Miscarriage and Recurrent Miscarriage

Miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of a foetus before 24 weeks. Stillbirth is when a baby dies in the uterus after this date.

While most pregnancies result in the birth of a healthy baby, every parent knows that some don’t. The most common time for something to go wrong with a pregnancy is in the first days and weeks after conception, when some miscarry. It’s thought that many early miscarriages go undetected. If your period arrives as normal you may never even suspect you were pregnant.

About one in six confirmed pregnancies miscarries, usually before 12 weeks. Most women who have one miscarriage go on to have a normal, healthy pregnancy next time.

Reasons for miscarriage

Miscarriage isn’t fully understood and some miscarriages just happen without explanation other than nature ‘taking a hand’ and expelling an embryo that is less than perfect:

• Chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus
• Uterine anomaly
• Infection
• Immune problems

• Blighted ovum – when a fertilised egg doesn’t develop as it should.
• Cervical incompetence – the cervix starts to open, and the uterus contracts, pushing the baby out too soon, often before the 20 weeks.
• Ectopic pregnancy – the embryo is developing in one of the fallopian tubes. 

You and your baby

Miscarriage is always a sad event, and both you and your partner will need understanding, sympathy and support. You may want to talk over the possible reasons for the miscarriage with your doctor and ask about becoming pregnant again.

Generally, there’s no reason why this shouldn’t be possible.

Could I have prevented my miscarriage?

Miscarriage is almost always something that’s outside your control. Your doctor may be able to reassure you about this. Don’t blame yourself for something you couldn’t prevent.

Research into Recurrent Miscarriage

These are some of the latest theories why some women miscarry:

• Some women may have a ‘rogue gene’ that makes them more likely to miscarry repeatedly.
• A malfunction in the mother’s immune system may lead it to identify the foetus as a foreign invader and destroy it.

In this case your doctor will ask you to undergo a series of clinical immunological investigations. These may include:

• Ultasound Examination
• Hysteroscopy
• Karyotype (Chromosomal control)
• Other Blood tests

In any case you should not undergo any test that would result in “vaccines” or “lymphocyte”. Treatments as such are not approved by the Royal College of Obsterics & Gynaecology, nor the American College in Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Should you be offered any such treatment ask for a second opinion.