User:Mr. Ibrahem/Miscarriage
Medical condition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion and pregnancy loss, is the natural death of an embryo or fetus before it is able to survive independently.[1][4] Some use the cutoff of 20 weeks of gestation, after which fetal death is known as a stillbirth.[13] The most common symptom of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding with or without pain.[1] Sadness, anxiety and guilt may occur afterwards.[3][14] Tissue and clot-like material may leave the uterus and pass through and out of the vagina.[15] When a woman keeps having miscarriages, infertility is present.[16]
Miscarriage | |
---|---|
Other names | Spontaneous abortion, early pregnancy loss |
An ultrasound showing a gestational sac containing a yolk sac but no embryo. | |
Specialty | Obstetrics and gynecology |
Symptoms | Vaginal bleeding with or without pain[1] |
Complications | Infection, bleeding,[2] sadness, anxiety, guilt[3] |
Usual onset | Before 20 weeks of pregnancy[4] |
Causes | Chromosomal abnormalities,[1][5] uterine abnormalities [6] |
Risk factors | Being an older parent, previous miscarriage, exposure to tobacco smoke, obesity, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, drug or alcohol use[7][8][9] |
Diagnostic method | Examination, human chorionic gonadotropin, ultrasound[10] |
Differential diagnosis | Ectopic pregnancy, implantation bleeding.[1] |
Prevention | Prenatal care[11] |
Treatment | Expectant management, misoprostol, vacuum aspiration, emotional support[8][12] |
Frequency | 10–50% of pregnancies[1][7] |
Risk factors for miscarriage include being an older parent, previous miscarriage, exposure to tobacco smoke, obesity, diabetes, thyroid problems, and drug or alcohol use.[7][8] About 80% of miscarriages occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (the first trimester).[1] The underlying cause in about half of cases involves chromosomal abnormalities.[5][1] Diagnosis of a miscarriage may involve checking to see if the cervix is open or closed, testing blood levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and an ultrasound.[10] Other conditions that can produce similar symptoms include an ectopic pregnancy and implantation bleeding.[1]
Prevention is occasionally possible with good prenatal care.[11] Avoiding drugs, alcohol, infectious diseases, and radiation may decrease the risk of miscarriage.[11] No specific treatment is usually needed during the first 7 to 14 days.[8][12] Most miscarriages will complete without additional interventions.[8] Occasionally the medication misoprostol or a procedure such as vacuum aspiration is used to remove the remaining tissue.[12][17] Women who have a blood type of rhesus negative (Rh negative) may require Rho(D) immune globulin.[8] Pain medication may be beneficial.[12] Emotional support may help with processing the loss.[12]
Miscarriage is the most common complication of early pregnancy.[18] Among women who know they are pregnant, the miscarriage rate is roughly 10% to 20%, while rates among all fertilisation is around 30% to 50%.[1][7] In those under the age of 35 the risk is about 10% while it is about 45% in those over the age of 40.[1] Risk begins to increase around the age of 30.[7] About 5% of women have two miscarriages in a row.[19] Some recommend not using the term "abortion" in discussions with those experiencing a miscarriage in an effort to decrease distress.[20]