April 30, 2022 1:25:47 pm
Factsw & Myths About MiscarriageA miscarriage or the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy can be rather traumatic, physically and emotionally. The society we live in has come up with its own list of Do’s and Don’ts in order to avert a miscarriage. Often, these Do’s and Don’ts translate into mere myths in reality. The information provided here is aimed at giving you a better understanding of the causes of a miscarriage, thereby, helping in turn to stay away from all the unnecessary precautions.
What is an early miscarriage?
If the baby is lost in the first three months of pregnancy, it is called an early miscarriage. Most of the times when a miscarriage occurs, there are no symptoms and is diagnosed by an early ultrasound. Sometimes women may experience bleeding and/ or lower tummy pain. That said, women with bleeding during early pregnancy do not necessarily experience a pregnancy loss.
How common are miscarriages?
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Early miscarriages are very common. Normally one in five pregnancies can end up as a miscarriage. However, most miscarriages are a one- off event and there is a good chance of a successful pregnancy in the future.
Why do early miscarriages happen?
When a pregnancy ends up as an early miscarriage, most of the times it is difficult to pinpoint the cause. Most women blame themselves for a miscarriage, but it is very seldom anything to do with what they have done, or not done that causes the miscarriage. People are under the mistaken notion that travel, work, eating fruits such as pineapple and papaya are all causes of miscarriages, but that is not true at all.
The most common cause of a miscarriage is a problem with the baby’s chromosomes. If a baby doesn’t have the right number of chromosomes, normal development cannot happen, and the pregnancy can end in a miscarriage. This is usually a chance occurrence and cannot be attributed to any problem with the chromosomes of the parents. A miscarriage is simply nature’s way of dealing with an abnormal embryo.
Miscarriages are more common in older women, women who smoke, drink alcohol, women with uncontrolled diabetes and thyroid disorders.
Can miscarriages be prevented?
The majority of miscarriages cannot be prevented. There is nothing that can be done to prevent a miscarriage from occurring, if a pregnancy is developing abnormally.
Having said that, one can certainly take some steps to reduce the risk of a miscarriage. Maintaining a healthy diet and a healthy weight greatly helps, besides not smoking and not drinking alcohol.
Miscarriages are relatively common and natural experiences, usually way beyond one’s control. However, one can can a step or two towards emotional healing by busting these commonly held miscarriage myths and widening our standing of what can really cause a miscarriage and what increases the potential risks of a miscarriage. Following a miscarriage, its a good idea for the couple to wait, until they are physically and emotionally ready, before they try to conceive again…
Dr. Chuppana Raga Sudha, MD, MRCOG, Sr. Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist MD, MRCOG
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