what can cause a miscarriage /What can cause a spontaneous or natural abortion?

What can cause a spontaneous or natural abortion?




A miscarriage, also called a miscarriage, refers to the loss of pregnancy during the first 20 weeks of gestation without having been intentionally caused by some human action. After 20 weeks of gestation, the natural loss of pregnancy is called premature birth or fetal death, depending on the case.

The risk of spontaneous abortion ranges from 15% in young women to 40% in women over 40, with age being one of the most important risk factors. Approximately one fifth (20%) of all pregnancies end in a natural abortion in a clinically recognized way. The actual estimated true figure is 50% although it is very difficult to know exactly because there are many spontaneous abortions produced in the first weeks that are not clinically recognized, many of them occur even before the mother realizes that she is pregnant. Approximately 80% of miscarriages take place during the first 7 weeks of gestation.
Types of spontaneous abortions

Depending on the expulsion of the fetus, placenta and other products of pregnancy, miscarriage is classified as:

    Completed or complete abortion: all products of conception are expelled in abortion
    Incomplete abortion: there is retention of the fetus, placenta or other products of conception
    Abortion retained: no product of conception leaves the body

Attending to other characteristics, the spontaneous abortion also receives other names like:

    Septic or infected abortion: there is infection in the uterine mucous membranes or in any product of the conception retained after the natural abortion.
    Unavoidable abortion: this name is used when the symptoms of a possible abortion have appeared and could not be avoided by any means.

What are the causes?

The main cause of spontaneous abortions is of genetic origin due to chromosomal anomalies that impede the development of the fetus. These chromosomal problems are not related, as a rule, to genetic inheritance, that is, they are not problems derived from the genes of the progenitors but are produced in most cases by defective ovules or sperm with an abnormal number of chromosomes . The rate of spontaneous abortions due to chromosomal problems in the fetus can represent up to 70% of spontaneous abortions during the first trimester and up to 50% of all spontaneous abortions in general.
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It is followed by the incidence rate, with 15%, the antiphospholipid syndrome or Hughes syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by the production of antibodies against some phospholipids present in the membranes of blood cells increasing the formation of blood clots (thrombosis) and is related to complications of pregnancy such as spontaneous abortion or severe preeclampsia.

From the second trimester of pregnancy, the main cause of spontaneous abortions is related to uterine problems. For example, weak uteri with too much muscle dilation. Chromosomal anomalies have a lower incidence from the second trimester representing approximately up to 20% of spontaneous abortions during this stage.

Other factors that can cause or increase the risk of miscarriage are:

    Consumption of drugs and alcohol
    Environmental toxins and chemical products
    Hormonal alterations
    Infections
    Obesity
    Uncontrolled systemic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension

Other important risk factors are:

    Age of the mother
    Previous spontaneous abortions


What are the symptoms?

There is no strict and common symptom picture. The most common symptoms of a possible miscarriage are acute or dull abdominal pain, expulsion of clots and vaginal bleeding.
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The treatment and prevention of spontaneous abortion

As preventive measures, the first thing that is done is a series of tests to determine the most common risk factors. Among these tests are:

    Cervix examination: it is mainly observed if the cervix is ​​dilated or if it is too narrow.
    Abdominal ultrasounds to check the development of the fetus.
    Count and leukocyte formula: the amount and type of white blood cells in the blood is studied. These cells are responsible for the immune response and their study can show the existence of infections.
    Type of blood: of the blood antigens, the Rh factor is one of the most important in pregnancy. If the woman is Rh- there may be problems if the fetus is Rh +. This factor is more important in second and following pregnancies than in the first because the blood of the fetus and the mother, usually, do not come into contact and if they do it happens at the time of delivery, hence in a second Rh-mother pregnancy may already have antibodies that react with Rh + blood.

These tests together with the professional monitoring and control of pregnancy from the first moment is the best prevention to be able to act quickly and take the necessary measures to reduce the chances of spontaneous abortion. For example, if you have a disease you can treat before you get pregnant, you can avoid risk factors such as alcohol, drugs, high amounts of caffeine, treat infections, control blood sugar levels and blood pressure, and, in definitive, be alert to possible complications that may arise.

If a pregnant woman notices any signs of possible miscarriage, such as vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain, she should seek medical attention immediately. Once the spontaneous abortion takes place, treatment is usually necessary to avoid complications. The first thing that is done is to check without having been products of pregnancy inside the uterus as well as its state. If there are remains in the interior you can wait up to two weeks and if it is not expelled naturally it may be necessary surgery or pharmacological treatment (mainly with misoprostol). The remains that remain in the uterus can become infected and can become a serious problem, hence monitoring and controlling their expulsion after a spontaneous abortion.

Besides the possible infections, the other major complication derived from spontaneous abortion is the depression that can be generated both in the mother and in the father.

If the abortion takes place after 20 weeks, the care is different and it is no longer considered abortion but premature birth or fetal death according to the case.
Go to the doctor if you are pregnant and

    You experience vaginal bleeding with or without abdominal pain
    You feel acute abdominal pain
    Observe tissue material or clots coming out of the vagina
    Always visit your doctor or gynecologist if you think you may be pregnant