This is real? Doctors explained whether it is possible not to notice a miscarriage

reproductive physician, doctor of the highest category, obstetrician-gynecologist, doctor of medical sciences, head of the ART department of the Center for Reproductive Health “SM-Clinic”

About half of early miscarriages are due to genetic pathologies in the development of the fetus, that is, from defects in the number and composition of chromosomes. It is in the first weeks that the formation of the baby’s organs begins, which requires 23 normal chromosomes from each of the future parents. When at least one abnormal change occurs, there is a risk of losing the child.

At 8–11 weeks, the rate of such miscarriages is 41–50 percent; at 16–19 weeks of gestation, the rate of miscarriages caused by chromosomal defects decreases to 10–20 percent.

There are other causes of miscarriage as well. Among them:

• Congenital and acquired disorders of the anatomy of the genital organs

If there are fibroids, polyps in the uterus, this can cause abnormal development of the embryo. Women with a malformation of the uterus may be at risk of miscarriage.

• Infectious causes

Numerous studies have shown that the risk of miscarriage increases with the presence of sexually transmitted infections. Measles, rubella, cytomegalovirus, as well as diseases occurring with an increase in body temperature are dangerous for a pregnant woman. Intoxication of the body often leads to the loss of the child.

• Endocrine causes

Problems with gestation occur with diabetes, thyroid diseases, and adrenal gland disorders.

• Unfavorable ecology, radiation

• Blood clotting disorder (thrombosis, antiphospholipid syndrome)

APS (antiphospholipid syndrome) is a disease in which the human body produces a lot of antibodies to phospholipids – the chemical structures from which parts of cells are built. The body mistakenly perceives its own phospholipids as foreign and begins to defend itself against them: it produces antibodies to them that damage blood components. Blood clotting increases, microthrombi appear in the small vessels that feed the ovum and the placenta. Blood circulation in the ovum is impaired. As a result, pregnancy freezes or fetal growth slows down. Both lead to miscarriage.

All this is due to the hormonal background that has changed during pregnancy.

• Lifestyle and bad habits

Nicotine addiction, alcohol consumption, obesity.

Sometimes women mistake miscarriage for regular menstruation. This occurs during the so-called biochemical pregnancy, when embryo implantation is disturbed at a very early stage and menstruation begins. But before the bloody discharge appears, the test will show two stripes.

The classic option is when a miscarriage is manifested by bleeding against the background of a long delay in menstruation, which rarely stops on its own. Therefore, even if a woman does not follow the menstrual cycle, the doctor will immediately notice the signs of an interrupted pregnancy during examination and ultrasound.

The symptoms of miscarriage can be completely different, and depending on them, as a rule, you can predict the likelihood of maintaining and successfully continuing this pregnancy.

For miscarriage threats characterized by pulling pains in the lower abdomen and lumbar region, scanty spotting from the genital tract. Ultrasound signs: the tone of the uterus is increased, the cervix is ​​not shortened and closed, the body of the uterus corresponds to the gestational age, the fetal heartbeat is recorded.

Incipient miscarriage – pain and discharge from the genital tract are more pronounced, the cervix is ​​slightly open.

Miscarriage in progress – cramping pains in the lower abdomen, profuse bleeding from the genital tract. On examination, as a rule, the uterus does not correspond to the gestational age, the cervix is ​​open, the elements of the ovum are in the cervix or in the vagina.

Incomplete miscarriage – the pregnancy was interrupted, but there are lingering elements of the ovum in the uterine cavity. This is manifested by ongoing bleeding due to the lack of a full contraction of the uterus.

Non-developing pregnancy – death of the embryo (up to 9 weeks) or fetus before 22 weeks of pregnancy in the absence of any signs of termination of pregnancy.

Important!

Severe abdominal pain and spotting at any stage of pregnancy is a reason for an urgent appeal to an obstetrician-gynecologist to resolve the issue of hospitalization in a gynecological hospital.

“There are no methods of preventing miscarriages today,” says the doctor. “Therefore, it is very important to comprehensively prepare for pregnancy before its onset by visiting an obstetrician-gynecologist and following all the necessary recommendations for examination and taking the necessary medications.”

But if, nevertheless, it was not possible to preserve the pregnancy, then it is possible to plan the birth of a child again no earlier than 3–6 months after the miscarriage. This time is needed to figure out, together with the attending physician, what are the causes of miscarriage and whether it is possible to avoid them in the future.

By the way, a common misconception of both women and men is that only a woman is to blame for the loss of pregnancy, but this is far from the case.

“The man is also responsible, which is why future dads are obliged to perform a study – a spermogram and be tested for genital infections, since with sperm pathology, the likelihood of miscarriage due to genetic abnormalities increases many times over,” emphasizes our expert.

Most women whose first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, when examined before pregnancy and eliminated the causes, have a high chance of a successful next pregnancy (about 85 percent).

“A woman who has lost her child needs the support of her family and friends. Sometimes words are superfluous, just be there. Duty phrases from the series “You will definitely give birth”, “It was just an embryo” hurt very badly. The best consolation is to advise you to see a doctor, ”says Natalya Kalinina.