5 reasons for a miscarriage after the first trimester

In India we don’t talk about our pregnancy until we have crossed the crucial first three months. It is because this period is considered sensitive and a bit unsafe for the baby as chances of miscarriage are high.

After the first three months, baby is considered to be safe and sound in the womb and chances of miscarriage are lowered.

But the human body is unpredictable everything never go as planned. And there are times when one can face a miscarriage during second or even the third trimester.

Here are five causes of miscarriage or spontaneous abortion you need to know and reasons for the same.

1) An incompetent cervix:

The cervix refuses to hold the baby for too long and opens up mid-way during the pregnancy. Cervical insufficiency leads to pre-term labour that results in miscarriage.

2) Chromosomal abnormalities:

"Almost 60 percent of late miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities in the foetus that terminates the pregnancy. The risk is more in mothers who are in their late 30s or early 40s," says Dr Bandita Sinha, Apollo Clinic, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

3) Problems in the uterus:

"Fibroids, cysts, congenital uterine defects can come in the way of your pregnancy even after a fertilised egg is planted in the uterine wall. However, if the problems are detected early this situation can be averted," says Dr Sinha.

4) Placental attack:

 Did you know that your placenta is solely responsible to keep your baby alive inside the womb? But if immune cells attack the placenta the foetus loses its defence system. This is known as Hughes Syndrome, which is a condition where blood clots formed in the body attacks the placenta and eventually ending the life in the womb. An auto-immune condition like lupus, type I diabetes could do the same. 

5) Medical conditions: "A miscarriage during the second or third trimester is more common in women suffering from uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid problems, high homo cysteine levels or hormonal imbalances," says Dr Sinha. It is important to keep these conditions in check and go for a thorough check-up pre-pregnancy.

However, you should know that it is difficult to point out a specific reason for miscarriage whether in the early or later stages of pregnancy. If you or a loved one of yours has suffered a late miscarriage, get the right help.

"Apart from the genetic defects whether, in the foetus or the mother, other problems can be treated to plan a second pregnancy," informs Dr Sinha. 

Here are few tips that can help one prevent a miscarriage:

• Regular Exercise – This improves the blood circulation of the reproductive tract and helps a pregnancy progress without many problems.

• A balanced diet – Deficiency of certain nutrients like iron, calcium, foliate and magnesium can be a subtle cause of a late miscarriage. So make sure your diet is balanced with all the micro and macro nutrients in it. Here is the ultimate pregnancy diet guide for you.

• Reduce stress- Stress leads to an imbalance in hormones that can cause disturbance in normal reproductive hormones. If you have a condition like diabetes, BP or thyroid then stress could be bad. Here is how to control stress during pregnancy.

• Maintain an ideal body weight – Obesity can impact the reproductive health of a woman and increase the chances of miscarriage.

• Stop your vices — Smoking and alcohol can increase your chances of miscarriage, so kick the butt and say no to your favourite wine after you see those two pink lines on your home pregnancy test kit. Your caffeine addiction could be equally harmful to your baby.

• Get treated for other health conditions – Whether you are suffering from diabetes mellitus, thyroid problems, hormonal imbalance such as PCOS, high pro-lactin level get treated before you plan a pregnancy. These conditions increase the chances of miscarriage manifolds.

This article was originally published on www.thehealthsite.com