SPONTANEOUS ABORTION OR LOSS OF PREGNANCY

SPONTANEOUS ABORTION  

OR LOSS OF PREGNANCY

A miscarriage is the loss of pregnancy before week 20 of pregnancy. Most spontaneous abortions occur very early in pregnancy, often before the woman knows she is pregnant.

The causes of miscarriages include:

v A genetic problem of the fetus

v Problems with the uterus or cervix

v Chronic diseases, including polycystic ovary syndrome.

Signs of miscarriage may include vaginal spotting, abdominal pain, or cramps and fluids or tissues that come out of the vagina. Vaginal bleeding may be a common symptom of a miscarriage, but many women have a little bleeding at the onset of pregnancy without being a miscarriage. To be sure, call your health care provider immediately if you have bleeding.

Women who suffer from miscarriage in the early stages of their pregnancy generally do not need treatment. In some cases, tissue is left in the uterus. Doctors use a procedure called dilation and curettage or medicine to remove tissue.

Counseling can help you cope with the duel. Later, if you decide to try the pregnancy again, work with the health care provider to lessen the risks. Many women who lose their pregnancies continue to have healthy babies.

NIH: National Institute of Child Health and development