Miscarriage

miscarriage, also called spontaneous abortion, spontaneous expulsion of the embryo or fetus from the uterus before the 20th week of pregnancy, prior to the conceptus having developed sufficiently to live without maternal support. An estimated 10 to 25 percent of recognized pregnancies are lost as a result of miscarriage, with the risk of loss being highest in the first six weeks of pregnancy. Because many miscarriages occur prior to a woman knowing she is pregnant, the actual prevalence of miscarriage is suspected to be higher than that reflected in the data for clinically recognized cases.

The loss of pregnancy in the first weeks following implantation typically results in bleeding at about the time of the next expected menstruation. This form of early miscarriage, which accounts for the majority of miscarriages, is described as chemical pregnancy. The consecutive loss of pregnancies, which occurs in about 1 to 2 percent of women, is known as recurrent miscarriage.

The most common cause, accounting for more than 60 percent of miscarriages, is an inherited defect in the fetus, which might result in a deformed or otherwise abnormal child. An acute infectious disease may play a role in causing some miscarriages, particularly if it reduces the oxygen supply to the fetus. Certain uterine tumours or other uterine abnormalities also may induce a miscarriage. Death of the fetus stemming from external trauma or from knotting of the umbilical cord is another cause of miscarriage. Physical traumas (such as blows to or falls of the mother) and psychological traumas are rarely implicated in miscarriage.

Endocrine disorders such as deficient secretion of the hormone progesterone may cause poor development of the decidua (the mucal lining of the uterus) or an abnormally irritable uterus and may thus sometimes result in miscarriage.

Women over age 35 tend to be at increased risk of miscarriage relative to younger women. Risk factors include the presence of a preexisting medical condition such as thyroid disease, a history of miscarriage, and prenatal testing such as amniocentesis. Smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking certain drugs during pregnancy are also recognized risk factors.

The principal sign of an impending or threatened miscarriage is vaginal bleeding. Other symptoms may include pain in the abdomen and lower back.