Miscarriage, or the termination of an early pregnancy, can be caused by genetic abnormalities, maternal illnesses, substance use, anatomical abnormalities, hormonal problems, and immunological factors. An unavoidable miscarriage is characterized by vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, cramping, and cervical dilation. Diagnosis involves a pelvic exam, ultrasound, and blood tests. Treatment may include vacuum aspiration or dilation and curettage.
In medicine, the term abortion refers to the termination of an early pregnancy of any origin, spontaneous or intentional. Miscarriages, also known as miscarriages, occur in up to 15 percent of pregnancies. An unavoidable miscarriage is a situation in which vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, cramping, and cervical dilation occurs in a pregnant woman and eventually leads to a miscarriage. Once the cervix dilates, any medical intervention is unlikely to prevent pregnancy loss. Passing large blood clots or tissue through the vagina also indicates an inevitable miscarriage.
Many factors contribute to an inevitable miscarriage. In the first trimester of pregnancy, 90% of miscarriages result from genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. Maternal illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, lupus, and infections also increase the likelihood of miscarriage. The use of tobacco, alcohol or other illicit drugs can impede the growth and development of the fetus, leading to spontaneous termination of pregnancy. Finally, anatomical abnormalities in the mother’s uterus, hormonal problems, and immunological factors can account for more than 50% of second trimester miscarriages.
Evaluation for an unavoidable miscarriage includes a pelvic exam during which the doctor looks at the cervix to assess how much dilatation and thinning has taken place. An abdominal or vaginal ultrasound can determine if your baby’s development is appropriate for his estimated age and if he still has a heartbeat. In addition, your doctor will do several blood tests, such as a complete blood count, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) level, and white blood cell count to assess how much blood loss or infection is present and whether the pregnancy is still viable. A sharp drop in HCG levels indicates that the body has stopped producing this hormone essential for maintaining a pregnancy.
Once an unavoidable miscarriage progresses to a complete miscarriage, the expelled material can be examined to verify that the entire placenta has exited the mother’s body. If part of the fetus or placenta remains inside the uterus, the mother has a higher risk of excessive bleeding or infection. A vacuum aspiration of the uterine contents, also called dilation and curettage (D&C), may be essential to prevent these complications. Additionally, the chromosome composition of the fetal tissue can be analyzed to determine if a genetic defect caused the miscarriage.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
