There are several causes for a miscarriage during the trimesters of pregnancy. A miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of the fetus at any time between week 1 and week 20 in a pregnancy. Most miscarriages occur in early pregnancy although there have been cases of women miscarrying in the later stages of pregnancy as well. The loss of a fetus after 20 weeks is known as a still birth. Some miscarriages occur even before a woman realizes that she is pregnant.
The first trimester is the most critical time in a pregnancy and is the period...
...between week 1 and week 12. There are several causes of miscarriage during the first trimester. Many miscarriages, sadly, have no reason at all - these are termed as chemical pregnancies. No one reason can be found for the miscarriage in this case. However, the most common cause for a miscarriage in the first trimester is due to chromosomal abnormality. This could be because of a problem in the sperm or egg before fertilization or a problem that occurred during cell division in the embryo. Genetic problems play a large role in first trimester miscarriages. Remember that the mother has no control over this type of miscarriage and it is often referred to as nature's way of dealing with an abnormal fetus. Other possible causes include severe emotional shock, improper implantation of the embryo, fibroids, an abnormal womb, acute infections such as German measles, underlying medical conditions such as thyroid problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, lupus and kidney disease.
A miscarriage in the second trimester occurs during week 13 and week 20. Causes include:
Placenta abruption: This occurs when the placenta separates from the uterus before full term. It is more prevalent in older mothers, mothers who drink or smoke or suffer from hypertension.
An incompetent cervix: This is when the cervix is softer and weaker. If it dilates as the baby grows, it can cause a pre term delivery as the fetal membranes will rupture.
Two prenatal tests that cause miscarriages are chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis. The former is carried out at 10-12 weeks and the latter at 15-18 weeks. These tests will be performed only if the Alpha Fetal Protein Blood test shows the fetus has some birth defect.
Other causes of miscarriage in the second trimester are abdominal trauma, infections, pre term labor, congenital birth defects and thrombophilia disorders. Many causes are still unknown.
Read more articles from the Miscarriage Category.
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