identify the causes that contributed to spontaneous abortion.
The doctor can determine deviations from the normal course of pregnancy by examining the patient. If in doubt or to clarify the diagnosis, a pregnant woman is assigned an ultrasound, hormonal and colpositological examination.
At a visual examination, the doctor checks how much the size of the uterus corresponds to the indicated gestational age. On palpation, he watches how the uterus contracts and if the cervix is shortened.
Through colpositological examination, a miscarriage can be detected long before the onset of the first symptoms in a woman. The hanged karyopictonic index can talk about this situation. With the help of hormonal research, you can identify possible disorders or failure of the hormonal background, which in 70% of cases provokes the development of a miscarriage.
With the help of ultrasound, you can consider the condition of the fetus and amniotic fluid, starting from the third week of pregnancy. Deformation of the ovum, bleeding, or fetal heartbeat may be detected. In this case, spontaneous abortion cannot be avoided.
How to help a woman keep the fetus?
Many women are interested in how to behave if a miscarriage begins. What to do first? It should be understood that spontaneous abortion passes through several stages in its development. And at some stage, the fetus can be saved, but at some point it is already useless to do something.
With the appearance of aching pains in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar region and with spotting, it is worth consulting a specialist. Most often, after the diagnosis, such a woman is diagnosed with the threat of miscarriage and is hospitalized in the pathology department of pregnant women. Necessarily conducted conservation therapy. It is important at the same time to observe bed rest, to exclude for a while sexual activity and emotional stress.
Treatment depends on the cause of a miscarriage. With a progesterone deficiency, medications are prescribed in certain doses, which are selected individually. Anti-inflammatory therapy is prescribed when an infection in the fetal egg is detected. Hemostatic drugs are also prescribed if there is at least slight spotting. It is worthwhile to understand that timely therapy at the first stage of a miscarriage is almost a 100% guarantee that pregnancy can be maintained.
If the miscarriage goes into the second stage, pain and discharge become more frequent, the mother is prescribed a more serious treatment. It can be intravenous infusions, drug injections strictly under the supervision of specialists. In this case, the chances of bringing the baby to the due date are only 50%.
In the third stage of a miscarriage, which is accompanied by heavy bleeding, no one speaks of maintaining a pregnancy. In this case, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound to exclude the presence of residues of the fetal egg in the uterus. Also often in this case, cleaning (curettage) is carried out.
First aid for the threat of miscarriage
If a woman understands that she is having a miscarriage (pain and bleeding appear), you should immediately call an ambulance. She will be given first aid and urgently hospitalized. It is important to make sure that parts of the ovum do not linger in the uterine cavity. In this case, the bleeding will only intensify, which is fraught with the death of the woman herself.
Until the ambulance arrives, you should take a horizontal position, drink as much water as possible and put something cold on your lower abdomen for 15 to 20 minutes. If the discharge is plentiful, you can’t stop it, you need to squeeze the abdominal aorta by pressing on the suprapubic part with your fist and as much as possible bring it closer to the spine. This can only be done in the early stages of pregnancy.
Prevention: what to do to prevent pregnancy failure?
Beginning miscarriage, especially in the early stages, can be prevented by planning a pregnancy in advance. It is important to monitor your diet, lead an active lifestyle and give up bad habits.
Experts do not recommend taking a hot bath at the beginning of pregnancy and abandoning trips to the bath or sauna. You should also not be subjected to additional stress or long flights, this can adversely affect the condition of the fetus.
In a stressful situation, you can take motherwort or valerian - these medicinal plants have a calming effect. And at the first sign of a miscarriage threat, you should immediately seek help.