Early miscarriage, is cleaning necessary? How does a miscarriage happen?

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Pregnancy, if desired, is wonderful. But not all pregnancies end as planned. Sometimes the expectant mother’s body independently decides to reject a new life, and usually this happens in the first weeks after conception, that is, an early miscarriage occurs.

According to statistics, this is observed in 20% of women, while many of them did not even know that they were pregnant. From a medical point of view, this is a spontaneous termination of pregnancy before the 22nd week. After this period, we are no longer talking about a miscarriage, but about, since starting from the 22nd week the child has a high chance of being born viable.

Probability of miscarriage by week

There are critical periods of pregnancy when its further gestation is jeopardized. And the most vulnerable in this regard is the first trimester.

2-3 week

At this time, implantation of the embryo occurs, and factors such as fibroids, scar or trauma to the mucous membrane (after an abortion), abnormalities in the structure of the uterus, as well as the severe psycho-emotional state of the woman may interfere with this.

A miscarriage in early pregnancy occurs if the fertilized egg fails to attach. It looks like a heavy period. In this case, the woman will not even know that there was a pregnancy, mistaking the bleeding for another menstruation.

4-6 week

At this stage, the fetus is most vulnerable; it is now that all developmental defects (heart defects, cleft lip) are formed, which may be incompatible with life.

8-12 weeks

At this stage, active development affects, and it is possible that anomalies in its structure or localization may occur. Also at this time, a miscarriage can occur due to hormonal disorders in a woman’s body, in particular progesterone deficiency.

Causes

Let's look at the main causes of early miscarriage.

Genetic disorders in the fetus

According to statistics, 73% of early miscarriages occur for this reason. In most cases, we are not talking about a hereditary problem, but about single gene mutations that arose accidentally as a result of the influence of negative factors such as infections and alcohol.

That is, the pregnancy was initially pathological, and the body itself abandoned it - so-called natural selection occurred. A miscarriage at such an early stage does not require cleaning and occurs on the days when menstruation should begin, or with a slight delay.

A woman may note that the discharge this month was more abundant and painful. Less often, pregnancy is terminated later, and then genetic abnormalities of the fetus are diagnosed using histological examination after curettage of the uterus.

Hormonal disorders

An imbalance of hormones in the body increases the likelihood of miscarriage in the early stages. As a rule, pregnancy is terminated due to a lack of progesterone. If the problem is detected early, the pregnancy can be maintained with conservative therapy.

Immunological causes

This is most often observed with. If the mother's blood has a negative Rh factor, and the fetus inherits a Rh-positive protein from the father, the mother's body will reject the embryonic tissue at the immune level.

To prevent immunological causes of miscarriage in case of Rh conflict, specific therapy is used, including progesterone preparations, which can protect the fetus.

Sexual infections

These diseases are also an explanation for why miscarriage occurs in the early stages. Chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, gonorrhea and other STDs often cause abortion in the first trimester. Pathogenic flora causes damage to the membranes and infects the fetus itself, resulting in a miscarriage.

To exclude this, it is important to identify and treat any infectious pathologies of the genital area at the stage of pregnancy planning.

Common infections

Any disease that occurs with signs of intoxication of the body, for example, with an increase in body temperature above 38°C, can be the cause of miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy. The leading positions in the list of these infections are given to influenza, rubella, chickenpox and viral hepatitis. Even an ordinary sore throat often causes fetal death before the 10th week of gestation; the situation is worse with pneumonia, appendicitis and pyelonephritis.

Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, you need to remember about a preliminary medical examination, which will help detect foci of infection in the body.

Abortion

A large number of women at various stages of their lives have resorted to performing this procedure for one reason or another. To many failed mothers, abortion seems like a simple manipulation, during which the doctor simply removes the contents of the uterus along with the unwanted fetus. But in reality, everything is much more complicated.

Abortion is always a deep stress for a woman’s body, which can subsequently cause dysfunctional disorders of the reproductive system, problems with the adrenal glands and ovaries, inflammatory phenomena in the pelvic organs, ending with adhesions and subsequent infertility.

Due to the negative consequences that abortion causes, a woman may experience recurrent miscarriage, which explains why early miscarriages occur.

Medicines and herbal preparations

In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, it is better not to take any medications or herbs at all. Most of them, especially when used uncontrolled, can terminate a pregnancy or provoke the development of defects in the unborn child.

The most dangerous are antibiotics, hormonal drugs, some analgesics and an overwhelming number of plants; even harmless chamomile and parsley are not indicated for internal use in the first trimester.

Many medicinal plants are used in folk recipes that tell women who do not want to continue their pregnancy how to have a miscarriage in the early stages.

Stress, nervous shock

Deep nervous shock, prolonged stress, sudden mental shock are dangerous during pregnancy. To prevent the situation from ending in a miscarriage, the expectant mother needs to pull herself together and discuss with her doctor the possibility of using sedatives.

Unhealthy Lifestyle

Habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs, uncontrolled drinking of coffee, dieting and fasting, as well as simply poor nutrition can lead to the development of symptoms of miscarriage in early pregnancy.

It is recommended to start adjusting your usual lifestyle at the stage of pregnancy planning.

Carrying heavy objects, falling, intense sex life

These factors, although very rarely, can cause spontaneous abortion. To prevent this from happening, it is important to take care of yourself from the first days you become aware of pregnancy.

Symptoms

Most often, a woman is told about a threatened or incipient miscarriage by pain localized in the abdomen and vaginal bleeding. Pain may radiate to the lower back. Bloody discharge from the genital tract comes in different shades and intensities, but their appearance in any form should be a mandatory reason for urgent consultation with a doctor.

Minor discharge often means that the pregnancy can still be maintained. Heavy bleeding, especially with clots and pieces of tissue, indicates that the pregnancy has already been terminated. Typically, these symptoms of early miscarriage are accompanied by increased uterine tone, which causes discomfort and pain in the woman.

Sometimes the above symptoms occur in the first trimester, but the pregnancy is not interrupted, and the woman continues to carry it further under the careful supervision of a gynecologist and a note in the outpatient chart “threat of miscarriage.”

Regardless of the stage of pregnancy, both in the fifth and twentieth weeks the signs of miscarriage are similar. Therefore, you need to know how they manifest themselves in order to take timely measures.

Stages

Spontaneous abortion occurs in several stages.

The first stage is a threatening miscarriage

Signs of early miscarriage are characterized by aching pain in the lower back and lower abdomen. Sometimes there is slight bleeding from the genital tract.

These symptoms require immediate treatment, since in the first stage pregnancy can almost always be saved.

The second stage is the beginning of a miscarriage

Painful sensations become more intense, take on a cramping character, localizing in the sacrum and abdomen. Bloody discharge increases, especially when a woman is physically active. There is a feeling of weakness and dizziness.

Stage three - miscarriage in progress

Pain in the abdomen and lower back becomes severe. The blood loss is significant. The fetus at this stage is already dead, the pregnancy cannot be maintained. The fertilized egg may partially leave the uterus along with bleeding (in this case they speak of an incomplete miscarriage) or come out completely.

Stage four - completed miscarriage

In the fourth stage, the fetus is completely expelled from the uterine cavity. The organ contracts and its size returns to normal. Bleeding stops after an early miscarriage. It is necessary to use an ultrasound to find out whether there are any remains of the fetus and membranes left in the uterus.

What happens after a miscarriage

If there is a suspicion of spontaneous abortion, the woman should contact a medical facility. Only a specialist can say with certainty whether a miscarriage occurred or not. Usually, for this purpose, an ultrasound and a blood test for hCG, the pregnancy hormone, are performed.

If there is no fertilized egg in the uterus, and the hCG results are unsatisfactory, then there is no pregnancy. A woman should consult a gynecologist. The doctor will help you find out the cause of the miscarriage and give recommendations on further actions.

Complications

Most women who have a miscarriage feel well. But in 10% of cases there may be complications, such as abdominal pain and bleeding of varying intensity.

You should immediately consult a doctor if after miscarriage in early pregnancy the following symptoms occurred:

• massive bleeding;
• sharp pain in the abdomen;
• convulsions, high temperature;
• rapid heartbeat;
• nausea, vomiting.

Curettage of the uterine cavity

Cleaning, or curettage, of the uterus is carried out to eliminate remnants of the membranes and fetus. This is a surgical procedure performed under general or local anesthesia. During cleaning, the woman is on the gynecological chair. Her external genitalia are treated with a 5% iodine solution. The doctor inserts vaginal speculum, exposing and fixing the cervix, after which, using a curette that looks like a spoon, he performs the curettage itself.

After cleaning is completed, the extracted biological material is sent to the laboratory for further research. Histology of a miscarriage must be carried out to find out the cause of the problem and prevent it in the future.

Is cleaning always necessary?

Many women are confident that they know how miscarriage occurs in the early stages, and are in no hurry to seek medical help or refuse cleaning, considering it an unnecessary manipulation. But that's not true. The fetus and membranes are extremely rarely expelled in full. And if they are not removed from the uterus in time, they will decompose and cause inflammation in the female body.

That is why after a miscarriage, regardless of the conditions in which it occurred, you should go to a medical facility, where the doctor will determine exactly whether cleaning is needed or not. If curettage is necessary, you should not refuse it, as complications can be more serious.

Treatment after miscarriage

To avoid consequences, it is important to follow the doctor’s requirements:

• monitor discharge from the genital tract, if it changes, contact your doctor;
• control body temperature - its increase can mean inflammation in the body;
• Keep your genitals clean by washing them at least twice a day with antiseptic solutions.

To normalize hormonal levels, the doctor may prescribe a COC (Logest, Lindinet 20). Birth control pills after an early miscarriage also prevent early re-pregnancy, which is undesirable in the first 6 months after curettage. Antibiotics (Cifran) are also prescribed to prevent infection of the genital area after the intervention.

How to restore health after a miscarriage

Many women see their only option for conceiving a child as soon as possible as a way to survive an early miscarriage. This is a normal mental reaction.

But before planning a new pregnancy, doctors advise paying attention to your own health using the following recommendations:

• You should not become pregnant for 6 months to give the body time to rehabilitate the reproductive system and prevent another failure. This will require reliable contraception in the form of COCs or condoms.
• It is important to prepare the body for another pregnancy. Measures to prevent miscarriage should be discussed with your doctor.

Currently, there are not only antenatal clinics, but also family reproduction centers, where doctors specialize in conception and pregnancy. Do not neglect the help of these centers.

Specialists will be able to draw up an individual work plan, based on the health and reproductive capabilities of the partners, which will help ensure successful conception and pregnancy in the future.

Psychological rehabilitation

After a miscarriage occurs in the early stages of pregnancy, the female body physically recovers in 4-6 weeks, but psychological rehabilitation can take years. If the pregnancy was desired and planned, then coping with the burden of loss is difficult.

In this case, it is recommended not to isolate yourself, not to look for those to blame, and especially not to blame yourself for failure. In 73% of cases, spontaneous abortion occurs due to mutations, chromosomal problems, which means that the fetus was not healthy. You need to be prepared for the fact that after some time a new pregnancy will occur, for which you need to prepare better than the last time.

After bleeding passes after an early miscarriage, you should not sit idly by, but consult a doctor, undergo an examination, get tested for possible infections, and do an ultrasound. All these actions should distract a woman who wants to become pregnant again from developing depression. While waiting for the doctor’s verdict, you can consult with a psychologist to smooth out the acute moments of fears and worries.

Even if pregnancy does not occur on the first try, there is no need to panic. Most likely, the “stripe” test will not take long to arrive, and you can start this journey again - from conception to the logical conclusion of pregnancy, that is, the birth of a child. Everything will work out!

Useful video about early miscarriage

Early miscarriage is not a rare occurrence, but despite this it is a great tragedy for families who were planning a child and preparing for its birth. For what reasons can spontaneous abortion occur, what are the signs of trouble, and can the woman herself prevent misfortune?

Main features

Typically, a miscarriage in early pregnancy is manifested by the following two symptoms: pain in the lower abdomen and bloody, beige or brown vaginal discharge. The pain is similar to that experienced during menstruation or intestinal upset. If these signs or even one of them appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. The sooner you do this, the higher the chance of saving the child, unless it is a frozen or ectopic pregnancy, of course...

Main reasons

A miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy can be caused by a huge number of reasons, and often what was the reason for the termination remains unknown. Most often, severe chromosomal pathologies are to blame, that is, the fetus simply turns out to be nonviable. In this case, there will be no way to save the situation... Therefore, it is very important to prevent neural tube pathologies before and during pregnancy; Folic acid, which you should start drinking 2-3 months before conception, significantly reduces the risk of pathologies.

Other causes of early miscarriage are hormonal. In the second half of the menstrual cycle and the entire first half of pregnancy, the hormone progesterone is responsible for the “safety” of the fetus. But many women have a deficiency of it, and therefore it is impossible to do without medication to support pregnancy.

Another good reason for fetal rejection is infection. Even mild ARVI can lead to such unpleasant consequences. Although, it should be noted that more often miscarriages occur due to a sexually transmitted infection that a woman contracted while already in an interesting position. For example, herpes is such a dangerous infection. Accordingly, the advice is to get the necessary vaccinations before pregnancy (against rubella, for example), not to appear in crowded places unless absolutely necessary (especially in the cold season, when it is especially easy to catch some kind of “infection”), dress according to the weather, do not get too cold and , of course, before conception, treat STIs (if any).

Another reason, although quite rare, is “excessively” strong immunity, which provokes fetal rejection. To prevent this from happening, the woman must take medications that suppress the immune system. They are prescribed by a doctor.

Various teratogenic effects can provoke early miscarriage or cause severe malformations in the fetus. X-ray radiation goes without saying, but some medications and even herbs can be no less dangerous for the embryo. That is why women preparing to become mothers, as well as those planning pregnancy, should never self-medicate. And in case of illness, the attending physician should also be warned about your situation. In this case, he will select the safest drugs for the unborn child.

In general, we have already given some useful tips above, but it is worth mentioning several ordinary situations that you can prevent.

1. Physical activity. Of course, no one says that the expectant mother should lie down throughout her pregnancy. Physical activity is necessary, but only within reasonable limits. You should not carry heavy bags or lift children. But walks at a slow pace and special exercises for pregnant women (but only starting from the second trimester) are very useful. It is better to take care in the first trimester, especially if miscarriages have already occurred before.

2. Taking a bath. Many women believe that a hot bath is dangerous for expectant mothers. In a sense, this is true, because hot water leads to an increase in temperature throughout the body and provokes an acceleration of blood circulation. Therefore, if you have a bath, then only a warm one, or even better, a shower. For safety reasons, be sure to place a rubberized mat in the bathroom.

3. Repair. Having learned about the imminent birth of a child, both the happy expectant mother herself and her relatives begin to prepare for this solemn event. They buy furniture for the nursery, clothes for a newborn and other accessories, and also do... renovations. No one argues that a child should grow up in good conditions and cleanliness, but we should not forget that it is very harmful for the expectant mother and this very “culprit” of the repair to breathe in the fumes emitted by paint, glue, etc.

4. Taking vitamins. How so? After all, all doctors prescribe vitamins to pregnant women. Yes, undoubtedly, but many ladies believe that the more vitamins the child receives, the healthier he will be, while an overdose of some vitamins can not only have a detrimental effect on the health of the unborn baby, but also provoke a miscarriage in the early stages... K For example, you need to be very careful with vitamin A.

5. Sex. Is it possible to do it during pregnancy, and in particular in the first trimester? Conservative doctors of the old school do not recommend it. In many Soviet medical sources you can read information that in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and the last 8, sex can cause a miscarriage. Modern doctors claim that intimate relationships will not cause harm if there is no threat of miscarriage in the early stages (or later). On the contrary, positive emotions are very necessary for the expectant mother, and for the father too... The main thing is that sex should not be rough, penetration should not be too sharp and deep. If you experience strong, prolonged uterine tone, abdominal pain, and bloody or brown discharge from the genital tract, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Here are the main things that future parents and immediate family should take into account. Happy pregnancy and easy birth of a healthy baby!

Miscarriage is a spontaneous interruption of gestation (pregnancy) during the first 20-22 weeks, which is determined by the viability of the fetus. Spontaneous termination of pregnancy occurring after 22 weeks is called premature birth. According to statistics, 15-20% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, of which 80% of pregnancies are terminated within the first 12 weeks. What does a miscarriage look like? How to determine if a miscarriage has begun? Is it worth continuing the pregnancy if a miscarriage has begun?

Miscarriage: general information about spontaneous abortion

Regardless of the reasons that provoked the miscarriage, spontaneous termination of pregnancy occurs according to one scheme: the action of the factor that provokes the miscarriage, detachment of the fetus from the uterine wall, and removal of the fetus from the uterine cavity. Most early miscarriages are not diagnosed as such, but are perceived by women as the natural onset of menstruation. The likelihood of miscarriage decreases in direct proportion to the length of pregnancy - the longer the gestational age, the lower the likelihood of spontaneous abortion.

There are two main types of miscarriages:

• Accidental (sporadic) miscarriage is a manifestation of natural selection, when special mechanisms reject an obviously non-viable fetus. Accidental miscarriages are most often caused by genetic disorders of the fetus;
• Recurrent miscarriage is a condition of a woman who has a history of 2 or more miscarriages in a row. One of the signs is miscarriages at approximately the same period.

There are a number of factors that can trigger a miscarriage:

• Multiple pregnancy;
• Hypertension;
• Hyperthyroidism;
• STD;
• Maternal genital herpes and its recurrences in early pregnancy;
• Consumption of alcohol, nicotine, caffeine;
• Uncontrolled use of medications and self-medication;
• Hormonal imbalance;
• Woman's age;
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (Stein-Leventhal syndrome).

It is important, if possible, to exclude risk factors when planning pregnancy. To prevent miscarriage in chronic diseases, pregnancy must be planned under the close supervision of doctors, and also properly prepared for conception (full examination of sexual partners and the necessary treatment). Also, women with a history of 2 or more miscarriages should be given special attention to pregnancy planning.

To reduce the risk of developing genetic abnormalities in the fetus, it is important to recognize that the effects of many medications can significantly affect the development of pregnancy. It is important to inform the doctor about all types of treatment and medications that the woman took during the six months before pregnancy.

What does a miscarriage look like?

Every woman who finds out she is pregnant needs to know what a miscarriage looks like. When a miscarriage occurs, the symptoms are:

• Pain in the lower abdomen of a pulling, stabbing, aching nature;
• Back pain in the lumbar region;
• Bloody, bloody, brown discharge in any volume;
• Heavy bleeding;
• Discharge of blood clots.

In 50% of cases, women who seek medical help with bleeding in the early stages, pregnancy ends in miscarriage. Therefore, every woman, both planning a pregnancy and pregnant, needs to know what a miscarriage looks like. When planning a pregnancy, doctors recommend closely monitoring changes in the body, diagnosing pregnancy in a timely manner, so that, if necessary, taking the necessary measures to preserve it.

If symptoms appear during a miscarriage, a woman should immediately consult a doctor. Also a reason to immediately visit a gynecologist before detecting pregnancy is:

• Severe pain in the lower abdomen, accompanied by slight bleeding before the expected onset of menstruation;
• Bloody discharge in the middle of the cycle;
• Long or very short menstrual bleeding, significantly different from normal, in each individual case.

These symptoms may indicate a miscarriage before pregnancy is diagnosed. In such cases, pregnancy can be saved extremely rarely, however, this situation is an alarming reason for undergoing additional examination in case of planning a pregnancy and a full examination in case of sporadic miscarriage during an unplanned pregnancy.

With sporadic miscarriages, symptoms may not appear for a long time if fetal death occurs first. Fetal death is diagnosed by performing a dynamic analysis of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and ultrasound monitoring. If research data allows us to establish that the pregnancy is intrauterine and alive, the fetal heartbeat is diagnosed, and its development corresponds to the term, then such a pregnancy in most cases is successfully maintained and ends in the birth of a child.

Miscarriage: causes of spontaneous abortion

In most cases, unfortunately, when a miscarriage occurs, the causes remain unknown. The most common causes of spontaneous abortion are genetic disorders of fetal development. A biological individual is not capable of producing 100% quality cells (sperm and eggs). Healthy seminal fluid contains up to 2 million pathological sperm for every 1 ml. Female eggs are laid in the ovaries at the 20th week of fetal development, and unlike sperm, female reproductive cells are not renewed throughout life. Any negative factors, both external and internal, that affect a woman’s health also negatively affect her reproductive cells. The likelihood that a pathological germ cell will participate in the fertilization process is quite high. Therefore, there are natural mechanisms for selecting viable individuals in the early stages of fetal development, which leads to miscarriages.

The causes of habitual abortion (2 or more miscarriages) are disorders in the female body. Such causes of miscarriages are quite difficult to identify. These disorders do not prevent conception, but provoke early abortion. In this case, the woman’s body is not able to create normal conditions for gestation.

With habitual miscarriages, the reasons may be the following:

• Physiology of the uterus, violation of its structure - adhesions in the uterus, bicornuate uterus, septum in the uterus;
• Immune disorders (autoimmune, alloimmune), when the female body rejects the fetus as a foreign body, producing antibodies to it;
• Miscarriages of unknown origin (for unknown reasons);
• Endocrine disorders;
• Lifestyle.

Is it worth continuing the pregnancy if a miscarriage has begun? In the early stages it is extremely difficult to diagnose fetal pathologies. It happens that after pregnancy continues, the fetus develops complex pathologies that are incompatible with normal life.

In this article:

Pregnancy is a wonderful period in a woman’s life. But it is not always destined to end with the birth of a child. Sometimes the body itself decides to expel the emerging life from the female womb. In most cases, miscarriage occurs at the very beginning of pregnancy - in the first trimester. But why and how does a miscarriage happen? There are many reasons - from bad habits of the mother to chromosomal pathologies in the fetus.

According to statistics, every fifth pregnancy ends in spontaneous abortion. To avoid this, a woman should know the symptoms and signs of miscarriage, as well as what to do if she finds herself in a similar situation.

How does pathology develop?

How does a miscarriage occur is a question that worries every woman who is faced with the threat of miscarriage. The body rejects the fetus as a result of the influence of negative factors. It is excreted from the uterus either completely, which is typical in the first weeks of pregnancy, or partially. Often, women completely overlooked the symptoms of miscarriage, not noticing their condition.

Depending on the cause, for example, the presence of an acute infectious-inflammatory process in the body (flu, rubella, etc.), the immune system begins to show aggression towards the developing pregnancy, which can result in a miscarriage. The formation of a connection between the mother and the unborn child is disrupted, it ceases to function, and the fetus is deprived of support and nutrition.

As a result, the fertilized egg is rejected from the lining of the uterus and comes out of it along with bleeding. Depending on the mechanism of development of a miscarriage, experts determine its causes.

Types of miscarriages

Let's look at the main ones:

• Incomplete miscarriage , also called inevitable. In this case, the woman notes pain in the sacrum and lower abdomen, which is accompanied by bleeding and dilation of the cervix. If we are talking about an inevitable miscarriage, then in this case the membranes have ruptured. For an incomplete miscarriage, the symptoms of pain and bleeding are constant.
• Complete miscarriage means that the fertilized egg or fetus is completely expelled from the uterine cavity. In such a situation, bleeding may stop on its own, like other symptoms.
• Failed miscarriage . The embryo or fetus dies, but remains in the uterine cavity. Usually this condition is called frozen pregnancy, and it is discovered accidentally during a routine ultrasound examination or examination by a gynecologist.
• Anembryony . Despite the fusion of the sex cells of a man and a woman, the fetus does not begin its development in the uterus. In this condition, signs of pregnancy may be observed and even the gestational sac and corpus luteum can be diagnosed using ultrasound, but the child is absent from it; curettage is necessary, as after a miscarriage.
• Repeated miscarriage is diagnosed in a woman if she has had at least three spontaneous abortions one after another. This disorder occurs rarely, in no more than 1% of families. Usually it is included in the group of consequences after a miscarriage.
• Chorioadenoma . This disorder is also preceded by fertilization, but during it a breakdown of chromosomal information occurs, and instead of an embryo, tissues develop in the uterus, which grow and increase in volume over time. The pathology may end spontaneously as a miscarriage, or it may require cleaning of the uterine cavity.

Causes

About 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Most often, this happens at a time when the woman herself does not yet know about her situation. But this can also happen to those who were planning a pregnancy and managed to rejoice at its onset. Why is this happening?

The reasons for miscarriage in early pregnancy (mainly before the 12th week, since the first trimester is the decisive point in this matter) will be as follows:

• Chromosomal problems in the fetus . Experts believe that in approximately 73% of cases, pregnancy is terminated solely due to genetic disorders. At the same time, chromosomal mutations are not always inherited at the genetic level; their occurrence can be influenced by negative environmental factors, for example, radiation, viruses and much more. It is believed that in this case the pregnancy is terminated according to the type of natural selection, that is, initially such an embryo is not viable. Therefore, we are talking about a condition such as micro-miscarriage, which occurs much earlier than at 12 weeks of pregnancy. Many women do not even know that they were pregnant, perceiving unexpectedly heavy periods as a menstrual disorder.
• Hormonal disorders . Fluctuations in hormonal levels in the early stages of pregnancy often lead to its termination. Usually the culprit is progesterone, a hormone aimed at supporting pregnancy. If the problem is detected in time, the fetus can be saved. Spontaneous abortion can also be provoked by an excess of male hormones - androgens, which inhibit the synthesis of progesterone and estrogen. This usually leads to multiple, repeating miscarriages.
• Immunological problems . Most often they occur in the blood of the mother and fetus. In this case, the child inherits the father’s Rh factor with a “+” sign, while the mother’s Rh factor is “-”. The woman’s immune system perceives the Rh-positive embryo as foreign bodies, beginning an active fight against them.
• Infections . The causative agents of cytomegalovirus, herpes, chlamydia and other pathogenic bacteria and viruses infect the membranes and the fetus itself in the uterine cavity, causing miscarriage. To avoid this, you need to prepare for pregnancy and promptly treat any infectious and inflammatory processes in the body. Common infectious diseases are also fraught with a threat to the development of the fetus, these include influenza, rubella, etc. All these diseases occur with intoxication damage to the woman’s body and a strong increase in body temperature, which can cause spontaneous abortion.
• Past abortions . This is not just a medical procedure aimed at removing the fetus and membranes from the uterus. This is also a serious stress for a woman’s body, which can lead to complications. For example, dysfunctional ovarian dysfunction, changes in adrenal function, inflammatory phenomena in the reproductive system. In the future, all this leads to infertility and problems with carrying subsequent pregnancies.
• Taking medications and medicinal plants . Almost all pills and other medications are dangerous in the first trimester, as the fetus is actively developing. Most drugs provoke malformations of the fetus or disrupt the formation of the placenta, all of which can lead to spontaneous abortion. Tablets that can cause miscarriage, for example, at 12 weeks - hormonal drugs, narcotic analgesics, etc. Not only medicine can cause a miscarriage, but also some medicinal herbs that are quite harmless at first glance - mint, parsley, nettle, tansy and much more.
• Stress . Any mental shock is dangerous for pregnancy. If you cannot avoid stress, it is important to seek help from a specialist to prevent the possibility of miscarriage.
• Bad habits . Alcohol abuse, smoking, and drug addiction can cause early pregnancy termination. If a woman wants to give birth to a healthy and strong child, she must give up bad habits at the stage of planning conception and ask her partner about it.
• Excessive exercise . Violent sexual intercourse, falling, lifting heavy objects sometimes become a trigger for miscarriage. Pregnancy is a time when you need to take the utmost care of your own health.

Symptoms

What symptoms occur during a miscarriage? The first sign is abdominal pain, which is soon followed by spotting. Painful sensations are not always localized in the lower abdomen; many women note that it radiates most intensely to the sacral area.

Discharge from the genital tract can be different, varying in color and intensity. But their detection, in any case, requires consultation with a doctor. Light spotting may indicate a threat of miscarriage and the possibility of saving the pregnancy. Profuse uterine bleeding, especially with tissue particles and clots, speaks for itself - the fetus has died, and cleaning is needed after a miscarriage.

These signs are typical for any stage of pregnancy, so it doesn’t matter at what week they appeared. It is more important to know what symptoms are characteristic of the loss of a child, and what measures need to be taken in this situation.

There are 4 stages of miscarriage, let's look at them briefly:

1. Threatened miscarriage . A woman complains of pain in the lower back and lower abdomen. There may be slight bleeding from the vagina. In this case, the pregnancy can still be saved.
2. Incipient miscarriage . The pain increases and becomes like contractions. The discharge intensifies. Weakness and dizziness appear. The chances of saving the fetus are minimal.
3. Miscarriage in progress . The pain intensifies and the bleeding is significant. Fetal death at this stage is obvious. The fetus may leave the uterus completely with bloody discharge, or it may require cleaning after a miscarriage.
4. Completed miscarriage . The fetus and its membranes are expelled, and the uterus contracts after a miscarriage. The bleeding stops. It is necessary to perform an ultrasound to determine the condition of the uterus and the presence of remnants of the fertilized egg.

When does a miscarriage occur?

Typically, pregnancy is terminated in the first trimester due to the fact that the fetus is not viable. More often this happens during the expected onset of menstruation, and then the woman may not even know that she was pregnant. If this happens later, the fertilized egg rarely comes out completely; vacuum cleaning of the uterus is necessary after a miscarriage.

It is much less common for a pregnancy to be terminated in the second trimester. This condition is called late miscarriage.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing a miscarriage is not difficult for a specialist. The doctor examines the patient on a gynecological chair, determining whether the size of the uterus corresponds to the duration of pregnancy, the presence of tone, the condition of the cervix and the nature of the discharge. For a final assessment of the woman’s condition, an ultrasound is prescribed. With its help, the specialist sees the localization of the fertilized egg, the presence of detachment or its complete absence.

Based on the diagnostic examination, subsequent treatment tactics are decided. If the pregnancy can be saved, the woman is sent to the hospital. If we are talking about fetal death, the patient needs cleaning after a miscarriage and treatment.

Is it possible to independently determine that there was a miscarriage?

Determine for yourself that a miscarriage is occurring , it is difficult if the pregnancy is short and the woman did not know anything about it; it’s another matter if spontaneous abortion occurred later, for example, at 12 weeks. In this case, the woman simply cannot miss the symptoms associated with the death and expulsion of the fetus. This situation requires mandatory consultation with a doctor, as cleaning will be required after a miscarriage.

Therapy

Therapeutic measures depend entirely on the results of ultrasound and the clinical manifestations of the pathology. When a miscarriage threatens and has begun, the woman is prescribed treatment aimed at maintaining the pregnancy.

If the fertilized egg detaches and bleeding begins, then the pregnancy has already been terminated, and cleaning or curettage is necessary after a miscarriage.

For a miscarriage at a later stage, for example, at 28 weeks, means are needed to contract the uterus and artificially induce contractions (Oxytocin). After expulsion of the fetus, so that the uterus contracts better and bleeding decreases, an ice pack is placed on the woman’s stomach.

Treatment after a miscarriage does not end there. A woman must undergo an examination to determine the cause of spontaneous abortion: pelvic ultrasound, diagnosis of infections, hormones, cytogenetic examination of the ovum, etc. For up to 6 months, the woman is prescribed oral contraceptives to restore the reproductive system and prevent unwanted pregnancy, since sex soon after a miscarriage may lead to a repeat situation. The body needs to be given time to get stronger.

Complications after miscarriage

Complications after a miscarriage are often associated with the fact that the situation may recur. Therefore, it is important to undergo rehabilitation and find out why the failure occurred and when you can get pregnant again.

If treatment after a miscarriage is ineffective, a woman may experience the following complications:

• development of inflammation in the organs of the reproductive system with subsequent chronicization of the process into endometritis, salpingo-oophoritis, adhesions, etc.;
• hormonal disorders;
• problems with conception and secondary infertility.

In addition, frequent consequences after a miscarriage - extreme stress, depression, psychological experiences of a failed mother.

Prevention

It is impossible to prevent a miscarriage at 12 or any other week of pregnancy due to genetic factors - it is impossible to influence genetics. But every woman who wants to have children can adjust her lifestyle and take care of her health.

So, how to minimize the likelihood of miscarriage and complications after it:

• plan your pregnancy in advance, while adjusting your diet, giving up bad habits, undergoing examinations and treatment;
• after pregnancy occurs, direct all efforts to preserve it, for example, timely diagnosis if there is a threat of miscarriage;
• avoid stress, physical and psycho-emotional fatigue, visit the gynecologist on time.

Since complications after a miscarriage can be serious, it is recommended to plan a new pregnancy six months after the miscarriage. At this time, doctors advise using hormonal contraceptives, which allow the body to recover faster.

According to statistics, sex after a miscarriage already on the twelfth day of the cycle can lead to a new pregnancy. Some women take advantage of this, wanting to quickly forget a failed pregnancy. Thus, they expose themselves to a new blow, because the weakened body can again reject the fetus. There is no need to rush, only time and effort will help set up the reproductive system to expect a child.

Useful video about early miscarriage