Pregnancy loss and infant loss is a painful topic, often too close to many families’ hearts. But though it is a difficult discussion to have, knowing the risks and knowing the details of loss may help lower the chances.
What is the difference between miscarriage, stillbirth, and early infant loss?
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the loss of a baby prior to 20 weeks.
Stillbirth is the loss of a fetus after 20 weeks, but before or during delivery. For half of these, there is no cause health care providers can find.
Early infant loss is when a child younger than 1 year of age dies, from known causes or from SIDS.
Symptoms of miscarriage or pregnancy loss include
- vaginal spotting
- abdominal pain
- low back pain
- Fluid, tissue, or clot-like vaginal discharge
Be aware that though spotting or vaginal bleeding is a common miscarriage symptom, many women have spotting but do not miscarry early in a pregnancy. If you experience spotting, or any miscarriage symptom, talk to your doctor immediately.
How can women prevent pregnancy loss?
Most of the time, women can’t prevent or control miscarriage. Proper prenatal and preconception care, however, can prevent some complications ahead of time.
Pregnancy loss is often caused by a random chromosomal anomaly which happens regardless of the parents’ genetics. Sometimes, though, some health contributions may contribute to pregnancy loss. Some of these include high blood pressure, thyroid disease, blood clotting disorders, maternal or fetal infection, diabetes, or abnormalities in the uterus or cervix.
Rh disease also contributes to stillbirths and miscarriages. In this case, an incompatibility exists when an Rh protein is in the baby’s bloodstream and not the mother’s. This is less common, but can still contribute to the loss of a child before delivery.
What is the risk for pregnancy loss or stillbirth?
Pregnant women who drink, smoke, use drugs, or take more than 200 mg of caffeine per day (the amount in 12 ounces of coffee) can increase their chances of miscarrying or having a stillbirth. Women who are obese also have a higher risk of stillbirth, and should discuss losing weight with their doctor prior to pregnancy.
For women who have already suffered a miscarriage, it is usually a one-time occurrence. However, about 1% of women suffer more than one miscarriage in a row, or multiples. In this case, there may be an underlying problem, which may need tests from your doctor.
How soon after a pregnancy loss can a woman try again?
If a woman and her partner are physically and emotionally ready, she can conceive again after one normal menstrual cycle. However, if you are trying again, you should take any tests recommended by a doctor first to determine the cause of the miscarriage.
If you have concerns about protecting your baby during pregnancy, be sure to cover them with your doctor. Make the lifestyle adjustments necessary to have a healthy and successful pregnancy, if needed.