Introduction

Miscarriage is the loss of a fetus up to the 20th week of pregnancy. Miscarriages can occur due to several reasons and mostly the causes may not be known. Miscarriages mostly occur in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy and this is the time that one needs to take special care. The reason could be due to defects found in the baby’s chromosomes or any serious illness that the mother catches in the initial stages such as jaundice or pneumonia.

There is nothing abnormal about experiencing a single miscarriage before achieving a successful pregnancy however if you are experiencing recurrent miscarriages it can indicate fertility problems which require investigation.

Warning Signs

To avoid a miscarriage from occurring one can be aware of the warning signs which can lead to miscarriages though they may not necessarily be true in all cases. Severe back pain with cramps in the stomach needs to be investigated. Any abnormal vaginal bleeding is not normal and needs to be checked up immediately. Though there are some cases where pregnancy spotting (slight bleeding) can take place in the early pregnancy but it is important to speak to the gynecologist as normally one should not bleed at all during the entire pregnancy. Smoking and drinking alcohol or taking drugs and medication without advice can also make you vulnerable to a miscarriage. Uterine abnormalities or fibroids found in your uterus can also make you vulnerable to miscarriages. There can also be hereditary factors for a miscarriage and the reasons cannot be detected.

Prevention of a miscarriage

You can take the following tips to lower your risk of a miscarriage. The most important factor to consider before going in for a pregnancy is to keep you physically and mentally healthy by following a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Secondly it is important that you completely give up smoking and alcohol before trying to conceive. If you are taking any drugs on a long term basis have a word with your doctor and find out the effect of these drugs on your fertility and ability to conceive and the safer alternatives if any. You can begin taking folic acid tablets regularly before you are pregnant to improve your chances of retaining the pregnancy. If you have chronic health problems such as thyroid problems or diabetes it is important to try and control or manage the problem with diet and medication to avoid dosage of medication during pregnancy. Genetic counseling can be done for women with chromosomal problem which are generally hereditary. Structural problems such as positioning of the uterus can be rectified through surgery however this is no guarantee of a successful pregnancy however it can reduce the chance of a miscarriage.