What causes miscarriage at 6 months?

(August 22, 2011)

Several women ask doctors if it is possible to suffer from a miscarriage at 6 months pregnant. Studies indicate that the risks of a miscarriage at 6 months are as low as 1% but that does not mean that it is impossible to lose a baby in the 6th month. However, a loss of pregnancy after the 20th week is not referred to as a miscarriage; it is known as a stillbirth. This is because after a loss of pregnancy at 6 months, your body cannot remove the fetus without any medical intervention. Your doctor will need to induce labor so that you can go through the birthing procedure and deliver the fetus.

What causes miscarriage at 6 months?

Though loss of pregnancy is not very common in the 6 months, there are many different factors that could lead to it. Given below are some of the common causes of miscarriage at 6 months:

• Structural abnormalities in the uterus, such as a scarred or a divided uterus
• Presence of uterine fibroids
• Certain prenatal tests, namely amniocentesis tests and Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) usually conducted between the 15th and 18th week
• Problems in the cervix, like a thin or weak cervix, usually caused by a condition known as cervical incompetence
• Excess production of certain hormones or even hormonal deficiencies in the body
• Uncontrolled health problems, like thyroid disorders, diabetes and high blood pressure
• Nutritional deficiencies or malnutrition as a result of a poor diet, because of which the baby cannot grow
• Unhealthy and harmful lifestyle choices like smoking cigarettes, consuming excessive alcohol and taking illegal drugs
• Placental complications, such as placental abruption, placental previa or infections in the placenta
• Infections like chlamydia, blood infections, herpes simplex, rubella and urinary bladder infections
• Chromosomal abnormalities or malformations in the baby
• Severe abdominal trauma

Advanced maternal age, where the mother is over the age or 35 could also be one of the reasons for miscarriage at 6 months. You may be at a high risk for a miscarriage, in case you have a history of abortions, stillbirths or miscarriages in the past. Contrary to what many people believe, sexual intercourse or exercising in the 6th month are not usually causes for miscarriage.

Unfortunately, most doctors cannot identify the exact causes of a miscarriage or a stillbirth. For those who want to know the reason, the fetus needs to be sent to a lab for testing. This is usually recommended in case of a repeat miscarriage.

Submitted by N on August 22, 2011 at 05:57

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