By Jan de Lange

Miscarriage is an emotionally traumatic and often physically painful experience that affects around 15-20% of known pregnancies. The majority of these occur in the first three months – or the first trimester – of pregnancy. Miscarriages often occur before a woman misses her menstrual period and without her even knowing she is pregnant.

What is miscarriage?

In medical terms a miscarriage is the loss of a foetus within the first twenty weeks of pregnancy. Miscarriages are often referred to as spontaneous abortion to by medical practitioners. Bear in mind that “spontaneous” is key to this definition and that miscarriage is not an abortion in the conventional sense. Miscarriages after twenty weeks of gestation are termed as late miscarriages. 

What are the signs and symptoms?

The symptoms of miscarriage include:

• Bleeding. This usually progresses from light to heavy.
• Severe cramps
• Abdominal pain
• Weakness
• Back pain
• Fever combined with any of these symptoms

If you experience these symptoms or suspect that you’re having a miscarriage, contact the healthcare provider assisting with your pregnancy immediately so that they can receive you at their own consultation rooms or refer you to an emergency room.

Why does it happen?

Miscarriages mostly occur when a foetus has fatal genetic problems. These problems are usually unrelated to the mother. These miscarriages cannot be prevented and are the body’s way of ending an unsustainable pregnancy.

Miscarriages can also be caused by infection, pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, hormone problems, an abnormal uterus, immune system responses or other physical problems of the mother. Smoking, diabetes, being over 35 years of age and having had three or more past miscarriages also increase the risk of miscarriage.

While most miscarriages can’t be prevented, some of the things you can do to give your pregnancy the best chance of success are:

• Avoid drugs, alcohol, and smoking
• Avoid any meat that has not been thoroughly cooked
• Include lots of calcium and folic acid in your diet
• Limit your caffeine consumption
• Discuss all medication you are currently taking with your doctor to try and ensure its safety for pregnancy. Many prescription and over-the-counter medications are not safe for pregnancy.
• Attend all prenatal appointments and be sure to discuss any concerns with your doctor or midwife.

A pregnancy that ends in miscarriage is a traumatic experience. Counselling and therapy can provide powerful support to help you get through the emotional distress of a miscarriage. You can also seek out support groups for parents who are dealing with miscarriage through your gynaecologist or midwife.