Miscarriage Signs, Symptoms and Treatment in Early Pregnancy

Miscarriage Statistics in Early Pregnancy

An early miscarriage is an event that occurs within the first twenty weeks of pregnancy, a loss of fetus after twenty weeks is referred to as a stillbirth.   Miscarriages can be categorized under two events:

1. Isolated Miscarriage:  a single sporadic event which happens due to a chromosomal defect in the egg or sperm.
2. Recurring miscarriage:  occurs after a female has experienced more than three miscarriages in a row.  Recurring miscarriage is a condition which requires medical testing in order to discover the reasons why a woman is unable to carry a pregnancy to term.
   

The miscarriage statistics in early pregnancy can be overwhelming and astounding; approximately 20% of all first-time pregnancies end tragically in miscarriage.  The statistics are debatable however, because many women will miscarry early and not even realize it, most dismiss a miscarriage as a heavier than normal period and never even know the true situation.  Experts believe the actual rate of miscarriage during early pregnancy can be as high as 40-50%, with 20% of women experiencing multiple or recurrent miscarriage.

Symptoms of Miscarriage in Early Pregnancy

There are typical symptoms of miscarriage in early pregnancy that every woman needs to be aware of, if any of the following symptoms are experienced it could be a signal of a threatened miscarriage which requires immediate medical attention:

Vaginal bleeding:  could either be light or heavy, constant or sporadic.  Though vaginal bleeding is often a sign of miscarriage, cases of bleeding in the first-trimester can also occur with a normal pregnancy.

Pain:  pelvic cramping, abdominal pain or a persistent, dull back ache could also accompany vaginal bleeding and be a sign of miscarriage.

Blood clots or grayish colored tissue:  any clots or tissue passing from the vagina could signal a possible miscarriage.

How is a Miscarriage Diagnosed?

A miscarriage is diagnosed by a licensed medical professional who will use certain medical tests to prove inconclusively a pregnancy is no longer viable.  Such tests can include a pelvic ultrasound to check for a fetal heartbeat and determine if the pregnancy is uterine or ectopic (outside the uterus).  The physician may also order blood testing to check human Chorionic gonadotropin (HGC) levels, if an ultrasound is inconclusive.

Treatment for Miscarriage

Most often a female will experience a miscarriage and pass the products of conception (fetal tissue and uterine lining) without any medical intervention.  However, in cases of incomplete miscarriage a doctor may require the woman to undergo a dilation and curettage (D & C), which involves manually opening the cervix and scraping out the contents of the uterus to prevent infection.

Risk Factors Associated With Early Miscarriage

There are certain lifestyle, hormonal and genetic factors that may increase the risk of an early miscarriage in pregnancy.  Every woman should be aware of the following factors which can lead to episodes of recurrent miscarriage:

Age: a woman who is more than 35 years old has an increased risk of experiencing early miscarriage in pregnancy.

Previous history of miscarriages also increases the risk of subsequent miscarriage with each pregnancy.

Smoking:  a woman who smokes more than 10 cigarettes per day has a higher risk of pregnancy loss, which is also increased with paternal smoking as well.

Use of alcohol increases the risk of fetal abnormalities and miscarriage.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used around the time of conception and implantation can lead to a miscarriage.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome:  causes a woman to experience ovulation difficulties, obesity, increased testosterone levels and diabetes which can result in early miscarriage.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome:  a blood clotting disorder, which can make it impossible for an egg to properly implant and can lead to recurrent miscarriages.

Bacterial or viral infections can lead to an increased risk of miscarriages.

Physical injury

Uterine structural problems can make it difficult for a woman to carry a pregnancy to full-term.

Exposure to dangerous chemicals:  formaldehyde, arsenic, lead, benzene are known teratogens (toxins which cause birth defects), exposure can lead a woman to experience a miscarriage in early pregnancy.

Factors which do not Increase the Risk of Early Miscarriage

It should be understood that while there are many reasons a woman could experience an early miscarriage, there are also factors which do not lead to an increased risk of pregnancy loss.  Such factors include; exercise, sexual intercourse and working.  However, there might be unusual extenuating circumstances in which a woman is prohibited or discouraged from certain activities on the advice of an obstetrician/gynecologist.  Women with a previous history of recurrent miscarriage or threatened with early delivery should always follow the advice of a licensed medical professional in regards to care and physical recommendations.

Overview