hi zenn,
this info is for u.
Miscarriage is pregnancy loss that occurs before 20 weeks, before the fetus is able to survive outside the womb. Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester or 12 weeks of pregnancy. As many as 50 percent of all pregnancies may end in miscarriage, because many losses occur before a woman realizes she is pregnant.2
Why do miscarriages occur?
The causes of miscarriage are not thoroughly understood. When a woman has a first-trimester miscarriage, her health care provider often cannot determine the cause. However, most miscarriages occur when a pregnancy is not developing normally. Usually, there is nothing a woman or her provider can do to prevent it.
Among factors known to cause first-trimester miscarriages, the most common is a chromosomal abnormality in the fetus. Chromosomes are the tiny thread-like structures in each cell that carry our genes, which dictate all traits from eye color to the workings of our internal organs. Each person has 23 pairs of chromosomes, or 46 in all, with one chromosome per pair coming from the mother and one from the father. Up to 70 percent of first-trimester miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.3
What are the symptoms of miscarriage?
Vaginal bleeding, sometimes accompanied by menstrual-like cramps or more severe abdominal pain, can be a sign that a miscarriage is about to occur. Its important to remember that many women experience spotting in early pregnancy and most do not miscarry. A woman should contact her health care provider if she experiences any bleeding, even light spotting, in pregnancy. Her health care provider may do an internal examination to see if her cervix is dilated (a sign that a miscarriage is likely), and sometimes an ultrasound examination and blood tests. A woman who miscarries should try to save any tissue in a clean container and bring it to her provider.
What treatment is needed if a woman has a miscarriage?
Most women who have an early miscarriage do not need treatment. The uterus empties itself like a heavy period. However, a doctor may recommend a D&C in certain cases, such as if a woman is bleeding heavily or may have an infection, or if an ultrasound examination shows that there is tissue remaining in the uterus (which can lead to heavy bleeding).
What tests are done following a miscarriage?
Doctors usually do not perform any tests following a first miscarriage that occurs in the first trimester. The cause of these early losses is often unknown, though chromosomal abnormalities are usually suspected. If a woman has a miscarriage in the second trimester or has two or more miscarriages in the first trimester, tests usually are recommended to help determine the cause. These can include:
Blood tests to check for chromosome abnormalities in both parents (called a karyotype), as well as certain hormonal problems and immune system disorders in the mother
Testing for chromosomal abnormalities in tissue from the miscarriage (if tissue is available)
Ultrasound examination of the uterus
Hysteroscopy, viewing the uterus through a special scope inserted through the cervix
Hysterosalpingography, an X-ray of the uterus
Endometrial biopsy, suctioning a small piece of uterine lining to check hormone effects
