The grieving process for an expectant mother who lost a child to miscarriage is a truly a difficult journey.
Questions like, "What went wrong? Did I do something to cause it?", are common. Food, drinks, and certain activities will be initially blamed. The "possible causes" that friends and family suggest will add to the confusion.
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the unprompted end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving.
It generally occurs before 20 weeks of gestation or pregnancy. Bleeding or spotting during the first trimester of pregnancy is a first sign of a miscarriage for many women.
Normally, when a sperm fertilizes an egg, an embryo is created. This embryo shares the genetic characteristics of the father and the mother.
However, certain genetic abnormalities may cause miscarriages. Some scientists believe that aneuploidy, an abnormal number of chromosomes, may lead to failure of the embryo to implant itself onto the uterine lining.
In some cases, an aneuploid embryo is able to follow the normal process of implantation but only until a certain point will this "pregnancy" continue. In both cases, whether the aneuploid embryo is able to attach itself to the uterus or not, a miscarriage is likely to happen.
Approximately 30 to 80 percent of these cases will end in fetal death or even stillbirth. However, some abnormal fetuses may continue to grow towards the end of pregnancy and result in an infant with major defects. These chromosomal problems happen by chance and have nothing to do with what either of the parent does.
However when we hear about this event, it is always devastating news and experience a woman has to go through with her family.
The good news is the outcome of a woman's next pregnancy will not necessarily end with another miscarriage.
Although environmental factors and the mother's lifestyle have a lesser impact on pregnancy than those mentioned above, they are still important issues to address. A stressful lifestyle does not necessarily increase a woman's risk of having a miscarriage.
However, smoking, alcohol, obesity, ingestion of teratogens or substances that can cause birth defects may lead to miscarriages. Similarly, certain infections like toxoplasma and listeria have teratogenic effects.
It should be understood that there are various medical conditions that may cause repeated miscarriages. Pre-existing diabetes, thyroid problems, major thallasemia, blood disorders like thrombophilia, and autoimmune illnesses such as Lupus are the most common reasons for recurrent miscarriages. A knowledgeable specialist should be able to detect these risks for a woman planning to have a baby.
Unfortunately, despite rigorous and sometimes exhaustive investigations, it is reported that only 70 percent of women may find a reason for their miscarriages. It is during these times when support for the grieving woman is even more important.
One's history of miscarriage does not necessarily indicate that a doctor will advise drastic measures. Simple daily folic acid supplements and lifestyle modifications should be commenced once the woman is ready to consider bearing a child. For women with history of recurrent miscarriages, doctors may offer treatment options for the clinical conditions found.
With the current medical technology, even IVF or in-vitro fertilization (a.k.a. test tube programs) may be able to assist by selecting the best embryo prior to implantation. This also enable us to properly understand why a person is infertile. IVF is now quite accessible and a cost-effective option for those with certain pregnancy issues.
A miscarriage may be devastating but it can also mean that you have been saved from the sadness of having an abnormal child. It may also mean that you will have a fairly good chance of having a normal uncomplicated pregnancy with your next child. It is now medically possible to assist women with recurrent miscarriages to achieve a good and successful pregnancy.
cFlyFreeForHealth2009
Articles in this column, which will appear every two weeks, are provided by a panel of doctors from www.flyfreeforhealth.com, a leading multimedia medical tourism platform dedicated to providing travel and lifestyle incentives for those adopting a healthy lifestyle. The doctors include Dr Ivan Sini, a gynaecologist and clinical director of Morula IVF Jakarta, a reputable fertility clinic in Jakarta. Join our free online seminar on "Breast Feeding" on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2009. Register your email address by sending an SMS to +65 98473224 to receive the link invitation. Email us at info@flyfreeforhealth.com.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|