What is a miscarriage?

According to the World Health Organization, miscarriage is the expulsion or extraction of an embryo or foetus weighing 500 gm or less when it cannot survive. The word "abortion" is the most frequently used terminology for spontaneous miscarriage.

Statistically, it's hard to know how common it is, but 10–20% of pregnancies end in a miscarriage, and 10% of those are induced or planned. It could be due to a foetal or placental anomaly, such as a genetic anomaly in the fetus, which could result in the birth of a defective child.

Symptoms of miscarriage

Miscarriage is a bad thing that can happen to a pregnant woman and is one of the most common reasons why pregnancy doesn't work out. It often occurs if the growing baby inside a woman's womb (called a "foetus") does not develop correctly. The following are symptoms associated with miscarriage:

Pelvic Pain
Vaginal Bleeding/Discharge
Abdominal Cramps
Unusual uterine bleeding
Fatigue

Cause of miscarriage

As we've already talked about, the reasons for miscarriages are complicated and often hard to figure out. These factors have crucial roles to play: -

Genes: Genes play the most important role, while infections have the least chance of being the cause. A genetic factor means trouble in the genetic makeup of the newly developing baby.

Hormonal: Increased or decreased thyroid hormone levels in your body play a role. It may also be a risk factor if the mother does not adequately manage her type 2 diabetes.

Infections: Viral infections like HIV, malaria, and some bacterial infections have a minor role to play.
Unexplained: While the most common causes of miscarriage are often well understood, the underlying cause of the same is not always clear. These cases are called idiopathic disorders, for which the cause is unknown.

When should I see a doctor?

If you suspect a miscarriage, which you can confirm if vaginal bleeding fills more than one sanitary pad every hour for two hours, you should consult a doctor. However, if you have a miscarriage, the doctor won't be able to help you much. However getting proper treatment and an assessment of yourself is necessary, as it reduces any risk of heavy bleeding and infection. Never try to hide any symptoms you've had during this period.

Remedies/Treatment

Some methods are employed for your benefit if you've had a miscarriage.

Anxiety Alleviation: Your doctor will counsel you, which will help to ease your anxiety and improve your psychology. Don't worry, as the chance of a successful pregnancy is still relatively high, even if this unfortunate incident has taken place.
Hysteroscopic Resection: In simple words, it's just an operation carried out in your uterus to improve future pregnancy outcomes.
Chromosomal Anomalies: "Chromosomal Anomalies" means a problem in your baby's genetic material. Your doctor will counsel you in this case.
PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a disease that affects many women, and if you have it, you will receive treatment using a medicine called Metformin, which reverses insulin resistance, which is one of the critical causes of miscarriage.

Conclusion

Miscarriage is an unfortunate mishap in which a female loses her pregnancy before 20 weeks. It is often caused by genetic or health issues. Recurrent miscarriage—the loss of three or more pregnancies—may have similar causes and may require further medical evaluation and treatment.

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1. How can you ensure that a healthy baby is born to the mother?

We can always ensure that the mother delivers a healthy baby. Ultrasonography is a method to scan the mother for the growing foetus inside her using sound waves, which can detect any genetic defect in the growing baby. This scan, called an anomaly scan, is done between the 18th and 21st weeks of pregnancy.

2. What are some environmental factors that may cause a miscarriage?

We know that cigarette smoking is not healthy, and in pregnant women, it is even worse because it reduces the amount of oxygen given to the baby. Therefore, expectant mothers should avoid alcohol consumption.

3. Does age play a role in miscarriage?

It is indeed difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of a woman's miscarriage. Women who conceive a child at a higher age increase their risk of miscarriage, which is almost proportional to the mother's age at which she gets pregnant.

4. What advice should you, as a patient, follow up on after your discharge?

You should try limiting your activities for at least two weeks and avoid heavy work, like lifting heavy loads. Partners should avoid doing any sexual activities during this period. Your doctor may advise you to have another ultrasonography in 1-2 weeks.

5. What is the treatment regimen to be followed if you have a miscarriage?

The main factor is rest; the patient should be in bed for a few days until her bleeding stops. The patient can seek medicine for the symptomatic relief of pain. One such medication used by doctors is diazepam.