Why Am I Miscarrying Again?
Anyone is bound to be quite upset when they have a miscarriage. They've placed their hopes and expectations on the pregnancy and they certainly didn't expect for it to end this way. Some people, however, experience multiple and repeated miscarriages. This situation is, of course, incredibly taxing both emotionally on the couple, and physically on the woman. Understanding the possible sources for recurrent miscarriages can help you to, hopefully, carry a baby to term.
What Is A Recurrent Miscarriage?
The definition of a recurrent miscarriage is a situation where a woman under 35 and has three or more miscarriages or a woman over 35 and has two or more miscarriages. Miscarriage is defined, in general, as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy up until the 20th week. After this time it's considered a stillbirth. While the possibility of having one miscarriage is usually estimated to be about 20%, the possibility of having multiple miscarriages is only estimated to be about 1% after a first miscarriage occurs.
Why Am I Having Recurrent Miscarriages?
Certainly, this question can't be answered here for each woman. In order to find the source of the problem, you'll need to see a doctor and have testing done. There are, however, a number of common issues that lead to multiple miscarriages and these are important to know about if you are in this situation.
1. Recurrent miscarriages may be due to structural problems within the woman. The uterus may not be shaped correctly to hold a baby to term or there might be fibroids, polyps or scar tissue on the uterus. You might have an abnormal cervix function that causes your uterus to dilate too early and expel the pregnancy before it is ready.
2. It's also possible that recurrent miscarriages are a result of hormonal causes. This is known as luteal phase defect and is a result of a lack of progesterone. When you have limited progesterone production, it can lead to fertility issues and to issues with the embryo implanting on the uterine wall. This would, in turn, lead to miscarriages.
3. Chromosomal anomalies are well known as a major cause of recurrent miscarriage. These abnormalities are quite uncommon, but they may be in either the father's or mother's chromosomes. The abnormal chromosome levels stop the embryo from growing and cause a miscarriage.
4. Problems with the immune system can also cause recurrent miscarriages. At times, the immune system might malfunction and destroy tissue inside the uterus, causing the miscarriage. In other cases, an immune system that isn't working correctly may see a fetus as a harmful object and will trigger an immune response to end the pregnancy. The most common immune issue that relates to miscarriage is anti-phospholipid syndrome.
Other Possible Causes
There are, of course, other possible causes of repeated miscarriages. If you've been exposed to radiation from X-rays or from chemical or other toxins, these can cause miscarriages. If you have a systemic disease, like diabetes, this can be a cause. Certainly, additions to drugs, alcohol and cigarettes can lead to miscarriages as can certain drugs that might be prescribed for other purposes.
If you are having recurrent miscarriages, speak to your doctor. You'll want to research these possible factors and causes together to try to get to the core of the problem. Hopefully, you'll be able to identify the cause of your issues and move on to have a healthy pregnancy and a beautiful baby!
