Miscarriage is technically called the spontaneous loss of a baby. One in every four pregnancies and about 30% of all pregnancies in the first trimester end up in a miscarriage.

It is a condition where the fetus is unable to live independently within the first 3 months of the pregnancy. This risk reduces significantly after crossing the 3rd month.

Causes of Miscarriage

Early miscarriage is because of chromosomal abnormalities. This is the most common cause of miscarriage. Most women lose a pregnancy even before they are aware that they are pregnant.

The other cause could be ectopic pregnancy, where the pregnancy develops outside the uterus. This prevents the fetus from growing fully and leads to miscarriage. Alcohol consumption and smoking greatly increase the causes for miscarriage.

Medication may also affect pregnancy and lead to miscarriage. Infections picked up from eating raw and undercooked meat, listeriosis contracted by eating cheese result in this condition. Deep vein thrombosis and other such autoimmune disorders can increase the chances of miscarrying.

Treatment

Most miscarriages are spontaneous and do not require any medical intervention. However, if the process is not complete, then an invasive procedure called and curettage (D & C) is performed to remove the residual tissue from the uterus.

This may result in scarring. Other treatments like administering a methotrexate injection may be given to given to dissolve the pregnancy. This ensures that there is no residual tissue left. Proper medical care is a must in such cases.

Emotional well being

Loss of pregnancy can cause grief. The level of grief depends on the stage of pregnancy and the bond that the parents have formed with the baby. If the mother feels bonded at the onset of pregnancy, it may be difficult for her.

Some women berate themselves assuming that their negative thoughts were the cause of the miscarriage. The father is also likely to feel the loss and is likely to need as much support as the mother in such a loss.